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Become a Morning Person

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12 Tips to Build the Best Morning Routine & Make It Last

Boost your energy with the best morning routine. Prioritize sleep, exercise, hydration, meditation, and a healthy breakfast.

You know that sluggish feeling when you wake up, and all you can think about is rolling over and going back to sleep? Or when you finally drag yourself out of bed, only to feel overwhelmed by the chaos that awaits you? You’re not alone. Many people struggle with their mornings, and it’s no wonder that rushed disorganized starts can leave you feeling anxious, stressed, and fatigued. The good news is that establishing the best morning routine can help you avoid the overwhelming feelings that plague your mornings. This article will guide you in creating a tranquil morning routine that boosts energy, productivity, and well-being without struggling to fall back into old habits. So how to become a morning person?

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Why is a Morning Routine Important?

A morning routine is a system you use every morning to get your day on the right track. Your schedule should include the tasks you need to accomplish, like brushing your teeth, and the order in which you will do each thing. A structured morning routine sets a positive tone for the day. You commit to having a happier, more productive day by caring for yourself and setting positive intentions daily.

Anyone Can Be a Morning Person

Fun fact: The idea of the “morning person” is a bit of a sham—anybody can create a morning routine that they enjoy and sets them up for a successful day. The idea that some people are better at mornings than others is a “limiting factor put on the brain. Even if you’re not a ‘morning person,’ you can still have a great morning,” says Judy Ho, Ph.D., a clinical neuropsychologist in Manhattan Beach, CA. You can craft a morning routine that works for you in many ways. These ideas can help you wake up more quickly and approach your day in a way that boosts your health and well-being.

Benefits of Having a Morning Routine

A morning routine will do more than just help you get out of bed. A well-rounded morning routine offers some significant benefits:

It Offers Clarity and Focus

Ho says that morning routines are beneficial in starting the day in a way that feels intentional. These intentions you create for yourself provide clarity and focus that help carry you throughout the day, avoiding those overwhelming, disorganized feelings.

It Can Boost Your Confidence All Day

Completing a routine first thing in the morning is an accomplishment in itself. Finishing small, essential tasks early in the day is a significant confidence booster. It will create a positive cycle of productivity, enabling you to achieve whatever goals you have set for the day more efficiently.

It Helps You Feel Calm

“Routines in general are very calming for the brain as our brains thrive on patterns,” Ho says. You are creating a sense of balance by creating and committing to a routine or pattern. Forming a morning routine is a vital wellness practice that allows you to set your mind and body at ease. “There’s no perfect way to do your morning. It looks beautifully different for each of us,” says Liz Plosser, editor-in-chief of Women’s Health and author of Own Your Morning.

Still, consistency is key once you’ve figured out your best morning. Ho explains that it takes three to six weeks for something to feel like a routine, and after that, it will begin to feel easy—something you barely even have to think about. It takes time for your brain to adjust to a new pattern, and Ho suggests giving your routine 30 days to feel like second nature. “If it feels like a struggle at first it doesn’t mean that morning routines aren’t for you, it just means you have to give it time, and that you need to pick and choose the specific tasks for your morning that makes sense for you. What works for a friend might not work for you,” says Ho.

12 Tips to Find Your Best Morning Routine

1. Wake Up at YOUR Right Time

“Morning people” are supposed to be the high achievers. The early bird catches the worm, right? But a successful morning routine isn’t necessarily synonymous with an early morning routine. Sure, some people who wake up early are more productive, and some studies associate waking up just one hour earlier with lower depression rates.

Embrace Your Natural Sleep Cycle

But if you dread early-morning wake-up calls, any potential benefits you get from peeling yourself out from under the covers at an unreasonable time will likely be overpowered by your misery. Oprah Winfrey never sets an alarm, and Google CEO Sundar Pichai describes himself as “not a morning person.”

Discover Your Biological Prime Time

Take a cue from them and pay attention to your ultradian rhythms – your body’s natural cycles that repeat throughout the day and cause those peaks and dips in your energy levels. Doing so helps you find the times of day when you’re most focused and productive (known as your biological prime time).

Work When You're at Your Best

If you determine that you’re at your best in the afternoon or evening, there’s no reason for you to join the 5 am. club. Mike Vardy, productivity author, speaker, and podcaster, wrote, “Look, I’m a night owl — and proud of it. Why? Because despite having many say that my sleeping habits make me less likely to achieve, I prove them wrong.” So forget the pressure to pop out of bed at dawn; stay focused on what works best for you.

2. Prepare the Night Before

Many successful people spend their evenings preparing for the next day. Their reasoning: It leaves mornings free for an earlier start on important work (and breakfast). Giving “future you” the favor of adequate preparation doesn’t just free up your time; it frees up some brain space. We have a limited amount of willpower and decision-making ability.

