Starting Your Day Right: Building a Morning Routine that Works

Growing up as a kid, my family would always tell me that I stressed a lot. This stress affected my mood, my sleep and my overall productivity.

What made matters worse was that I spent a lot of time alone the more I grew older.

A few years ago I became aware that I was prone to depressive spells. Looking back, it all made sense. I did suffer from anxiety and depression but I never knew what it was. I would always just think it was an overactive mind and stress.

Anyway, in order to cope with all this, I had to develop a routine that would keep me present. I started to build a morning routine that prepped my mind for the day which would then influence the rest of my life.

Years into it, I will testify that its worked like a charm and even though it isn’t easy stringing together consistent days of routine it is definitely possible and it is something I recommend for everyone.

In this article, I want to go through my morning routine in order, describing why I do what I do and how it may help you.

The way you start your day plays a huge impact on how the rest of the day goes and if strung into consistent days, it will greatly influence the rest of how your life pans out.

Some books like The 5.AM Club and Atomic Habits share some science backed benefits of having a good morning routine. You should check them out. I think they are life changing books.

1: Waking Up Early

So, I won’t give any specific wake up times as the ideal time will differ for all of us but it’s important to get up as early as possible.

The day “wakes up” too so you either want to wake up before the cogs in the days clock start to turn or just when they do.

The earlier hours of the morning are generally quieter. There is a kind of calm about them. Getting up during these times gives you the best chances of success as they are fewer disturbances.

Distractions await you the moment you get up, so getting your morning routine before all of the commotion is best.

In order to help with this, I set a gentle alarm at the desired time, wake up consistently for a few weeks so I train my body clock and then I make sure my phone is on some “Do not disturb” mode until about 8am. This ensures I wake up to a distraction free morning.

It’s very important to note that you won’t always get the perfect morning, so start where you can start or make some time in the evening. If it’s too busy, take the loss and work on getting it right the next day.

Life is unpredictable.

2: Devotions

Well, this will be different for all of us.

Others pray. Others say affirmation. I mean there is a whole variety of devotions people do.

Personally, I pray to God. It is what it is.

I spend a few moments committing my day to God and being grateful for a safe passage through the night. I also ask for my wants and needs and I also intercede for others.

I just go with the flow so my prayers can range from short to lengthy.

3: Meditate

From there, I meditate. Again, this will look different for everybody but I use an app called Insight Timer.

I started on Headspace and then grew out of that. I tried a couple of others until I landed on Insight Timer.

I have meditated for over an hour before but my meditations typically span about 5-15 minutes. It really depends on how I feel.

I can either do a guided meditation or unguided meditation in the app or  an unguided meditation alone, without any assistance.

4: Read

What I like to do next is read.

I typically read my Bible and/or some book. When I am taking a breather from the Bible I am reading a book that addresses a particular need in my life.

I read for direction and wisdom and not just passively.

At this current moment I am reading my Bible and then a book called The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel.

The book focuses on financial literacy which is something I am trying to learn more about at this stage of my life.

I see reading as some of the building blocks to my character and as divine instruction or equipping me for the day.

5: Exercise

I try to be as consistent as I can. The key with me is that I focus on doing challenging but manageable small efforts everyday.

My excise consists of yoga or running, push ups or sit ups, some stretches or a mixture of all.

This part of my day typically takes about 15-20 minutes.

If I feel tired I take a break.

6: Eat/Drink

When I am done with all this I make myself a cup of green tea to detox from the previous day.

If it’s not tea, it’s water, and then I typically make some breakfast.

I typically prefer to eat at 10am but I often switch it up from time to time.

So basically that is my morning routine. It does wonders for me. It helps me manage stress, depression, anxiety and life in general. I can confidently say I am a better and more productive human being as a result of my routine.

There are many scientific benefits to having a morning routine. You can read some of them by checking out this blog article by Very Well Mind. It might motivate you further to develop your own.

One last thing though, a routine can be hard to follow, so see it as a guide not so much as a hard set system. Feel free to switch it up and change the order of things. I do this often. Also, feel free to take a break from the routine for a short while, I know I do.

Not for too long though.

If you have any questions on morning routines feel free to reach out. All the best.