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A morning routine can be the biggest factor of your success that day. The routine doesn’t have to be crazy long or a ton of steps. It’s more important that it sets you up for a positive mindset to start the day with. Over the years my morning routine has changed. When I was teaching it looked different than when I worked from home without kids and now it looks different that I am a work from home mom. No matter what your life looks like it’s vital to have a morning routine to set you up for success.
I will be sharing the steps that I do each morning to support myself in having a successful day. You may not need to do all these steps or you may need to alter some of these steps. But here is a starting point to get you into a morning routine that will help you create success.
Morning Routine To Set You Up For Success
Step 1- Personal Hygiene Time
First thing that I do in the morning is go to the restroom, do my skin-care routine and brush my teeth. Over the last few years I have learned how important it is to have a skin-care routine to reduce breakouts and get an early start on anti-aging.
I use Beautycounter Countermatch skin-care collection which is the perfect balance of moisture for me. First I wash my face with the Cleansing Milk. Next, I put on the serum and eye cream. While those products are drying I brush my teeth. Quickly, I finish up with the Adaptive Moisture Lotion.
These few minutes make a big difference for starting my day. It makes me feel like I am taking care of my skin which I will be thankful for later! But also it’s a great way to wake up with the cool water on my face.
Step 2- Workout
Morning workouts look different depending on what day of the week it is since school drop off for my girls is different. Sometimes I go outside and do a crossfit workout, other days I go in the garage for a trainer bike ride. Some days I only do 50 kettle bell swings (Personally, I recommend doing this no matter what, every day. The two minutes it takes will have a huge impact on your fitness!) and later go to the gym. This is an important step of a morning routine to set you up for success that many people overlook. Take the two minutes to do kettle bell swings!
Step 3- Affirmations
There is a large index card in my journal that has affirmations on it. Things that I want to create or believe. Some of them are Bible verses about promises God has told me that I am still working on to fully believe. I also have these affirmations recorded on my voice memo on my phone that I read aloud. Each day I either read them to myself or listen to myself speaking them.
Step 4- Journal
After affirmations I do a quick journal entry that has specific prompts. Over the years this has changed, but I have settled into using The 5 Minute Journal prompts. For awhile I was using these self-care journal prompts.
Step 5- Read The Bible & Pray
Reading the Bible wasn’t a part of my regular routine for a long time. I would do Bible study books and read scriptures, but it wasn’t actually opening the Bible up. The past year I have been doing The Bible Project yearly reading plan. Although some days it seems daunting to sift through the plot, I have noticed a huge sense of peace within this commitment.
After reading the designated chapters for that day I take time to write my prayers out. Again, I was struggling to work prayer in on a regular basis. Honestly, I would start the prayer and it would be hard for me not to get distracted and my mind wonder. Putting my prayers down on paper help me stay focused, but it also creates this bigger sense of ownership and vulnerability.
Step 6- Read
I will admit I don’t get this done each morning. If my workout or Bible reading was longer this gets cut. Typically, I will try to make it up before bed time to read. However, since I often read books that are further developing my skills or mindset it feels really good to do some of that first thing in the morning.
Step 7- Biggest To-Do
Ideally, I have about 20-30 minutes left to tackle a task that is either big for the day or that has been looming. It feels so good to get something off the to-do list and feel successful before everyone else even is awake.
Doing these 7 steps for a morning routine sets you up for success. It is a great feeling to be able to accomplish self-care, fitness, connecting to God, personal development and crossing something off the to-do list before the rest of the world even wakes up. This routine takes me about 1 hour to get done. In an ideal world it would be one and a half hours.
Even though it can be really hard to wake up an hour before I “have” to it proves to be worth it! When we make the time to have a solid morning routine we tend to feel better physically, mentally and emotionally. And starting the day off with a morning routine also sets us up for continuing to make positive choices about our day. Ultimately setting us up for success!
Lastly, having this kind of morning routine gives me the security to know that if the day goes absolutely nuts (that’s likely to happen with kids!) that at a minimum I took care of myself and got something important completed for the day. Some days that is considered a success for me!
What is the hardest part for you about setting a morning routine?
Until Next Time- Truly Love,
Cassie
Amazing morning routine. I think you have a beautiful and peaceful soul. Even i follow the same routine since past few years and i feel happy and refreshing when i see someone doing the same. Thanks for inspiring people with your energy and motivational positive vibes.
I love this. Especially the Bible reading part and praying…the hardest thing to me is trying to do more than one…like I can make it to work out, or read my Bible but more than one before work would have me getting up at 4 am. I do do some at night as well before I go to bed. I especially love the peace of going to bed and sleeping soundly after reading my Bible or praying then.