I used to be that person. You know, the one who would wake up at 8:47 if I had to be out of the house by 9, patting myself on the back for not wasting any time.
The routine was planned down to the second:
- Get out of bed (3 minutes to roll around and contemplate why I have to wake up, groan, and check my phone notifications)
- Go to the bathroom (7 minutes — no time for sun screen!)
- Put on my clothes and socks and shoes, and grab my bag (1.5 minutes, hope fervently that I haven’t forgotten any items)
- Run down to the bus line (1.5 minutes, and then I pretend I’m not gasping for air once I’m on the bus)
Sometimes, if I did these things fast enough, I’d even have time to check my Instagram feed before the bus arrives. Score!
All in the name of optimization, right?
Why a morning routine?
Here’s the question I struggled with, as I learned more about other people’s morning routines: Why bother with doing other things in an actual routine, when I could be ready in 13 minutes from bed to bus?
The answer, I find out after begrudgingly experimenting, is that not everything is about efficiency.
A chaotic morning sets the tone for an equally chaotic day. Rushing through those 13 minutes left me constantly playing catch-up, both physically and mentally. I wasn’t starting the day on my own terms; I was simply reacting to the world around me.
Even on weekends when I had nowhere to be at 9, the chaos followed me in different ways, like picking up my phone and staying glued to it, (doom-)scrolling until half the day had slipped by.
By noon, I’d have nothing to show for it, but a drained battery — my phone’s, and my own energy — and that familiar foreboding sense of “I should’ve done something”.
For me, the morning routine is about setting the day right, and how I show up for myself every day by completing what I have set out as a non-negotiables.
More than that, it’s a guard rail against procrastination, knowing that I have a series of objectives I want to hit and continue my streaks on.
The components of a routine
It shouldn’t come as a shock that an intentional morning routine plays a crucial role in setting the day right.
Some parts are unavoidable, like the fact that you’d have to go to the bathroom, or getting dressed (and helping the kids too, if you’re a parent!).
But there are experiments that you can tailor and build for your own needs:
- Hydration: Getting some water in you, whether that means plain, or mixed with minerals and electrolytes
- Movement: Any kind works — walking, stretching, yoga, gym, pilates, running… as long as you’re not jumping back under your blankets
- Mindfulness: Small practices that yield big mental dividends with journaling, gratitude listing, morning pages, meditating, or praying
- Light exposure: Getting the sunlight into your eyes, as popularized by Dr. Andrew Huberman, proven to trigger hormones that increase your energy and mood
- Reading: Try a few pages, or see how much you can read in 10 minutes
- Breakfast: Bonus points if you’ve prepped for this so you can just pop it into a microwave oven
- Skincare: A little goes a long way with some moisturizer and sunscreen
- Cold shower: A bracing way to energize and shock yourself into action
- Hobby-time: If you’ve always felt like you have no time to spend on something you find meaningful and fun, build that into your mornings while your mind is still fresh
- Caffeine: Coffee, tea, pre-workout — whatever you need to keep the sluggishness away
- Planning: Look ahead at your day, and get clarity and prioritize what needs to be done
Remember, the key isn’t to do everything, but to see which ones could positively impact your day.
Falling into the trap of trying to do too much, too soon, is too easy. Evaluate what you can make stick. Like other habits, consistency is going to help make this an automated part of your life.
My routine, in experimentation
The waking moment
I wake up at 6:30am, walk about ten steps away to my desk, and switch the phone alarm off. In a new note in Obsidian, I quickly jot down my dreams, or what I can remember of them, and in the subject of the note, I pen down what I’m grateful for in the moment.
Skincare
Then, I head into the bathroom. After, I wash my face and slap some sunscreen on.
Hydration
I step on my smart body scale to document my weight and body fat percentage. After that, I drink about 500ml of water.
Movement
It diverges into 2 paths here:
- Gym day: I grind some coffee beans, mix the espresso with protein powder for a pre-workout drink, and spend the next hour and a half at the gym
- Walking: This is a new one that I’ve implemented just over a month ago! I put on my walking shoes and walk for 45 minutes, while the morning air and ground are cool. Previously, I’d jump straight to showering and starting on the day’s work.
Cold shower & meditation
When I come back from either, I take a cold shower, then do a quick 15-minute meditation at my desk.
Hobby
Recently, I’ve added a 15-minute Duolingo session. I know it’s not the most efficient way of studying a new language, but it’s fun and it helps my brain to shift into a different mode.
Planning
Finally, once that is done, I look at my calendar and personal kanban board, to remind me of what’s possible for the day.
The evolution of the morning routine
Shaping the routine is going to be an ongoing process.
There will be periods when your life demands a more streamlined approach, and you’ll have to stick with the essentials.
Other times, you might find yourself with more space and time to add on components to your build.
The key, as with other things in your life, is being flexible and experimenting with what works for you and your intentions.
Your turn: Starting small
- Identify your drivers: Figure out what you want to get out of a structured routine. Is it more energy, a sense of accomplishment, or a calmer start?
- Start with one thing, and be consistent: It’s better to do one thing well than five things haphazardly.
- Experiment and adjust: Evaluate after a week. Keep a log (mental, or otherwise) of how you feel about each component. If it’s working, great! Let’s add another. If it doesn’t, replace it based on your drivers in step one.
- Be kind to yourself: You’ll have setbacks when you feel like doing anything but the routine. Progress, not perfection, is the goal.
What’s one change you’d like to make to your morning routine? I’d love to discuss what’s working and what isn’t, and your victories and challenges!