How to Create the Perfect Morning Routine for Success

It’s 6am on Monday morning, and you’ve been hitting snooze for the last 20 minutes. 

You’re still half asleep and dreaming about margaritas on a beach in Mexico when you realise you promised you’d come in earlier to help Tina with that thing before this week’s meeting. 

And you can’t be late. AGAIN.

You fly out of bed, throw on a random outfit and rush out the door without a second thought. 

By the time you arrive at the office, you’ve already shown three people the finger and almost pulled out half your ponytail in traffic. You feel stressed. A little anxious. And not prepared for the day ahead. AT ALL.

My mornings used to be just like this – a blur of stress, rushing around and walking into work half an hour late, looking like I’d been run over by a train. More than once.

Having chaotic mornings seemed to affect the rest of my day too. I’d forget my lunch at home because I’d been in such a rush that morning. I would snap at my coworkers because I was so stressed out. I also seem to recall explaining to my superiors why my hair looked “unbrushed.”

Yup. It happened. More often than I’d like to admit.

I felt overwhelmed and frazzled more often than not. I was tired all the time. I was disorganised and falling behind on work deadlines. And I guess it comes as no surprise that I wasn’t making any progress on my personal goals either. 

I was stuck in this “rut” for quite some time, just trying to make it to the weekend. 

To be honest, I kind of dreaded mornings because the first hour of my life each day was a complete mess. Definitely not something the average person looks forward to waking up to. 

If you can relate to anything I’m saying, then I’m here to tell you that you don’t need a miracle; what you need is a morning routine!

Let me tell you, how you choose to spend your mornings is so, so important. 

Not everyone is a morning person. I get it. But a morning routine has the potential to change your entire day. And your life. How so, you ask? 

• A good morning routine will set the right tone for your day. You want to have a good day? Start with a great morning, spending time doing things that are meaningful to you. Filling your cup. Self-care starts from the minute you wake up! 

• The consistency of doing the same things each morning can help you to feel calmer, grounded, and more in control of your day. With this comes less stress and more happiness. 

• A morning routine can help you be more productive and better prioritize your time. A routine allows you to prepare for the day ahead and ensure you get important things done early in the day. I’m not sure about you, but getting things checked off the list early makes me feel accomplished and even more motivated for the rest of the day. 

Personally, having a morning routine allows me to start my day with intention by doing things that make me feel good. By prioritising myself first thing in the morning, I’m ready to tackle the rest of the day and give it everything I have because I feel great.  

The bottom line: A morning routine can help you start your day off on a productive, mindful, and fulfilling note that will set the tone for a successful day ahead.

In this post, I’m going to share my top ten tips to help you create the perfect morning routine for you.

Let’s get to it!

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[1] Wake up early

You have to agree; there’s not much worse than chaos first thing in the AM. Having to deal with panic as soon as you wake up will negatively affect your mood and leave you feeling stressed and on edge for the rest of the day. 

Waking up early gives you plenty of time to experience the morning at your own pace. It allows you to tend to your priorities without the stress of rushing around like a crazy person.

Get yourself out of bed 15 minutes earlier tomorrow and notice how you feel throughout the rest of your day.

[2] Include something you really enjoy

For me, that’s coffee! 

I’m not lying when I say that coffee time might be my favorite part of the day. 

If you know, you know! 

My point: coffee is the driving force that makes me get out of bed every morning because I look forward to it so much. Without it, I’m pretty sure I’d stay under my duvet all day, refusing to adult.

Find something that makes you feel how coffee makes me feel, and pencil it into your morning routine.  

This will give you something to look forward to and allow you to experience pure joy at the start of your day.

I may have a coffee problem. I know. 

[3] Add in some small wins

There’s just something about ticking things off a list first thing in the morning that makes me feel like I have my life together.

Things like: 

Making my bed. 

Rinsing my coffee mug. 

Brushing my teeth. 

Drinking a glass of water.

You get the idea…

These tasks may seem trivial, but they count as my first accomplishments for the day. Doing them every morning gives me a small sense of pride and sets a powerful tone for the rest of the day because I feel encouraged to go on to achieve bigger things.

Pick one or two small tasks to complete every morning and add them to your routine. Notice how great you feel after completing them!

[4] Give thanks 

Guess what? 

You woke up today.

You are alive.

You have a roof over your head. Food to eat. Water to drink.

You have clothes to wear. A device to read this post off of. You can read. 

You are safe. You are loved. And you are needed in this world. 

These are just the basics. You’re extra lucky if you have more. These are just a few things that I’m confident the majority of us can be thankful for each day, but I bet you have many more you could add to the list. 

