Learn to love your mornings again!

Let’s get honest for a moment. How do your mornings look? Are they complete chaos or are they streamlined and rooted in routine? Perhaps your mornings are a mix of both.

Intentional morning routines are worth their weight in gold!

Study after study proves a good morning routine sets you up for success.  There is so much rush, hurry and hustle built into the rhythms of our days, but mornings can be a time of quiet, focus and intention which sets a new, determined cadence to our days. 

Today I’m sharing 5 simple changes that have made me love my mornings again! 

1. It’s All in the PREP

The secret to maintaining a great morning routine is to begin preparing for success the night before. Just a little bit of prep goes a long way! Here are some of my top tips: 

  • Incorporate a “5 minute tidy” after dinner and use this time to lay out clothing for the next day, empty the dishwasher and clean the kitchen sink for a fresh start in the morning
  • Calculate the hours of sleep you need to function well and plan to embrace this mantra: “early to bed, early to rise” whenever possible
  • Consistency is key and allows your body to adjust to the new routine and even expect it and look forward to it! 

2. Get Moving

As soon as my alarm goes off, I have to get out of bed to turn it off. As long as I can keep on moving and head into the bathroom to put some cold water on my face, I’m good to go!

  • Place your alarm across the room so you have to get out of bed to turn it off
  • If you feel like running back to bed, take a moment and count down from 5 and remind yourself that it is time to get up!
  • I love this quote from Mel Robbins, “when you feel yourself hesitate before doing something that you know you should do, count 5-4-3-2-1-GO and move towards action. There is a window that exists between the moment you have an instinct to change and your mind killing it. It’s a 5 second window. And it exists for everyone.”
  • Head to the kitchen and pour a large glass of ice water, add a few slices of lemon and drink it first thing! If you need more convincing, read this article on 15 benefits to drinking lemon water in the morning on an empty stomach!

3. Determine Your Why

This is probably the single most important action step that will lead to consistently meaningful mornings. I encourage you to set aside a few minutes to sit down and ask yourself the following key questions so when the mornings feel tough, you’ll still keep pushing through!

  • What will I gain by waking up earlier?
  • What can I include in my morning to fill my cup so I have enough to give to my loved ones?
  • What can I add to my daily morning routine to get off to a great start? 

4. Do Something You Enjoy

Make sure to include at least one thing you truly enjoy in your mornings. Knowing you have something to look forward to makes it easier to stick to your plan and also starts your day off on a positive note.

  • Drink a full cup of hot coffee (no re-heating required!)
  • Sit in your favourite chair with a cozy blanket
  • Light a candle or turn on the fireplace
  • Have a journal and pen waiting for you to record daily gratitudes, thoughts or prayers
  • Just sit in complete silence for a few minutes
  • Listen to inspirational music
  • Read a book or listen to a podcast
  • Go on an early morning walk (weather dependent!)
  • Eat a good wholesome breakfast

5. Set Your Day Up For Success

A good morning routine sets the tone for the rest of your day. Choose to say NO to rush, hustle and hurry and YES to what matters. 

  • “Front-Load” your day with what matters most! Placing one load of laundry in the washing machine first thing each morning keeps the laundry piles away in our home! Read more about this essential part of my morning routine here. Another idea is to get in exercise if you always feel too tired to fit it in by the end of the day. 
  • Set 1-3 priorities for the day. Respect and accept your limitations. We all have the same number of hours in a day, be realistic about what you can accomplish and then get to it!
  • Make a plan and schedule “time blocks” in order to accomplish your priorities. If you find you reach all your goals ahead of schedule, work on your next task or give yourself some much deserved R&R!

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Mornings do not always run according to plan, especially when you have children. As moms, we often need to “go with the flow”, but with some thought and determination, you can create a morning routine that you love. Remember to spend some time reflecting on your why and leave room for grace as you work toward front loading your day!

Which of these 5 tips are you most excited to add to your morning routine?