What do you do every morning to start your day right? If you’re a night owl, a consistent morning routine may seem impossible, but mastering one brings huge benefits. In this post, we explore healthy morning habits that can transform your daily productivity.
It can be easy to dismiss healthy morning routines as something that only ‘highly organised’ people have. Perhaps you’re someone who rolls out of bed, gets dressed, downs a coffee, and leaves for work? Or maybe you’re always tired in the morning and end up hitting the snooze button? Whatever your reality looks like, there are tonnes of positive reasons to switch things up after you wake.
One of the most important reasons for us to stick to a healthy morning routine is to stay in sync with our body’s natural circadian rhythm. This is the internal body clock that governs our sleep-wake cycle. If our body’s natural rhythm is disrupted, we may struggle to sleep, find it hard to focus, feel irritable, and make poor food choices. All of these things can happen if we lack a healthy morning routine, since what we do earlier on affects how we feel later in the day.
Some people naturally feel drawn to routine. For example, people with neurodivergent conditions like autism can benefit from routines to lower anxiety and bring more comfort to their everyday lives. Provided these routines are healthy (e.g. not based around food restrictions or punishing schedules), having structure in place can improve mental wellbeing. This is something that can benefit all of us, whether we’re neurodivergent or not.
We don’t all need the exact same routine. In fact, in order for a routine to be successful, it’s best for us to pay attention to our interests, as well as how our bodies and minds feel first thing. For example, some people might wake up feeling fresh and ready to take on exercise immediately, while others may need a bit longer before their muscles are ready to move.
To find a routine that works for you, try to think about one thing you enjoy (your me-time), one thing you find hard but know would benefit you (e.g. moving more in the morning), and one thing you struggle with that your morning routine could help with. Perhaps you find it hard to stay focused at work, but you know you have a heavy, high-sugar breakfast. Could you go for a slow-release energy option instead?
You don’t need to overhaul your entire morning at once. Pick one or two elements that resonate with you and commit to them for a week or two before adding more.
What’s the best bit about a morning routine? Making ‘me time’! Here are some simple ‘me time’ activities that can be incorporated into a morning routine:
Remember, your morning routine should energise you, not exhaust you, so choose activities that leave you feeling uplifted and ready to face the day ahead.
Ready to make your day more productive? Here are some recommended rituals that can make you feel better and boost your energy at work. When incorporating these activities into your routine, try to give yourself more time than you think you need. That way, you won’t be rushing through them and will feel a greater sense of reward:
Your morning cup of coffee: Although some sources suggest delaying caffeine in the morning, there is no solid scientific evidence to suggest you can’t enjoy a hot cup of joe first thing. To reap the cognitive benefits and avoid caffeine jitters, try limiting your morning coffee to a couple of cups or switching to decaf shortly after your first coffee. More research needs to be conducted, but for now, it appears that lower caffeine doses may have a more positive cognitive impact.
Drink water first thing: Aim to drink a glass of water immediately after your alarm sounds and skip the snooze. This can help you to feel more wide awake and restore hydration if you’re thirsty. The other advantage of drinking water is that it prevents headaches and confusion, both of which can make it difficult to concentrate at work.
Eating a healthy breakfast: Starting the day with a nutritious breakfast can stabilise your blood sugar levels and provide sustained energy throughout the morning. Opt for slow-release carbohydrates like porridge or wholegrain toast, paired with protein such as eggs or yoghurt. This combination will help you to avoid the dreaded mid-morning energy slump and keep you feeling fuller for longer, so you can stay focused on your tasks.
Exercise: Exercise in the morning has numerous benefits, from boosting your metabolism to helping you sleep better at night. When you start exercising regularly, you may also notice a shift in your mood – this is thanks to the endorphin release that exercise causes. Find it hard to exercise first thing? Grab a morning coffee, unwind for 30-45 minutes, and then exercise after some gentle stretching. By this point, you should feel more alert and ready to move.
Mindfulness or a ‘me time’ practice: Whether it’s meditation, journaling, or simply sitting quietly with your thoughts, taking time for yourself in the morning can help you to combat stress and feel much calmer throughout the day. This is a step that’s easy to skip, but try to stick with it since the benefits can be huge.
Exposure to natural light: Natural light helps to regulate your circadian rhythm. Simply opening the curtains or heading outside can signal to your body that it’s time to be awake and active, which can improve your mood and concentration levels throughout the day.
To-do list: When you arrive at work, try to break down your tasks into a to-do list to make things feel manageable and understand what you want to accomplish. You might want to prioritise your most important tasks and tackle them when your energy is highest. Having a clear plan can reduce anxiety and help you stay on track, giving you a sense of achievement as you tick off each item.
Now comes the tricky bit: making your routine stick. To guarantee the best chances of success, try the following tips:
Writing down your routine and displaying it by your bed can be really useful in the early stages of building new habits. This will remind you exactly what you need to do each morning and help you stay on track.
Have oats to soak or a gym outfit to prepare? Unless you’re intentionally making it part of your ‘me time’, try to get these tasks out of the way the night before. That way, you can wake up and get on with your routine with minimal disruption.
Sometimes, having a visual aid can help us to observe our progress and stay on track. Place a calendar on the wall and mark off each day that you successfully complete your new routine. This will help to create a sense of satisfaction and motivate you to keep going.
Finally – and most importantly – don’t quit. Be kind to yourself if you stray from routine or accidentally sleep in. You’re only human. The ‘all or nothing’ mentality is much more likely to lead to ‘nothing’ when it comes to results. So, acknowledge the slip-up, decide to carry on, and enjoy the feeling of reclaiming your mornings again.
Our small but mighty team builds leading-edge software that people love. We pride ourselves on a user-led approach to product design. The voice of the customer shapes what we create and that’s exactly how great assistive tech should be made.
