How To Create A Healthy Morning Routine. A Step By Step Guide

We all want to find ways to lead healthier, happier lives. A strong morning routine is a common practice among productivity gurus and history’s most successful people.

However, there’s no one way to do a morning routine.

In fact, what’s healthiest for one person might be totally unhealthy for another. Some of us are early birds and others are night owls. Some of us thrive in a structured environment where others need more spontaneity in our routines.

The point is, morning routines are not one size fits all and should be constructed with your unique qualities and goals in mind.

So here, we’re answering your most common questions about how to create a healthy morning routine and ways you can get started straight away.

How do I start a healthy morning routine?

Before you start a healthy morning routine, it’s important to figure out your “why.” Why do you want to wake up earlier? Why do you want to implement some new habits? Why do you think your current morning routine isn’t working?

Maybe you’re not as productive as you’d like to be. Maybe you always skip your workouts. Maybe you’ve come to the realisation that you haven’t been taking much care of yourself.

From there you can make a plan to start a healthier morning routine that is rooted in clear goals and a strong “why.” By starting with your “why,” you’ll be more likely to stick to your newfound morning routine and to implement habits that will actually make you feel healthier.

What is the healthiest morning routine?

The healthiest morning routines actually start the night before. So, before you start building better morning habits, start with your night time habits to set yourself up for success.

Improve Your Sleep

A healthy morning routine starts with improved sleep. 

First, figure out whether you’re an early bird, a night owl, or somewhere in between. Yes, it’s a real thing that various circadian rhythms naturally make people feel more alert either early in the morning or late at night. For that reason, waking up super early will feel healthy for one person but totally awful for another.

Next, you’ll want to maximise the best sleep possible by keeping your bedroom cool at night, avoiding bright lights like a phone screen before bed and making your environment as dark as possible with curtains or sleep masks.

Tidy Up

When you do a quick tidy of your room, apartment or home before you go to bed, it means you’ll be waking up to a clean slate.

That means loading the dishwasher, picking up after your kids and wiping down the bathroom bench the night before. You’ll be setting yourself up to enjoy a healthy morning routine instead of waking up to a mess.

Organise Your To-Do List

Figure out what needs to get done the next day before you hit the hay. This habit is two-fold because firstly, you’ll sleep better since your to-do list is written out instead of swirling through your head and also, it gets you excited to wake up and get started on your morning routine.

You might also pick out your clothes for the next day or set up your workspace so that everything is ready for you to have an amazing day.

What should my morning routine be?

A morning routine is simply a series of habits you do every single morning. Habits can take a bit of hard work but after a while, they become like second nature, helping us feel stabilised and in control.

So, once you’ve figured out what you value, what your goals are, and why you want to build a healthy morning routine in the first place, here are some habits you might start to incorporate into your mornings.

Don’t Hit Snooze

When you’re alarm goes off in the morning, skip the snooze. Make it easy for yourself by putting your alarm clock out of arm’s reach or prepping a delicious brekkie that you’re excited to eat. Or, try out a gentle alarm clock that won’t wake you abruptly.

Let the Sunshine In

As soon as you’re out of bed, open the blinds to let the sunshine in. Your circadian rhythm is deeply connected to the sun so exposing yourself to natural sunlight is key to helping you wake up and get ready to go on your routine.

Make Your Bed

Now, this could seem like a morning routine habit that couldn’t possibly make a difference, but for many, it really does.

By completing this small task, you set yourself up on an upward trajectory. Your living space is in order and that means you can move on to more pressing items on your to-do list. You’re off to a good start this way and you’ll get some momentum that should continue throughout your day.

Try Breathing Exercises or Meditation

The way we breathe is so important, yet many of us don’t even notice our breathing patterns. By learning some breathing exercises or doing a meditation that focuses on your breathing, you’ll likely experience less anxiety and better focus.

Drink Water

Hydration is key to every bodily function and most of us aren’t drinking enough water in a day. So, to start your day right and set the tone for a hydrated day, drink a huge glass of water as soon as you wake up.

Add some lemon to your water for an extra kick and set a full glass on your nightstand before you go to sleep so that you don’t forget.

Journaling and Mindfulness

In the morning, it’s common for many successful people to take a moment to journal and incorporate some mindfulness into their day.

You might journal in a stream of consciousness mind dump or you might focus on what you’re grateful for. Sitting with yourself to get clear on how you’re feeling and what you’re thinking is a great habit to implement in the morning.

Stretch and Exercise

Movement of any kind is a must when figuring out how to create a healthy morning routine. It gets the juices flowing, boost your mood and is essential to a healthy body.

Walk your dog, do some yoga, head to the gym, or do some foam rolling. The way you stretch and exercise is up to you based on your body type, goals and everything in between. As long as you move, your day will be off to a better start.

Create a “Getting Ready” Routine

We have different ways to get ready in the morning. For some, it’s simply choosing an outfit and doing a quick skincare routine. For others, you might have an entire hair and makeup ritual.

Getting ready doesn’t have to be complicated, especially if you choose to do it mindfully. That means not distracting yourself with podcasts or the news and instead, allowing yourself to be in the present moment to spend some quality time with yourself.

Start with You

For many, it’s far easier to take care of others’ needs before we take care of our own. We respond to emails from our boss before we’ve even brushed our teeth and make sure our kids are well fed while we continue to skip lunch.

A healthy morning routine is one that carves out time for you. Wake up before the kids or your spouse and do what makes you happy. That might be reading romance novels or making sure you get your Pilates in. Do all the “me time” things you usually put on the backburner during your morning routine.

Avoid Checking Your Phone

It’s tempting to check our phones first thing in the morning but avoid the temptation. Put your phone on aeroplane mode at night so that your notifications won’t come through and do your best to wait at least 30 minutes before you connect with the outside world.

You might be amazed at how much of a difference this simple shift can make as you start your day without the input of the news, social media or your email inbox.

Fuel Your Body

Starting your day with a nutritious breakfast is another great habit to add to your new morning routine. Breakfasts that are high in protein, healthy fats and complex carbs will help you feel fuller for longer and give you a long-lasting energy boost as you move through your day.

What is a good healthy daily routine?

There’s no right or wrong way to plan out a healthy daily routine, but there are some principles to keep in mind.

Flexibility

Once you set a morning routine, stick to it. But, there’s a caveat -- set up a morning routine that is flexible and works with your lifestyle.

If you travel a lot, maybe you have a home routine and a hotel routine. If you have kids, maybe you have a school day routine and a school holiday routine.

It’s important not to get too bogged down by a rigid structure. Implement a few habits each day and allow things to shift with your energy levels and daily responsibilities.

Be Realistic

Morning routines can easily backfire when they’re not rooted in reality. Overshooting your goals won’t do you any good, so make sure you’re setting realistic expectations for yourself.

Perhaps adding in one new habit at a time is the best way how to create a healthy morning routine. See what sticks and see what doesn’t feel quite right. Then, you’ll know what’s realistically achievable and what was too far-fetched.

And remember, a good day starts with a good night. Plus, being clear about your values and goals can help you set up a healthy daily routine that matches who you want to become.

At the end of the day, we’re all unique. We all have different interests, responsibilities and lifestyles that will require a different healthy morning routine. Although these tips are common and often work well, pick a few that you think can improve your mornings and go from there.

Keep it simple, keep it flexible and keep it going. You’ll be on your way to healthier mornings in no time.

Additional Resources

11 tips to get back on track to a healthier version of you

Goal setting tips for fitness success

Date Published: Friday, May 28, 2021