Morning routine - 30+ ideas and habits!

Is your current morning routine rolling out of bed straight to the team meeting? Or are you back in the workplace but feel that you have difficulty getting started properly? The pandemic and remote working have overturned many routines, but now it's time to find our way back - not least to counteract the effects of winter fatigue. We have listed 7 steps that will help you create morning moments with gold in your mouth, and which will give you the best conditions for the rest of the day. Use this guide to set your own personal habits!

Step 1: Prepare the night before

A good morning routine starts the night before and the most important thing you can do is go to bed on time. But before you go to bed, be sure to pick out any workout clothes if you plan to do a morning workout, roll out the yoga mat or prepare breakfast. Are you going straight to the office? Check the weather forecast for tomorrow and plan what to wear so you can spend time and energy on other things before you leave.

Step 2: Wake up earlier

There are tons of benefits of waking up earlier, especially to feel like you've accomplished something by waking up early. Starting the day as planned is a small victory that can have an unexpected positive impact on the rest of your day. You get an edge over many of your colleagues and competitors. You can kick-start your day and stay in phase or even ahead of your schedule, thanks to the extra hours you get compared to getting up at seven in the morning. Over time, you will gain a discipline worth its weight in gold. You will consciously begin to wind down earlier in the evening than you usually do, getting you ready for sleep.

Step 3: Don’t check your phone

A morning routine is not about maximizing the hours of the day, it is about prioritizing your well-being. This is your moment, so put the Instagram feed and inbox on hold. As for the emails in particular, it is also something that can easily create feelings of stress as soon as the inbox is opened. If you’re unlucky and start with a negative email, it can ruin your mood for the rest of the day. The tip is therefore to wait with the emails if possible and instead start with a simple task that you know you enjoy. After that, you'll be ready to tackle the inbox with a boosted confidence and positive attitude!

Step 4: Wake your body up

Do you feel alert, tired or stiff? Start by stretching your arms and toes before slowly rising up. After a while, you can develop the morning routine by doing some movement, your favorite stretching exercise or enjoying a lovely yoga session. Eventually, you will feel what your body feels best about.

Step 5: Do some exercise

Starting with physical activity is a great mood booster that gives you a kick for the entire day. In addition, one of the advantages of morning training is that it simply gets done, reducing the risk of prioritizing training sessions over something else during the day. When the afternoon's possible lack of motivation kicks in, you can enjoy the fact that the training is already finished. The trick to getting started with morning exercise is to start softly. The first few times you can start by just doing some strength exercises. Over time, you can then expand to a full strength workout. Another option is a walk in the fresh air, which in turn can develop into a run when the body feels ready.

Step 6: Take a cold shower

The health benefits of cold baths have probably not escaped you, but did you know that a cold shower can have the same effects? You become more alert, strengthen your immune system, increase blood circulation, lower blood pressure and raise your mood. If you have completed a training session before, a cooling shower may even feel tempting. Turn the shower to cold water, start with your feet and work your way up for a total of 30 seconds to a minute. If the cold doesn't appeal, you can of course shower as usual and treat yourself to a few warm minutes. Why not listen to your favorite song or an inspiring podcast in the meantime?

Step 7: Enjoy a healthy breakfast

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and that’s really true. Except from energizing you until lunch, it gives you a moment to wind down during the morning and really think about your day. Taking some time to prepare a breakfast you like can increase the chances of leaving home for work in a great mood.

A list of 35 ideas for your morning routine:

We've listed some items you can add in your morning routine to build up great habits.

Eat & drink:

• Make a hot cup of coffee or tea
• Make a home cooked breakfast
• Drink lemon water
• Take vitamins
• Drink water

Wake your mind:

• Practice mindfulness
• Listen to an audiobook
• Visualize your perfect day
• Meditate for 20 minutes
• Read the news

Wake up the body:

• Do 30 minutes of yoga
• Do deep breathing exercises
• Listen to an educational podcast
• Do 30 minutes of cardio
• Go for a 30 minute walk
• Stretch or foam roll
• Go to the gym
• Take a walk

Plan your day:

• Plan out a goal
• Check your calendar
• Complete a 5-minute task
• Write down what you want to achieve
• Make a list of 10 important tasks
• Plan your daily checklist
• Review your schedule

Other:

• Make your bed
• Brush your teeth
• Take a shower
• Wash your face
• Put on a face mask
• Do your skincare routine
• Clip your nails

Summary

Having a clear morning routine, and building up habits, gives you a cheat sheet of starting your day in the best possible way, and that in itself is worth a lot. By taking vitamins, do some stretching and getting a 30 minute workout session done - you’ve put yourself in a great place in the long term. Use this article to cherry pick the ideas and steps you think could be relevant for you. You can always add new things to your morning routine as you go, so start simple!