If you dread mornings because you feel like you have no control, you need a mindful morning routine.
For the longest time, I suffered from morning depression (which is an actual thing, by the way).
My body ached to just lie in bed and wallow in self-pity. And I had no idea where to begin with the morning habits the self-improvement gurus spoke about.
The idea of getting up early, exercising, and then taking a cold shower was truly laughable.
Eventually, I realized that I needed a mindful start to my day. I needed to calm my anxious mind, get through the morning slowly, and not feel like I had to do 30 different things to feel worthy.
But most importantly, I wanted to prepare myself for a day filled with peace and purpose.
In this article, I’ll share the 9 habits that worked for me to create a mindful morning routine.
Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Create a Mindful Morning Routine With These 9 Habits
1. Have a Few Quiet Minutes to Yourself
If you live with other people, having a few moments to yourself is even more important.
All too often, we get caught up in other people’s routines. For example, if you have kids, then getting them ready for school becomes your priority. Or if you’re living with your parents, helping or talking to them becomes your focus.
And while we need to take time out for the people we love — we also need time for ourselves.
You need time to sit alone and think. The beauty of letting your mind wander isn’t to be underestimated.
It’s only when I’ve spent some time alone that I truly feel calm. Otherwise, I’m letting other people, emails, and text messages control my morning.
So, I do my version of meditation. I sit on the floor, close my eyes, take deep breaths, and allow my brain to go where it wants.
Then, I’ll open my eyes, relax my posture, and just look around my room. To a stranger, I might look a little silly sitting on the floor doing nothing, but it makes a world of difference to me.
Gift yourself a few stolen moments a day before you let the rest of the world take over you.
Related Post: 14 Quiet Practices to Follow to Lead a Better Life
2. Feel Immense Gratitude for Your Life
When I “meditate,” I also place my hand on my chest and feel my heartbeat.
Why don’t we do that more often?
We feel our significant other’s heartbeat and begrudgingly listen to the thumping beneath our chest at night, but why do we never intentionally feel our hearts pumping with life?
Ever since I started doing this, I’ve felt a rush of gratitude for my life.
Feeling grateful for being alive is probably the best start to the day.
Others also recommend writing a gratitude list, where you write down all your little blessings every morning.
A few years ago, my best friend was working a job she disliked in a city she loathed, far away from her family. She told me that to get through the day, she would write down the little things she was grateful for every morning. This changed her mindset, helped her move forward, and made her appreciate her life more.
3. Have a Great Night’s Sleep
Your mindful morning routine starts the night before.
Sleep is so essential for our body, yet it isn’t taken as seriously as it should.
It’s so easy to compromise on sleep when you’ve got an important project to complete or one more episode to watch.
But none of these things will influence your life more than sleep can.
Get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep as much as possible.
As a student and writer, sometimes I don’t want to stop my work at night. When I’m in the flow at 10 p.m., it’s hard not to go past midnight. But I know if I do that, I’ll be groggy and annoyed in the morning.
So, I have a cut-off time when I absolutely MUST get into bed.
Do I follow this rule every day? No, but I try.
And that’s what having a mindful routine is about. Not every day is going to be ideal. But you don’t give up; you try your best when you can.
4. Don’t Touch Your Phone
This was the hardest mindful morning habit to build.
Before, I would check my emails and messages as soon as my eyes opened in the morning (I was THAT person.)
5 minutes turned into 40 minutes, and one day it turned into 2 hours, and I still hadn’t brushed my teeth. That’s when I knew I had a problem.
If you’re the same, here’s what you can do:
Give yourself 5 minutes to check your emails and messages in the morning. This is to give yourself peace of mind that there are no emergencies. Then, stow your phone away until you’re done with your mindful morning routine.
You must be harsh with yourself about this, or it’s not going to happen.
Forming this habit in the morning actually helped me stay away from my phone for the rest of the day too. Before, I used to think, “Well, I’ve already wasted so much time scrolling, so it doesn’t matter if I scroll for another 4 hours during the day.”
But now, because I’m making a concerted effort not to check my phone in the morning, my brain automatically is in game mode and wants to continue this lucky streak for the rest of the day.
With this method, I’ve successfully reduced my daily usage from 5 hours to 45 minutes a day.
Related Post: What to Do Instead of Going on Social Media (+40 Useful Things)
5. Follow the Morning Habits That Resonate with You
The internet is chock-full of morning habits that people claim will change your life — and I’m sure some will. However, not all the habits person X swears by will work for you.
The habits in this post might not even work for you. So, feel free to throw caution to the wind and do none of them.
