7 Reasons You Need a Morning Routine

Life is busy. Your partner, family, work and other responsibilities need your attention every day. If you wake up and almost immediately have dread, overwhelm or stress, it might be time to rethink your morning routine.

One of the best ways to show up as your best self in all areas of your life is by creating habits that infuse you with energy and optimism. You need a morning routine to help you do that. There are awesome physical and psychological benefits to giving your first waking hour or two a little more attention. You’ll begin your day with more focus, less stress and a better chance of reaching your goals.

If you’re struggling with your morning schedule or just plain don’t have one yet, now’s the time to implement a routine that will help you have the best day.

What makes a great morning routine?

Is it hitting the gym right after waking up? Brushing your teeth first thing each morning? A powerful 20-minute meditation? Clearing your notifications? Mentally going through your to-do list?

It could be. But morning routines must be individualized to fit your own lifestyle and goals.

Generally, a great morning routine consists of activities that have a positive impact on your health, mindset and energy levels. These daily habits become routine over time and even begin to happen automatically.

7 reasons morning routines are awesome

Routines get a bad rap. Some people feel stifled by them or view them as mundane. But research points to some awesome benefits of having a morning routine. Here’s 7 of them:

1. Routines increase your productivity because you don’t have to think about things that are routine. It takes mental energy to pick out your clothing, decide what you’ll have for breakfast or help one of your kid’s finish their last-minute homework assignment. Making a morning routine saves you mental bandwidth so you can use your brain to make other important decisions throughout your day.
   
   
2. Routines decrease your stress and anxiety levels. Some things have to get done in the morning, like brushing your teeth or taking the dog for a walk. When you map out tasks that must be done each day, you are adding predictability to your life, which increases your sense of control. This in turn will help reduce anxiety levels and stress and increase your sense of general wellbeing and peace of mind.
   
   
3. Routines can boost your happiness. Adding certain tasks into your first waking hour can help increase your serotonin levels. This “happiness” neurotransmitter is influenced by things like the foods you eat, remembering positive experiences, and exercising. Adding gratitude journaling, a walk around the block or eating real, whole foods can help make you happier.
   
   
4. Routines can increase your kid’s academic performance. Morning routines impact your entire family. If you’re leading a household, how you spend your time impacts how your kids spend their time. The Journal of Family Issues published research showing that family routines had a positive effect on academic success in a vulnerable adolescent population. When you commit to a morning routine, your kids are more likely to, as well.
   
   
5. Routines don’t need to be remembered. Since a morning routine will become automatic over time, it will decrease your chances of forgetting something. Routines help keep you on track (and on time) without eating up too much brain power. And if you naturally fall on the forgetful side of things, a morning routine will help reduce the chance of forgetting important tasks.
   
   
6. Routines build a sense of accomplishment. A morning routine helps you feel successful because you check off important daily tasks immediately upon waking. You start the day with small wins—which makes you feel more confident. This has a powerful ripple effect on all areas of life.
   
   
7. Morning routines help you sleep. Sleepless nights lead to morning fatigue which can be detrimental to your physical and emotional health. Being more mindful of your morning habits can help set you up for a good night’s rest. Morning routines help you prepare for the day’s stressors, and, in turn, make it more likely that you’ll get some good ZZZs.

Creating your morning routine (or tweaking the one you have)

Before you dive headfirst into trying to create “the perfect” morning routine, keep in mind that what works for one person may not work for you. Be flexible and curious as you figure out what routine is successful for you, personally.

Planning a morning routine is easy. Executing it can be hard. Establishing a new morning routine is literally replacing your current autopilot for a new one that is more structured and in alignment with your values and goals. While it may be challenging, it’ll absolutely be worth it.

Developing a sustainable morning routine takes time. Don’t try to implement or change everything all at once. Take it one change at a time. Here are some activities or task that you may find beneficial to add or alter in your current routine:

Physical: What physical activities must be done or monitored each morning? Some ideas include:

• General hygiene and dressing yourself and any children
• Making your bed and tidying up
• Opening the curtains to let sunshine inside
• Having a nutrient-dense, healthy breakfast and/or beverage
• Prepping a healthy lunch
• Getting the kids off to school or other activity
• Exercising, stretching or some other type of movement
• Taking care of any pets in the home
• Running any regular errands or making time for a morning errand
• Setting a rule for phone, email or tech use in the mornings

Mental: What can you do each morning to help you think more clearly and make better decisions? Some ideas include:

• Making the most of your decisions the night before – what you’ll wear, writing out a to-do list/schedule for the following day, what you’ll eat, etc.
• Figuring out when you do your best work and protecting that time.
• If your work schedule allows, you might want to try to become a morning person. Research says morning people are more optimistic, stable and successful in their careers.

Emotional: What can you do each morning to help you manage emotions? Some ideas include:

• Journaling each morning to process and cope with emotions
• Writing a list of 10 things you are grateful for each day. Keep a running log you can refer back to.
• Meditating for a couple minutes upon waking.
• Make it exciting to get out of bed. Having a great motivator can help you rise and shine.

Your morning routine starts the night before

There are lots of things you can do the night before to prep for your morning. The more decisions you make before waking up, the more mental reserves you’ll have to make big decisions throughout the day.

Prepare for what you can the night before. This may include picking out your outfit or preparing meals. Planning out your day the night before can help you avoid the negative effects of not meeting your goals. If your daily schedule shifts from day-to-day, you’ll probably want to write out your to-do list the night before.

Incorporating a morning routine is a must for anyone who wants to live a happier, healthier life. The key is to do the same tasks, in the same order, every day. Over time, and with consistency, they will become as natural and automatic as breathing.

How Blink by Chubb Can Help

Your mornings are meant to be lived on your terms. A great morning routine will help set you up for the life you want to live. There is no one-size fits all. It’s the same with insurance. Your insurance needs are unique to your life. Get just the coverages that makes sense for you with our pick-and-choose insurance options.