If you have a hard time waking up and being consistent with your morning routine, then this blog post is for you.
I know what it feels like to HATE mornings and to want to stay in bed until the last possible moment. I have watched 100s of youtube videos and read countless blogs to try to crack the code on being a morning person. So, I want to share what I’ve learned with you.
Brainstorm
Grab a piece of paper or open your notes app on your device. Write down your “perfect morning routine”.
What does a perfect morning look like? Be detailed, but also be realistic. What is your ideal breakfast? Click here for 5 easy and healthy breakfast ideas. The morning is YOUR uninterrupted time! Everyone is either sleeping, at work/school, or getting ready to leave for work/school. Think about what you try to squeeze into your day but usually gets pushed to the side when other things come up.
For example, this could be exercising, reading your book, running a load of laundry, tidying up, actually making breakfast, or packing a lunch. The options are endless because this is YOUR time! No one gets to tell you how to spend it.
Plan
Okay, if you’re looking at your list and it sounds like a lot, BARE WITH ME. Next to each activity I want you to put the amount of time it takes to do it. Here you can switch things around to your ideal order.
For example, my list would look like this: drink water (2 minutes), bathroom needs (brush teeth, skin-care, etc) (8 minutes), youtube workout (25 minutes), shower (15 minutes), lotion my body (3 minutes), get changed and packed for the day (10 minutes), light make-up (10 minutes), write a to-do list (3 minutes), eat breakfast (15 minutes),
Okay, add up all the time. Everyone’s list is going to be different and that’s okay! Some will have longer or shorter morning routines, but mine adds up to 91 minutes or right around an hour and a half. Make sure this number is realistic for your schedule. This should be somewhere between 1-3 hours.
Now, when does your morning routine have to be done by? Do you work a 9-5 where you have to leave your house by 8:30am? Do you have to leave at 6:55am to get to school? Maybe you’re in college and only have evening classes but want a productive, concise, morning routine where you’re done by 10am. Whatever your schedule is, pick that perfect time to be done by and subtract the length of your morning routine. For me, waking up at 7am is perfect for my schedule to leave at 8:30am.
Action
Let’s say right now you’re like the old me and you wake up at the last possible moment. Trust me I’ve been there, you can be someone who has a morning routine and this is how: WE ARE NOT GOING 0 TO 100. Don’t try to do it.
I know… you have your perfect morning routine mapped out in front of you and you want to dive in. But if you’re someone who wakes up, brushes their teeth, gets dressed, and walks out the door in the span of 20 minutes… you’re going to want to do this: each week wake up 10-15 minutes earlier and add one thing to your morning routine. Working out in the morning was something I had to build up to before just adding it in.
Week 1 you’re going to wake up, brush your teeth, skin-care (5 minutes), get dressed, grab a banana and granola bar (5 minutes), go. Week 2 you’re going to wake up, brush your teeth, skin-care, get dressed, eat breakfast (10 minutes), grab lunch/snacks for the day, and go. Week 3 you’re going to wake up, brush teeth, skin-care, get dressed, eat breakfast, grab lunch/snacks for the day, read (15 minutes), and go. Hopefully you get the point. Keep repeating this and adding things as the weeks go by until you are waking up at your desired time and fitting in your full morning routine.
Repeat
Once you do your full morning routine… keep repeating until it becomes a habit! Habit trackers really help you stay consistent and accountable. Click here to check out habit trackers to help you crush your morning routine.
Create a morning more satisfying than the snooze button, because if you wait until you’re “ready” you’ll be waiting a lifetime. START OWNING YOUR MORNING!