While it’s great to read about the morning routines of millionaires, you’ll only know if something is for you if you try it.
For example, I love listening to music in the morning but hate exercising. I’d rather exercise later in the day when I’m properly warmed up. I prefer focusing on my mental health in the morning because that’s where my need is.
Here are a few mindful morning habits that you can test out to see if they work for you:
- Journaling: I love journaling, but not in the morning. I feel like it stresses me out more. I’d rather sit with my thoughts than acknowledge them out in the open. Journaling for me is better during the day and in the evening. But many people find that journaling in the morning works for them because it’s effectively a brain dump. You can clear your mind and start the day with a fresh mindset.
- Exercising: No doubt everyone needs exercise, but the morning might not be the best time to do it. Try it out for a few days to see if it makes a difference for you.
- Cold showers: Since when does dousing yourself in cold water make you a better person? I really don’t know, nor do I intend to find out. But it might work for you.
- Meditation: If you prefer a traditional meditation practice, go for it.
Related Post: How to Practice Mindfulness Without Meditation: 5 Techniques That Work
6. Nourish Your Body
Have a glass of water immediately after waking up.
Your body’s been asleep and potentially dehydrated for 8-9 hours — replenish it, and you’ll actually feel your brain saying hello.
If you have the stomach for a big meal in the morning, then go all out and make a nutritious breakfast.
But if you’re like me and prefer eating after 10, a cup of coffee will do too.
7. Wake Up Earlier Than You Normally Would
To have a peaceful start to the day and follow a mindful morning routine, you’ll have to wake up a little earlier than you usually do.
That’s because rushing is the opposite of everything we’re trying to do with a mindfulness routine.
We want an unrushed, simple, and peaceful morning.
So, make sure you go to bed early the night before and have everything ready for the morning.
For example, make sure you have a meal plan if you’re making lunch for the day, and pack your work stuff into your office bag the night before.
Related Post: How to Stop Hitting the Snooze Button in the Morning
8. Read Your Favorite Affirmations
The best part of my mindful morning routine is reading my favorite affirmations.
Affirmations are a form of positive self-talk that can help you change your beliefs about yourself.
For example, when I’m stressed out or overthinking the past, I’ll read my fav affirmation:
Whatever has happened has happened for the best; whatever is happening now is happening for the best; whatever is to happen in the future will happen for the best.
When I’m worried about an important project, I’ll say to myself:
Let go and let God.
Or when I want to be creative in my work, I’ll read:
Today I will flow, not force.
Basically, for every negative emotion I’m feeling, there’s an affirmation to change that.
I believe affirmations are more inspiring than quotes because they’re unique to you. You can change them to suit your state of mind at the time.
9. Pump Up Your Self-Worth
To round up your mindful morning routine, boost your self-esteem.
When I spend my few moments alone, the affirmation I say is, “My heart still beats, I’m still alive, and my life still has meaning even without my job, studies, and creative pursuits. I’m a complete person without any of those identities.”
You might be a corporate worker, a mother, a student, a daughter, or even an artist on the side — start your day believing that you’re still worthy without your identities.
While our personas certainly do have an impact on who we are, they don’t define us. Our hearts still beat without any of those things, our minds still think, and our souls remain whole and pure.
Saying this affirmation has been a game-changer for me in the morning.
The rest of my day flows smoothly because I’ve already started my day believing that, despite whatever happens, I’m still worthy enough to be here.
This powerful shift will make your morning mindful and the rest of your day too.
A Mindfulness Morning Routine Vs. Any Other
So, what’s the difference between a mindfulness morning routine and any other morning routine?
The beauty in a mindful morning routine compared to any other, such as a productivity one, is that you aren’t focusing on outcomes. For example, with a productive morning routine, you focus on getting enough energy, getting focused, etc., so you can complete X amount of tasks for the day.
But a mindfulness routine focuses on your internal state of being — which we often ignore.
In a world full of expectations and outcomes, we forget that we need to be okay on the inside to do well on the outside — at least, that’s what I’ve learned from experience.
On days when I feel calm, I perform better. On the other hand, when I feel energized, focused, and determined, I may not be in the best state of mind. Those are the days I’m more likely to overthink my work or even cry while doing it.
Productivity comes as a result of mindfulness. When you’re mindful of yourself, you see your actions and thoughts clearly.
Final Thoughts
And these are the 9 morning habits that have helped me create a mindful morning routine that works for me.
It’s always up to you to design your own. Try a few morning habits to see what you like.
Let me know what you think about this post. Thanks.