Beat Decision Fatigue with Prep

Too many decisions in the morning slow you down and can drain your brain for the rest of the day (it’s known as decision fatigue). Whether you pack your lunch, lay out your outfit, or create the next day’s to-do list, even five minutes of evening prep work can help you start your morning off on the right foot. Former American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault likes to end his evenings by simply writing three things he wants to accomplish the next day. For many, a successful morning routine starts in the evening.

3. Stop Snoozing

It’s hard to get up when you’re not a morning person. But snoozing your alarm clock generally does more harm than good. Dr. Reena Mehra, MD, MS, Director of Sleep Disorders Research at the Cleveland Clinic, approached this topic for the Cleveland Clinic’s blog. She reported that snoozing doesn’t help our bodies get the restorative sleep we need.

Skip the Snooze, Optimize Sleep

Dr. Mehra also said that the latest parts of our sleep cycle are essential for REM sleep, and hitting the snooze button often disrupts that vital portion of the cycle. Instead of snoozing, set your alarm clock for your later, final wake-up time. Shift your evening routine to allow yourself a full eight hours of sleep. Use proven strategies to fall asleep faster, so you don’t need to hit the button.

4. Focus on What Matters

Erik Fisher is the voice behind the Beyond the To-Do List Podcast. He says you'll have a few standard things if you analyze productivity experts’ morning routines. Most focus on big-picture goals, gratitude, and planning for the day. Here are a few examples:

Canva CEO Melanie Perkins starts her day by reading tweets from the Canva community (which motivate her) and writing in a gratitude journal.
Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, intentionally drags out her morning commute to give herself time to think and plan before the day's chaos.
John Paul DeJoria, the co-founder of Patrón tequila and Paul Mitchell hair products, spends five minutes each morning quietly reflecting on what he’s grateful for.

Of course, plenty of morning routines include journaling and mindfulness. But don’t feel guilty if you don’t have the time (or quiet space) for a lengthy meditation routine. Even a short walk can help you focus your thoughts and identify your desired outcomes for the day.

5. Set Your Intentions

To-do lists can help set your daily goals but can also be overwhelming in the morning. A great alternative that Ho recommends is a “values check-in.” Provide some clarity to your day and connect with yourself by thinking about your top values—these are not things you can check off, like goals, but ideas you believe in and contribute to your character, like integrity and spirituality. Once you identify my top values, you can set your intentions accordingly and let those values guide which activities are most important for that day.

6. Avoid Your Phone

Maintain the calm, relaxed state of your body and mind upon waking up by avoiding potential stressors and blockers of productivity. Ho recommends avoiding your phone first thing in the morning, considering that it’s generally not the most productive or feel-good way to start the day.

Positive Intentions for Morning Phone Use

Upon waking, “it is important to protect your state of mind,” Ho says. Emails, social media, and news can all create stress, so allow yourself to address them later in the day. Ho recommends only using your phone in the morning with a positive intention, like playing a favorite song or using a wellness app.

7. Try Ten Minutes of Movement

Adding a bit of physical activity to your mornings is a sure way to wake up your mind and body. Reducing stress hormones and releasing endorphins from even a quick bout of exercise can create a good mood that will last throughout the day, according to experts at Harvard University. Exercise in the morning can also improve cognitive functions, like attention and decision-making. Try whatever speaks to you:

Stretching
Running or walking
A simple yoga session
A fun dance party around your bedroom

8. Think of Three Things You Are Grateful For

Create a positive tone for the day by practicing gratitude. Ho recommends trying a simple exercise that gets you to appreciate and acknowledge the wonderful things happening in your life. Ho’s favorite exercise is aptly called “three things.” In this exercise, you think of (you guessed it) three things that you were grateful for that day. Then, speak them out loud, jot them down in a journal, or tell them to a loved one. Find positivity in that there is always something to be grateful for, and let those good vibes power you throughout the day.

9. Move Around and Hydrate

Many successful people start their mornings in motion, and you can follow their lead for a morning routine that’s equal parts healthy and helpful:

Kevin Kruse, author of 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management, does a daily 20-minute HIIT session on the treadmill.
Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter and Block, Inc., walks to work every morning. Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi power walks before work.
Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary gets on his elliptical or exercise bike.
Multi-board member Frits Dirk van Paasschen runs 10 miles every morning.

Move & Hydrate for a Better Day

Remember that you don’t need to run a marathon to start your day well. According to one study, even some moderate exercise in the morning (like a brisk walk) can boost your brainpower for the rest of the day. While you’re moving, remember that what you put in your mug matters. There’s nothing wrong with a morning cup of coffee, but you should also drink plenty of water in the morning to stay hydrated and give you lasting energy.

Fueling Cognitive Performance

Research shows that adequate hydration improves your cognitive performance. Jeff Sanders, author of The 5 AM Miracle and podcast host with the same name, says his favorite morning habit is to drink one liter of water within the first 45 minutes of bouncing out of bed. “Hydration is essential, especially after waking up. I always find that this more significant quantity of water provides incredible energy and prepares my body for the day ahead.” Move around and hydrate. Many successful people start their mornings in motion, and you can follow their lead for a morning routine that’s equal parts healthy and helpful.

