As a new mom, I consider most mornings a success if I wake up before my son and have a chance to put on proper (yoga) pants before getting him out of bed. No matter how much or little time I find myself with each morning, there are three must-dos that I incorporate into my daily routine.
What I’m going to share with you isn’t groundbreaking or mind-blowing. It won’t require you to wake up a full hour early to sneak in some you-time before your little ones get up. You probably won’t find the meaning of life or have jaw-dropping moments of introspection. But, then again, maybe you will.
The more empowered you feel in the little moments, the more confident you become in the larger moments.
No, my simple morning routine suggestions won’t completely flip your world upside down, but they will encourage you to care for yourself in a way that feels approachable and sustainable. You’ll begin to understand the massive change can come from small moments of self-care, and the more empowered you feel in the little moments, the more confident you become in the larger moments.
When I wake up in the morning, I always try to do these three things to ease my day feeling more grounded. Depending on how much time I have, I will layer in some other parts of my routine – stretching, journaling, etc. – but the three below actions are non-negotiable every morning.
Also, keep in mind that I also drink water, take my supplements, and eat a nourishing breakfast each morning. I also aim to get outside for twenty minutes before jumping into work. With practice, those have become a no-brainer for me and aren’t something I include in my simple morning routine outlined below. Instead, they’re necessary actions for self-preservation.
It may seem trivial, but taking a minute or two to make your bed each morning can come with some major benefits including:
For me, my bed is my sanctuary, and I like to treat it as such. By making it each morning, I am not only creating a simple morning routine, but I’m setting myself up for an evening routine as well. There’s nothing better than pulling back a fluffy comforter to climb into your favorite set of sheets (these are the softest sheets, hands-down).
It’s safe to assume that most of us brush our teeth each morning (bonus points for flossing), but there’s a critical part to your hygiene routine that’s missing: tongue scraping.
To tongue scrape, you simply start at the back of your tongue and gently drag it forward, scraping up bits of bacteria, food, and dead skin along the way. It’s quite satisfying to see what comes off (especially in the morning), and my mouth feels infinitely cleaner after I scrape.
In addition to the visual satisfcation, the benefits of routine tongue scraping include:
This is the tongue scraper I personally use after trying many different kinds. It’s medical-grade, easy to sterilize, and comes with a convenient travel case.
Whether it’s for 30 seconds or three minutes, taking some deep belly breaths is a simple and powerful addition to your morning routine. Breathing deeply can help calm and regulate your nervous system and break apart tension within the body.
I love incorporating deep breaths into my morning routine because I can do it while taking a shower, going to the bathroom, making the bed, or getting dressed for the day. If I’m lucky, I can even spend a few minutes alone and really sink into the benefits of breathing deeply.
Try adding this easy breathing routine to your morning:
Creating a sustainable and approaching morning routine is important because it helps lay the foundation for your day. Even when your day feels off or you’re completely stressed out, leaning on a simple morning routine will help you feel more grounded and centered.
As I mentioned above, my morning routine is nothing ground-breaking, but it can help you create a bigger holistic self-care practice that can set your day (and life) up for extended wellbeing. The more that you layer self-care into your day, the less stressed you can begin to feel.
If you have little ones in the home, a morning routine can feel almost laughable – I get it. Thankfully, the simple morning routine mentioned above is easy enough to pull off in a matter of minutes and can help you feel more grounded in seconds.
If you’re reading to start your own morning routine, follow these steps. First, decide that a morning routine is important to you and helps your overall wellness. From there, begin to craft your routine. Consider these questions to get you started:
Then, begin to practice and refine your morning routine accordingly. You have the freedom to change your routine based on what you need most that day and how much time you have, but I recommend creating a solid base that you always practice no matter what.
Keep in mind that it’s essential not to be too hard on yourself if you stray from your routine or find certain aspects aren’t working for you. That’s totally okay! It’s more important that you find a routine that actually supports your health and wellness than forcing something because you feel like you “should.”
While I can’t answer this question for you, I can give you some pointers – paired with the suggestions above – to help guide you through creating your best simple morning routine.
Take a moment to consider why you’re creating a morning routine in the first place. Then, take it a step further and think about how you feel when you practice it regularly.
If you want to feel energized, consider adding in a morning cup of coffee and a workout routine.
If you want to feel grounded, try a moment of journaling and a few minutes of meditation.
If you want to feel prepared, write out your to-do list and note your top three priorities for the day.
While this answer can vary by day, consider how much time – realistically – you can commit to your morning routine each day. A morning routine that lasts 30 minutes isn’t necessarily any better than one that lasts only three minutes if you’re stressed about time the entire half-hour.
Be honest about how much time you can carve out of your mornings just for you. If you have to wake up earlier than usual, do it! If you have to ask your partner for help with the kids, speak up. A successful morning routine may require more support than you initially realized.
Ensure that the plan you create feels sustainable and realistic given the time you have, not one that will cause you more stress than necessary.
It’s not often that we stop and consider what actually sounds enjoyable to us, but we probably should do so more frequently. As you begin to think about creating your simple morning routine, write down a few activities that sound fun for you.
For me, it’s getting outside and moving my body with a walk around the neighborhood. It’s nothing crazy involved, just a good old-fashioned walk with my family.
The more fun and engaging you make your routine, the more likely you will stick with it in the long run. And, as you know, the longer you’re committed to your self-care and morning routine, the better off you’ll be.
If you’re feeling inspired about creating your morning routine and ready to take action, check out the below list of easy morning routine ideas (in addition to my three listed above) to help you get started.
No matter how you choose to craft your mornings, keep in mind that a routine is a framework and can be modified as needed. Some people get married to the idea of doing their routine the same way every day and stress out when their routine doesn’t happen as usual. Unfortunately, this mindset can do more harm than originally intended.
Do your best to find a routine that works for you and try to remain flexible should it need to change a bit here or there depending on the day. You’ve got this!
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Name *
Email *
Website
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Δ