My Morning Routine
I know I am not the only one when I say that the amount of information out there on what should be included in your morning routine is overwhelming. You’re telling me I have to go for a walk in the sunlight to support my circadian rhythm, get a 45 minute workout in, meditate for 20 minutes, journal, drink lemon water then a celery juice then coffee then make breakfast, do my skincare, dry brush, shower and put on makeup all before 8AM? Sounds more stressful than helpful. Don’t worry. There is no such thing as a perfect morning routine and it can be as long or as short as you like.
Let me break it down for you.
First things first, building a morning routine will take time. You will need to do some trial and error to figure out what works best for you and your schedule. If you aren’t hungry until 10AM, but have to be in the office by 8AM, then eating breakfast before you leave the house probably won’t work for you. If working out after work or in the afternoon or every other morning works better for you, then by no means am I saying you need to be at the gym at 5AM everyday. While this trial and error process may be frustrating at first, certain things that make you feel good will stick and eventually become a habit when you make them a priority.
The whole point of building a morning routine is to set yourself up for a day that makes YOU feel your best.
Disclaimer: this is not my morning routine every morning. Sometimes things get switched up, and that's OKAY. Again the point is not perfection, its consistent daily habits that start your day off on the right foot.
1.Set Yourself up for Success the Night Before
Getting a few things ready in the evening that make my morning routine seamless and easier to jump into right when I wake up has been a game changer for how consistently I am able to do all the things that make me feel my best, first thing in the morning.
A few things I do the night before to set myself up for an easy morning routine:
Set my workout clothes and clothes for work out the night before
Pack my lunch
Set my alarm
Plan what workout I am going to do in the morning
Put my phone away from 10PM to 8AM (My morning routine starts well before 8AM, but staying off my phone first thing in the morning allows me to stay present and get mentally prepared for the day ahead.)
2. Hydrate
Right when I wake up, I drink a big glass of water (sometimes with an electrolyte packet if I am feeling extra dehydrated) or warm water with lemon. Often I will leave my hydroflask next to my bed so that I don’t have to think about it when I wake up. Your body needs water right when you wake up because you have not been hydrating all night. Drinking some water on an empty stomach after 6-8 hours or more without any water is a great way to rehydrate your body, setting your body up for success the rest of the day! Dehydration causes imbalance in hunger hormones, decreased energy levels, fatigue, lowered concentration levels, and cravings. The daily recommended water intake should be between half to one ounce of water per pound you weigh and one ounce more for every minute you workout. Be sure you are staying hydrated throughout the day by starting your day off with a big glass of water!
3. Make My Bed
It wasn’t until quarantine hit that I really noticed how big of a difference this small act had on my overall mood throughout the day. Growing up my mom would always tell me to make my bed before school and I never understood why it was important since it would just get unmade later again that same day and no one else was going to see it. I have to say, mom was right. With spending so much extra time at home nowadays, making my bed makes my space feel so much more organized, clean and put together causing me to feel less stressed and more productive throughout the day. I truly believe that a tidy space contributes to a calm mind. This simple act takes seconds and can have a lasting impact on your day!
4. Get A Workout In
My favorite part of my morning routine and a non-negotiable for me! I talk about my Why for Working out (link other blog post) in this blog post and how working out in the morning has such a big impact on my mental health, physical health, and sleep. Exercising first thing in the morning helps me to wake up, balance my blood sugar throughout the day, rev up my metabolism, and gives me a reason to stop hitting snooze. If I am being completely honest, if I don’t workout in the morning, it doesn’t happen. Studies have shown that our will power is strongest first thing in the morning. Scheduling my workout first thing in the morning gives me a better chance of getting it done since there are less people/meetings/distractions able to interfere. Not to mention, it starts your day off doing something for yourself and for fun!
5. Meditate
This is something that I have recently added to my morning routine and has taken me many times of trying to make it a habit. What has helped me make this a habit is starting by committing to 3 minutes a day, then 5 and so on, using Headspace to guide me, and doing it immediately after I finish my workout (this is called habit stacking). Taking these 5 minutes after my workout to calm my mind, focus on my breath and be present has, over time and with consistent practice, changed how I react to certain situations and carry myself throughout the day. I truly look forward to these 5 minutes each morning where I can learn to let go and slow down. After my meditation, I will read a page or two from my daily devotional book and pray. Right now I am reading Bob Goff’s Live in Grace, Walk in Love 365 day devotional. These practices allow me to connect mind, body and spirit first thing in the morning so I can be more aligned and intentional in my actions, reactions and decision making throughout the day.
6. Get Ready for the Day
Next I will jump in the shower, do my morning skincare routine, take my supplements, brush my teeth and get dressed for the day! Right now I am loving Skinceuticals for all of my skin care products. I try to keep my skincare routine as minimal and short yet effective as possible. I also take supplements compounded for me by a doctor based on my lab tests. Occasionally I will listen to some music or a podcast during this time in the morning, but often I am focusing on how I am speaking to myself and enjoying some quiet before heading to the office.
7. Make Breakfast (a protein shake and matcha)
Last, but certainly not least, I make breakfast! I eat almost the same thing every morning for breakfast and it is based off of Be Well By Kelly’s Fab Four smoothie. The fab four smoothie consists of protein powder (I use an egg white protein powder because of my digestive issues, but Be Well By Kelly’s protein powder is delicious. I highly recommended using a protein powder that contains a minimum of 20g of protein and has clean ingredients.), spinach or leafy greens, high quality fats (I typically use a nut butter or avocado), and fiber (my go to is flaxseed, but acacia fiber or chia seeds are other great options). I will also add berries to my smoothie. Having a carb in your breakfast is important to maintain energy levels throughout your morning before lunch because your brain uses solely carbohydrates as energy. I love the fab four smoothie because it keeps me full until lunch, packs a lot of nutrients into one meal, and keeps my blood sugar stable so I do not experience a crash later in the day.
I also will make a matcha latte to take with me to work. I love pique single serve ceremonial grade matcha travel packets. Pique is also heavy metal tested so you can be sure you are getting the most clean form of matcha powder. This was also a recent addition to my morning routine as I used to be a coffee addict. Since switching to matcha, I have found that my energy levels have stayed more consistent throughout the day, I have less anxiety, and I am able to focus for longer periods of time. Occasionally I will make a decaf coffee if I am really craving it.
I hope sharing the ins and outs to my morning routine inspires you to test out new ways to create a morning routine that helps you feel your best! This is something that I talk about with my clients often. I didn't just wake up one day and have this figured out, it took lots of time and adapting to new circumstances to get in this groove. I also am not suggesting that any of the above needs to be something that you implement into your routine. Simply put, whatever makes you feel your best each morning is worth prioritizing! I know first hand how confusing and challenging this can be, so if you need some guidance or coaching, you know where to find me!