10. Eat the Frog First Thing in the Morning

Brian Tracy, author of Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time, bases his morning philosophy on a quote from Mark Twain. “If the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing that that is probably the worst thing that is going to happen to you all day long.”

Tackle Your Biggest Task

The “frog” is the crucial task you dread most because it’s large and looming over you. Doing your most significant task first can help you start your day with a sense of accomplishment. Can’t quite manage to jump into the day (pun intended) with the big frog on your list? Even tackling some smaller tadpoles can help. Whether you manage a big or a small win in the morning, that gratification can propel you into the rest of the day with greater motivation. That’s the progress principle in action.

11. Get Outside

Take a breath of fresh air and bask in the sunlight to help wake up your mind and body. After resting overnight in a dark bedroom, fresh air and sunlight will signal to the brain that it is time to wake up, start the day, and be productive. Try walking around the block or sipping your morning beverage on the porch for much-needed energy.

12. Take a Few Minutes to Be Mindful

Try to be mindful throughout your morning, says Ho. This can be an activity like meditation if that’s your thing, or it can be something simpler to build into tasks you’ll already be completing. You can mindfully make coffee, mindfully eat my breakfast, and even mindfully brush my teeth. It is all about being present in the moment and enjoying and savoring it for exactly what that moment is. Practicing mindfulness will help you express more appreciation for every aspect of your day and allow you to take on the rest of your day in a calm, positive state of mind.

Morning Routine Ideas for Early Birds & those Short on Time

person drinking coffee - Best Morning Routine

Early risers have an easier time in the morning. They wake up bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and ready for whatever day might bring! The best morning routine ideas for early birds embrace the energy you have first thing in the morning.

Plan Your Day

While fresh, map out all the things you need to accomplish today. Write out your to-do lists, goals, appointments, and plans. Your early morning routine might be a good time to set daily affirmations and intentions to get you into the right mindset for the day.

Get Organized

The morning is a perfect time to organize your home and your life. Ensure the dishes are clean and ready for dinner, clear the counters, and manage the clutter compiled the previous day. Setting aside a few minutes in the morning to clean up and organize your home will help you approach the day with a clear mind.

Work Out

Use that extra morning energy by creating a morning workout routine. Hit the gym, run, or do some early morning yoga. Working out in the morning can help improve your focus, boost your energy, and elevate your mood.

Devote Time to Side Projects

When you're an early riser, the morning is an ideal time to focus on your side projects and hobbies. Use it to your advantage by dedicating time to your hobbies. I’m an early riser who loves the quiet solitude of the house before 7am. I wake up an hour earlier than I have to to dedicate the best hours of my day to writing. My morning routine ensures I can keep up with my side hustle while working a demanding nine-to-five.

Prep for the Evening

If you’re anything like me, you’re too exhausted by the time you get home from work to do much of anything. Make your evening routine easier by preparing for it while you have energy in the morning. Decide what you will have for dinner, and defrost any necessary items.

Morning Routines for Those Short on Time

Many of us feel rushed in the morning. There’s so much to do and strict timelines to meet to get where we’re going on time. Here are some tips for streamlining your morning routine when you don’t have much morning to work with:

Automate

Automation is your best friend when you’re short on time. Get automated coffee makers and dog feeders—set timers for important daily deadlines. You can also automate yourself by following a strict schedule. Eliminate decision fatigue from your morning by pre-planning and using muscle memory to get through the morning.

Use Planning Tools

Bullet journals are excellent tools for organizing your life. Use a bullet journal spread to map out your week so you know precisely what must be done daily. Take the planning out of your morning routine and focus on the essential tasks.

Meal Prep

You can meal prep breakfast. You should stick to easy meals like cereal or fruit, but you can also pre-make various breakfast foods. Make smoothies and hard-boiled eggs weekly, or create frozen breakfast dishes that must be reheated and served.

Set Standards

If other people live in your household, setting standards about how mornings must go to get out of the door on time is imperative. Give everyone morning tasks to accomplish based on their capabilities, and set timelines for completing each task. Everyone needs to be on board for the morning to run smoothly.

Ideas for Morning Routines with Kids

Most people can build their morning routines with little assistance. Building morning habits becomes far more challenging when you have little ones to care for. Children have a delightful knack for throwing a wrench into all the best-laid plans. Nevertheless, as difficult as it might be, setting strict morning routines with children is essential. To help you develop strategies to make your morning as easy as possible, we asked parents to give us their best tips for morning routine ideas with children.

Do Everything the Night Before

Robyn from A Dime Saved embraces the night owl idea of getting everything done the night before. She lays out clothes, packs lunches, and prepares the coffee maker beforehand so she doesn’t have to worry about it in the morning. Robyn finds that mornings run much more smoothly when there’s not as much to handle.

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