Do you have a job that pays the rent? A family to share meals with? A friend who’s there for you? A partner who cares for you? Goals and dreams that make your heart skip a beat? Memories that make you smile? Financial independence? A good sense of humor? A beloved pet? A car? Books? An education? Health? A kind heart?

I could go on, but I think you know where I’m going with this..

Your life is filled to the brim with gifts. You are blessed. And there are so, so many things to be grateful for.

Look, it might sound cheesy, but gratitude is a powerful practice that has completely changed my outlook on life. 

Practicing gratitude makes me more positive, loving, and open to the world. It’s easy to slip into complaining mode. Still, gratitude reminds me how fortunate I am and helps me see the bright side of everything. I honestly couldn’t imagine starting my day without it.

While enjoying my morning coffee, I like to write down three things that I’m grateful for that day and why I’m thankful for them.

Then, I read what I’ve written out loud, close my eyes and say “thank you” several times. I let those feelings of thankfulness wash over me, and I let myself marinate in them for a few minutes. 

Life. Changing.

I go into the day feeling happy, blessed, and far less stressed. It just makes me a better person.

Start your day off the right way by giving thanks for all you have in this life because there is always something to be thankful for!

[5] Plan ahead

This one’s a bit of a no-brainer, but you never know.

Review your to-do list and take a few minutes to plan out your day. I like to know what I have planned for the day ahead so that I can visualize everything I have to do in my mind. 

Plus, when you write everything in your calendar, you don’t have to worry about forgetting that lunch with Jane you’ve been postponing for three months is actually, well, today. Ugh.

What errands do you need to run? What outfit will you wear? How are you going to do your hair and makeup? What appointments or social commitments do you have? How will you make sure you’re on time for all of these things? 

I’m visual, and I like to see everything in front of me in my planner. This helps me stay organized and makes sure I’m using my time wisely.

[6] Care for your body

• Move it 

Get your workout in, do your stretches, or go for a walk. Whatever you have to do to get that blood pumping. Just get moving!

It doesn’t have to be an intense hour-long sweat session. If you’ve only got time for a 10-minute yoga sesh, that’s perfect. Just move ya body, girl!

I’m a morning exerciser, and I like to tick this one off my to-do list early in the day. I find I’m far more alert and fresh throughout the rest of the day as a result.

• Eat a healthy, nutritious breakfast

You know what they say – breakfast is the most important meal of the day!

Cook yourself a delicious, nourishing, balanced breakfast meal every morning, if you can.

If you’re short on time, consider prepping something the night before so that you have something healthy and ready to go when you wake up.

And don’t forget to drink your water too!

• Breathing exercises

I do these every morning, and let me tell you, they make me feel like a brand new person.

Sometimes I wake up feeling extremely anxious, but I’ve come to understand that my breath is one of the best tools I have to remedy this. After practicing my breathing exercises, I feel so much more relaxed, clear-minded, and connected with myself.

There are lots of different kinds you can try! Play around until you find something that works for you.

[7] Care for your mind

Don’t look at your phone first thing in the morning. Or even until you leave for the day.

Social media. Messages. Missed calls. 

They have no place in your morning, and you can put some time aside to see to them later.

For me, my morning routine is MY time to do the things I need to do for myself to be happy and healthy. I try to minimize any distraction or interference with it as much as possible (unless something is really urgent or important, of course). 

If you have the time, consider reading a few pages of a good book or putting pen to paper for a quick journaling session. 

[8] Care for your soul

• Meditate

• Pray

• Sit in silence

• Have some alone time

[9] Mirror, mirror on the wall

What you’re going to do is pick an affirmation for yourself. It could be a statement to counteract one of your biggest insecurities, or it could just be something you feel you need to hear that day.

Step 1: Stand in front of the mirror. 

Step 2: Smile to yourself

Step 3: Repeat the chosen affirmation. Five times.

This will feel a little strange at first, but by doing this consistently, you’re going to drastically improve your mood and your sense of well-being.

Try it – what do you have to lose?

[10] Power hour 

Power hour is an hour (or maybe less for you) that you set aside each day to quickly tackle any personal admin or anything on your to-do list you may have been putting off. 

This includes things like doing a load of laundry, cleaning your living space, making that call, or running that errand. 

Get out a pen and paper, write down everything you need to do that you can think of. Then prioritise each item and tackle them one by one during your power hour for the next few days. 

So there you have it – my top ten tips for creating the perfect morning routine for success! 

I hope you feel inspired to create your own!

Remember, your routine should be unique to you and should involve things you would benefit most from. Only include actions and activities that hold value for you.

What does your morning routine look like? What’s one thing you can’t start your day without? 

Comment below, I’d love to hear from you! And don’t forget to download your free workbook…