Starting a Simple Morning Routine : 3 Easy Steps

What do you do when you open your eyes in the morning? Do you have a morning routine and know exactly what you will do next as soon as you swing your legs out of bed? If not…

A simple morning routine can be started in steps that include choosing the activities you want to include in your routine and implementing the routine into your every day. Another step includes discovering the purpose and reason for starting a morning routine.

This all may seem like a big deal to you and not easy at all. And I get that. But it is easier than you think, because the really hard part is simply motivation. After that, easy peasy.

Once you have the motivation in place the first step to starting a routine is the biggest. Finding the purpose. Once you know why you personally want to start a routine, the rest of it will fall into place.

Find the Purpose of a Morning Routine

This step is so important! It helps you stay on track for those mornings when you feel like falling off the track. And it helps you put one step in front of the other when the activities of your routine become boring and uninteresting.

So what is your reason for starting a morning routine?

What will it do for you?

Are you wanting to start one because you think that’s what you “should” do or because you really want to?

First of all, “shoulds” don’t belong here. At all. There is not “should” in starting a morning routine.

Got that clear? Settle that thought in your mind and let it sink in deep.

Good job. Now we can move forward.

Creating a routine of activities when you get up in the morning is so that you can start the day your way.

It’s a way to take care of yourself so that you can feel ready to face whatever the rest of the day holds.

But you first need to find your “why”.

Is it because you want some time to yourself before the rest of the household wakes up? Or just time to yourself before you head off to work?

Is it because you feel scattered in the morning and want to find more purpose in what you do when you wake up?

Or is it because you just want to find a new way to start your day and to change up how the morning gets started?

Whatever reason you come up with is good. It doesn’t have to be a very big reason at all, just one that makes sense to you.

The reason and purpose is only for you, so that you can remind yourself of it when you find your motivation seeping away. It’s to keep you going.

Choosing Activities for the Routine

Now comes the fun part, choosing what you want to put into this morning routine.

Besides sleeping longer, what would make you feel good about yourself? Is it drinking a cup of coffee first thing? Reading? Getting dressed? Exercising?

I am not an exercise girl. Going for walks? No thanks! But for some reason, the first thing on my morning routine is doing a 15 minute workout. But I follow a video instructor and for some reason that makes all the difference.

And ok, I don’t actually do the workouts every morning, but most mornings. 😁

And if I didn’t workout right after I get out of bed, it would never get done. I like to do it by myself when nobody is around. 🤷‍♀️ And it makes me feel good about myself that I am doing something to stay in shape…at least some kind of shape.

So what is that one activity that you feel would start your day off right?

The reality is that you so have a morning routine, it just might not be as intentional is it could be. What are the things that you are doing already in the morning that you want on this intentional routine?

Here is a list of questions you can ask yourself before deciding what to put on your routine list.

• what is one thing that would get me started on the right foot?
• what do I want to get done before the big part of the day gets going?
• how much time do I want to spend on my morning routine?
• what time do I need to get up to get it all done?
• do I want this routine to include self-care, homemaking, exercise or some of each?

And here is a morning routine example.

Remember, there is no right or wrong routine. You make it what you want to make it. And go with it!

And, hey, you can make a routine you think will work and then tweak it until it’s just right.

Write Down Your Routine-And Get Started

Now that you have some ideas on what you want in your morning routine, it’s time to start writing those ideas down.

And here is a printable chart to write down your routine. Morning Routine Chart

The first thing to write down is your “Why”. Why are you doing this routine and what you want to accomplish with it.

Next, write down what time you want to start the routine and even how long you want it to take. This way you have something to aim for. Just remember not to kick yourself if you don’t meet the times you have set every day.

Then it’s time to write down, in order, the things you want to do in that time you have set. And listen, you’re allowed to write down only 2 or 3 things on that list. Again, this is about you and what you want. And you’re allowed to start small and work you way to bigger as you go along.

Here’s a beautiful thing about morning routines and really any routine, it becomes a habit. Once you have been doing the same routine for awhile you will automatically do all those things on your routine, in order, without putting much thought into it.

Isn’t that great?

Especially if there are some slightly unpleasant things on there (like exercising). Because you can work your way through those hard things without thinking about how hard they are.

And now, when morning arrives, usually before you want it to, you can tell yourself why you are doing a routine, and tell yourself that you can do hard things. Because starting something new can be hard, but it’s worth it.

Concluding it All

The most important step in starting a morning routine, or any routine for that matter, is to find the purpose in doing it.

If it’s just because you think you “should”, or that it would “be good” for you then that’s not enough. It’s not going to be enough to keep you going and doing those same things every day.

You need to find your own personal reason for doing it before you ever decide what it is you’re going to do.

And I know because for years I did these kinds of things because I thought I should and it wasn’t enough. I always “fell off the wagon” eventually.

Choose activities for your routine that fit you and what you want to accomplish in the amount of time that you set aside for the routine.

And then write down your “why”, the starting time and the activities you want to do. Keep the list by your bed so you can see the reason to get out of bed in the morning.

And that’s it! I hope you find a routine that works for you and find out how helpful it is to get your day started right.

What is your biggest hurdle to overcome when you wake up in the morning?

Let me know in the comments below!