Perfecting your morning routine means that you can always start your day off on the right note. However, this is something that many people struggle with, whether that's due to a lack of forward planning or poor sleeping habits. With that in mind, here’s some guidance that you can follow that will allow you to perfect your morning routine!
Photo by David Mao on Unsplash
Remember that a good morning routine starts the night before.
While this may sound a little strange, the truth is that the most effective morning routines start the night before. For example, failing to go to bed at a reasonable time means that you’ll likely wake up feeling fatigued the next day.
As such, when working to curate the perfect morning routine, you should also be sure to work on refining your evening routine, starting by focusing on improving your sleeping habits. One way in which you can achieve this goal is by going to bed at the same time each evening. While having a ‘bedtime’ as an adult can seem odd, establishing some kind of routine and stability can give you greater control over your body’s circadian rhythm which controls your sleep-wake cycle. Simply put, it means that you’ll naturally begin to feel tired whenever your ‘bedtime’ approaches, making it easier to fall asleep.
You can also improve upon the quality of sleep you achieve each night by avoiding using your phone directly before bed, as this can otherwise mean that you are awake far longer than you need to be, both due to mindless scrolling and the light affecting your circadian rhythm. Ideally, you should avoid using your phone for an hour before bed.
Try to avoid snoozing your alarm.
While we’d all enjoy an extra few minutes in bed, snoozing your alarm is not the gift you may think it is. After all, the chances are that you’ll be unable to fall asleep in that time frame, meaning it is not really all that handy in terms of feeling well-rested. Furthermore, if you have to be out of the door for work or school relatively quickly, snoozing your alarm cuts into valuable time.
Stretch. Starting your day with a good stretching session can be truly transformative. This is because it can help you to fight sleepiness while also reducing tension and stress in your body.
Shower and brush your teeth.
Once you’ve turned off your alarm, it's time to jump in the shower or carry out basic grooming tasks. Many people find that having a shower first thing in the morning is a great way to wake up their senses, especially if they are brave enough to turn the temperature down a little.
Take care of your skin.
Building a skincare routine into your morning regimen can bring forth many benefits. For example, it can help you to tackle any issues you are currently facing with your skin, such as acne, dryness and irritation, while also boosting your confidence quite considerably.
If you aren’t even sure where to start when it comes to skincare, it's best to keep things simple. You don’t need a store-worth of products in order to achieve healthy, glowing skin, especially if you are unsure what the product is actually doing! Ideally, your morning routine should involve a combination of the following:
- Cleanser
- Toner
- Moisturiser
- Sunscreen
While the latter may not seem all that important year-round, especially in areas that do not get that much sunshine or hot weather, it actually forms a crucial part of a successful skincare routine. This is because it can help to prevent sun damage and photoaging, keeping your skin supple and youthful for as long as possible.
You may also find that your makeup routine becomes much more straightforward as a result of this, as you no longer feel the need to wear layers of makeup! As such, it is well worth the investment of your time and money.
Develop a speedy yet effective makeup and routine.
In an ideal world, you would not be racing the clock when getting ready for the day. This means that you’d have as much time as you wanted to apply your make-up at a leisurely pace, even trying out a few different looks until you find the right fit. However, the chances are that time is a luxury that you simply do not have in the morning, meaning you must find a way to make your make-up and hair routine as speedy as possible.
There are many ways in which you can achieve this goal, from keeping it simple and aiming for a much more natural look to wearing heatless curlers overnight to wake up with an effortless curly blow-dry.
Plan out your outfits the night before.
If you find it hard to decide what to wear each morning, consider planning out your outfit the night before - right down to your shoes and accessories. Then, you can make sure that you feel as confident as possible in your outfit choice without having to put all that much thought into it in the morning. In fact, you could just roll out of bed and throw them on!
Make time for breakfast.
Many adults often skip breakfast as they do not give themselves enough time in the morning to prepare something. While this may not seem to be a major issue, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. After all, it can provide you with a much-needed energy boost while also kicking your metabolism into action. As such, you should always make sure you have something to eat before leaving for the day.
