Welcome to this post on the ultimate morning routine for success!
It’s 9 a.m. and the alarm clock on your phone is ringing. Your first thought is to snooze it… and you do.
3 hours later:
The sun’s light is shining through your windows, waking you up at noon. Morning has passed; it is now afternoon. Realizing the time, you hurriedly get up and get ready. You were supposed to get a lot of work done today, but now everything is pushed back by 3 whole hours.
The rest of the day flies by, leaving little to no time for you to cross off the tasks on your to-do list. By the time the sun sets, you’re still trying to catch up with all your work. Racing against the time, you decide it would be better to relax for now and leave everything for tomorrow. However, no surprise here, the same routine repeats the next day. Wake up late, get ready late, eat late, and leave little time for productive and focused work.
I’ve had my fair share of those types of days, and I absolutely hate feeling like I’m behind on my work. Waking up late just makes me feel like I’ve already failed the day, which is not a good feeling to have. I am then unmotivated to start working and instead spend the day watching TV. If you can relate, you’ve come to the right place.
I truly do believe that having a good morning routine sets up for the day and allows you to do your best work.
If you want to start having super productive days where you can get tons of work done and feel fulfilled after, then follow these 10 tips listed below!
1. Wake up early
The first step in the ultimate morning routine for success is to wake up early. I know it’s easier said than that, but once you have the discipline to ignore the snooze button, your life will significantly improve.
We all have those days where we want to get a lot done, but it seems like there are too few hours in the day for everything. Well, waking up early is the solution. Even if you wake up just 30 minutes before your normal time, you will have the opportunity to prepare yourself for the day.
The mornings are usually the time when there’s no noise to distract you. It is super peaceful and relaxing. That’s why it’s the perfect time for you to get a head start on the day!
My #1 trick to getting up early (and NOT going back to bed) is to immediately jump off and start walking around. This way, you can wake up your brain and trick yourself into not going back to sleep.
2. Make your bed
The second step in the ultimate morning routine takes less than 2 minutes. All you have to do is make your bed as soon as you get up! This also is a clever way to help you not fall asleep again (lol).
The reason why you should always make your bed after waking up is that it is an amazingly easy way to start off your day with a “win.” By simply making your bed, you will have already accomplished your first task of the day! This will give you momentum and inspiration to continue crushing your day by accomplishing your tasks and getting work done.
The other benefit of making your bed is that it keeps your surroundings organized. If you’re anything like me, it’s hard to focus in a messy environment, so making your bed will help be productive and focused throughout the day.
Along with that, making your bed is one thing you can control during the day. No matter how crazy your day gets, it’s always the little things that make it a bit more manageable.
3. Avoid your phone
If you want to have a productive day, have a productive morning. And, productivity does not mean spending time on your phone for the first half-hour of your day.
I made this mistake a few weeks ago, and it pushed back my routine by a whole 30 minutes. While that doesn’t seem like a long time, it definitely was not a good start to my day. Instead of getting ready immediately after waking up, I spent half an hour on Messages. Don’t make the same mistake I did!
You should try your best to avoid your phone in the morning so you don’t get distracted by it when you have to focus on school and other work. If you want, you can even adjust the settings on your phone so that you can’t open certain apps in the morning.
Make it a challenge to not even touch your phone for the first hour of your day, (except for your alarm, of course!) Take note of how this improves your focus throughout the day!
4. Drink a glass of water
It might sound trivial, but adding a simple glass of water to your morning routine can make a huge difference. Hydration is a critical aspect of health. Water removes waste from the body, regulates your body temperature, lubricates and cushions your joints, and protects sensitive tissues. Our bodies can become dehydrated overnight, so water in the morning helps rehydrate. A morning glass of water has also been shown to reduce calorie intake during the day, improve mental performance during the day, improve the look and health of your skin, and even jump-start your metabolism.
