Do you find yourself waking up in a frazzle every morning? Hitting the snooze button and sleeping until the last possible minute, and then getting ready as fast as you can? Well, you are not alone! It is estimated that about 88% of people do have some sort of morning routine. However, the number of people having an effective morning routine is much, much lower. The benefits of a morning routine are astounding, with both short and long term advantages.

Many people consider showering and grabbing a quick cup of coffee before running out the door a “routine.” And while I suppose it is if you do it everyday; it is certainly not effective in achieving anything. Morning routines do not have to be complicated or take a long time, but they should set you up for a successful day.

Why have a morning routine?

What you do when you wake up sets the tone for the rest of the day. If you are running late, chances are you will feel like you are running late for a good portion of the day. What happens in the morning stays with you.

“People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits decided their futures.” -F.M. Alexander. Your habits matter. They truly do set you up for success throughout your day. If you wake up to a structured morning routine, then your day is going to feel a lot more structured.

Another benefit of having a morning routine is knowing exactly how you are going to wake up in the morning. Having control over the first 30 minutes of your day should put your anxious mind more at ease (goodbye Sunday scaries!).

How your routine should make you feel:

• In control
• Powerful
• Prepared
• Energized
• Confident
• Less-stressed
• Refreshed

Common misconceptions:

The most common complaint I hear from clients is that they do not have time for a morning routine. I understand that everyone is so busy! And I believe that the biggest misconception about the benefits of a morning routine is that it takes too much time. Whether your routine is 15 minutes or 45 minutes does not matter. Just a few minutes to yourself will do the trick! I have found that I am MUCH more productive when I do my morning routine. Whereas if I do not do it, I just feel busy.

I challenge you to find an extra 15 or 20 minutes somewhere else in your day. It could be time you usually spend scrolling social media, snoozing your alarm, or bingeing a show. Just try taking 15 minutes to your self as soon as you wake up for the next 30 days.

Helpful Tips:

• Do things you like to do! If you are not into meditating, don’t do it. If you don’t want to leave your house and go to the gym first thing in the morning, don’t do it. Your morning routine should be something that you actually want to do.
• Prep your breakfast the night before! This is imperative for me. Even though I know all about the benefits of eating healthy, if I don’t have healthy food in front of me, I will revert back to eating something I shouldn’t. It is just human nature, especially in the morning. Chances are, you have kids to get ready and out the door, and the last thing you are thinking about is breakfast for yourself. Make something the night before! If I know I need to have my breakfast prepared in 5 minutes, I usually hard boil a few eggs the night before. Then, when I wake up I can pair them with something quick (peanut butter toast and berries).
• Here are a few breakfast recipes: Chocolate Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal, Grain Free Apple Biscuits, and Cinnamon Crunch Bagels.

My morning routine:

After lots of trial and error, I have figured out the perfect morning routine (for me!). It takes me about 25-30 minutes to complete and it leaves me feeling so refreshed and ready to take on the day!

• I wake up to my first alarm. Snoozing is great, and I definitely do that on the weekends. I have found that if I snooze throughout the week, I am more likely to keep snoozing.
• I use my ice roller on my face. Not only are there loads of health and skin benefits, but it also really wakes me up!
• I use my favorite vitamin C serum. Disclaimer: I am definitely not a beauty blogger, but these are some really good ones – SkinPharm’s Glow Factor, Uncommon James’ Pineapple Peptides, and Skinceuticals.
• I get back in bed and pull out my Bible and begin my day’s reading. I LOVE the Bible recap podcast. I truly cannot say enough good things about it!
• While I am reading/listening, I drink between 24 and 48 oz. of water. I tend to forget about drinking water throughout the day, so this is a nice push in the morning.
• Next, I pull out my journal/gratitude book and spend a few minutes in it.
• Finally, I go downstairs, make a latte, and start putting together a nourishing breakfast!

My routine is so easy and natural. It does not consist of doing a long workout or meditation. It is made up of things that I enjoy! It forces me to slow down and wake up, instead of rolling out of the bed and rushing to get ready. I definitely feel the benefits of a morning routine all day!