If you are genuinely short on time, consider preparing your breakfast the night before instead. For example, you could prepare a wide variety of healthy breakfast dishes ahead of time, such as smoothies, overnight oats or banana breakfast granola.
Brew a delicious coffee.
Whether you drink your coffee black or like to indulge in something a little sweeter, pairing your morning breakfast with a cup of delicious coffee is also a great way to start your day. After all, not only does it taste great, but it can also help you to shake off the last of your sleepiness.
Ideally, you should avoid buying takeout coffee on a regular basis due to the costs associated with this. Furthermore, you can make your own barista-style beverages from the comfort of your own home by investing in the relevant coffee tools and supplies, such as a high-end coffee machine.
Turn on a motivational podcast.
Whether you tune in when eating your breakfast, hopping in the shower, or as you start on your skincare, listening to a motivational podcast is the perfect way to start your day on a positive note. This is because wellness-centric podcasts can reduce stress, decrease ruminating thoughts, boost memory and focus, and lower emotional reactivity In short, they can help to brighten your mood, especially on those days when your get up and go has got up and gone.
Alternatively, you may want to put together a playlist of your favourite upbeat songs! This can also help ensure you’re in a great mood when heading out of the door, especially if it leads to some early morning karaoke.
Try to go for a short walk.
If time allows, try to go for a short walk in the morning before starting work. For example, if you commute using public transport, get off a stop or two earlier and walk the extra distance. If you walk from home, head out for a short while before sitting behind your desk. This, again, is a great way to fight off any lingering sense of fatigue while also being incredibly beneficial for your mental and physical health.
For example, it provides you with ample opportunity to get ahead on your daily steps so that you can reach your desired target before the end of the day. Furthermore, getting moving in the morning can help with healthy weight loss, improve your flexibility, and more. Finally, fresh air not only acts as a stimulant, but it can also increase your body’s production of feel-good hormones, such as serotonin.
Final thoughts.
In short, there are many steps that you can take to ensure that you perfect your morning routine, from planning out your outfit the night before and getting plenty of sleep to making time for breakfast.
However, it is important to remember that we all have different starting points when it comes to following a good morning routine. This means that you may be overwhelmed by the prospect of introducing all of the changes listed above, especially if the only thing you do right now is roll out of bed and hope for the best.
As such, it is better to introduce these changes gradually as opposed to all at once. Then, when these changes become habits, think about introducing some more. Eventually, you’ll find that you formed a routine that works for you and ensures that all of your needs are met.
This is the perfect guide for starting a great day! Personally, it's not that easy to form this routine but slow progress and little changes will go a long way.
ReplyDeleteDrinking coffee first thing first makes my day perfect for me. Literally made my day.
ReplyDeleteGoing for a short walk is something everyone says, but in this weather, it's hard to do! Thank you for this great list of ways to start your morning.
ReplyDeleteI am guilty of so many of these things ... I go to bed late. I keep waking in the night. I hit snooze as many times as I can get away with. But I do have a shower first thing! I know I need to work on this routine for my own health and wellbeing.
ReplyDeleteStarting at night is so true. Doing my skin care and making sure I am comfortable while sleeping really helps me start my day. I also like getting my steps by walking in the morning and it really relaxes my body.
ReplyDeleteThe routine is awesome, I love it...I do most of these activities except going for a morning walk, I should definitely add it to my morning routine.
ReplyDeleteI find mornings can be stressful sometimes, especially waking children up for school. I snoozed my alarm twice this morning. I do try and get everything ready the night before though. I need to follow your tips.
ReplyDeleteI've gotten so bad with snoozing my alarm, I need to get back into a new routine. Because as soon as I do that it means I sometimes don't work out, or have time to take it easy in the morning x
ReplyDeleteThese are all great, but the best tip here is staying AWAY from the snooze button! If you're up, get up. That's the first step.
ReplyDeleteI do keep a pretty consistent bed time. A routine keeps things running pretty good around here. I like to keep one.
ReplyDeleteLove these tips on perfecting a morning routine. Thanks for the practical ideas!
ReplyDeleteMy mornings are far too rushed. It is nice to have some ideas for easing into the day and starting off on a good note. It is nice to have a morning routine.
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