Setting Your Morning Routine

Summer is right around the corner, and if you’re anything like me, it’s tough to find motivation to be productive in the warmer months. Finding a morning routine to get your day started can be helpful when we don’t have much of a schedule to keep. Not only can it be helpful to have productive days, it can also be helpful for our mental health. 

Incorporating routine into our lives can have many mental health benefits. Routines are helpful for those at any age and any stage in life and can help create healthy habits, reduce stress and cope with change. 

Here are some helpful tips to get started on creating your morning routine! 

• Remember that your sleeping habits go hand in hand with creating a morning routine. 

Get into a good habit by first setting a goal on a specific time you want to wake up each morning. Then, you can set a goal of what time to be in bed each night. For example, we know for a full night’s rest we need 8 hours of sleep, so if you want to wake up by 8am every morning this summer, your goal bedtime would be midnight. 

• Plan adequate time to finish your routine before you leave the house each morning.

Maybe you have a job or an activity you have to be awake for. Set aside the time you need to finish your routine before you leave each day. This will help your body wake up and get ready for the day before you have to leave your house. 

• Make something you enjoy part of the morning routine.

An important piece of morning routines is to add things to it that you love to do. Do you like working out, taking walks, skin care, journaling, reading, drinking coffee? Add these to your routine! With adding things you like you may also add things that are not so enjoyable but need to get done. For example, brushing your teeth, making your bed, packing your lunch, etc. 

• Write your routine down and remind yourself each day.

Forming a routine or habit takes time—about 21 days actually—so don’t be hard on yourself if creating a morning routine is difficult, be patient with yourself. It can help to write your actual routine down step by step, and place it in a spot that you see every morning when you wake up. This will help you be reminded of your goals and stay on task to get going with your day.

Your morning routine can be as long or as short as you want. The goal is to set up your day the way that is best for you. Your routine should be unique to yourself. If you need ideas or enjoy watching other people going through their morning routines go to Youtube and search morning routines.