It’s no wonder that celebrities from Kim Kardashian to Beyoncé have all touted the benefits of drinking water. In a 2014 interview with Marie Claire, Cameron Diaz spelled it out: “Every night, before I go to sleep, I fill up a big glass bottle with water and put it on my bathroom counter. First thing in the morning, right after I brush my teeth, I drink it, […] I feel it immediately. I go from being a wilted plant to one that has just been rejuvenated by the rain.”
https://www.wework.com/ideas/professional-development/management-leadership/the-morning-routines-of-successful-people
5. Journal
Another great action item to add to your morning routine is to journal. Not many people wake up and immediately want to start journaling, but the benefits of journaling are endless.
Journaling in the morning will help clear your head and get you mentally prepared for the day to come. It will allow whatever is in your head to come out, so that you can have a stress-less and distraction-free day.
If you want to reduce your stress and anxiety, be sure to start journaling!
Also, what’s a better way to start off your day than gratitude?! When you are journaling, you can write down 3-5 things you are grateful for daily, so that you practice optimism and positivity! Check out this highly popular journal, called “The 5-Minute Gratitude Journal: Give Thanks, Practice Positivity, Find Joy”
6. Make a to-do list
Making a to-do list is something I swear by daily. Even if I don’t have a lot on my plate one day, I will still make a to-do list.
Some people, including me, like to make their to-do list the night before. This is also great, but also be sure to review it in the morning as well!
Making a to-do list will help you plan out your day, so that you know what you have to work on and you can get started right away. Without a to-do list, you may not know what to spend your time on, leaving you confused and wasting time.
If you want to have a productive day where you can cross things off your to-do list, then make a to-do list in the first place! It is hard to memorize everything you have to do in your head, so writing it down is a great way to keep track of your tasks.
7. Exercise or meditate
The reason why exercising and meditating is in the same heading is because you don’t have to do both. Of course, you can do both if you want to. However, it’s up to you on what you decide!
Exercising in the morning is great because it gets you active and energized. It will even make you happier throughout the day. By exercising in the morning, you won’t have to worry about getting a workout in later in the day.
Meditating is also a great option. While meditating seems boring to many teenagers, it is a great way to be self-aware and to process your thoughts. It can help clear your head so that you are calmer throughout the day.
Whatever option you decide, be sure to commit to it and make it a habit!
8. Eat a healthy breakfast
When I talk to my friends or other people in high school, they always end up surprising me by saying that they don’t have breakfast on some days.
If this is you, I highly recommend you start off your day with something healthy, nutritious, but most of all, delicious!
Food is energy, and energy enables you to be active throughout the day. Eating breakfast helps you stay energized throughout the day so you can get work done and focus.
My favorite breakfasts include smoothies and oatmeal, as they are nutritious, light, and energy-packed. You should definitely try these as well!
9. Get to work!
Last but not least, get to work! Although there are 8 steps listed above, don’t try too hard and end up overdoing your morning routine. Your routine should be chill and relaxed, but at the same time energizing and inspiring.
Everyone’s routines are different, so feel free to add or remove any of the steps if they don’t work out for you. Your morning routine should be short and sweet, leaving you abundant time for you to get to work.
The Takeaway:
What you do in the morning greatly affects what you do throughout the day. So, if you want to have an awesome day full of focus and hard work, be sure to use your mornings wisely. Most people would just lay in the bed and scroll on their phones, but that doesn’t help you crush your goals and achieve success. The first few hours of your day set the tone for the rest of the day, so make an effort to have amazing mornings to have amazing days! To recap, the ultimate morning routine for success consists of these 9 steps:
- Wake up early
- Make your bed
- Avoid your phone
- Drink a glass of water
- Journal
- Make a to-do list
- Exercise or meditate
- Eat a healthy breakfast
- Get to work!
I also highly recommend checking out this video: “This morning routine will make 2022 the best year of your life…”
If you are interested in more productivity content, be sure to read my blog on how to make time for yourself as a student!
I hope this blog helps you make the most out of your days by upgrading your morning routine! Through these 10 tips, I’m sure you’ll soon have the most productive days of your life.
