My Morning Routine That Keeps Me Productive

Today, let’s talk morning routines… Since the start of the new year and reading the book “Atomic Habits”. I’ve been on a habits kick lately. The older I get, the more I realize how much habits determine how much I spend my time and whether or not I achieve my goals.

My morning routine is one of the most important habits that affect how my day plays out. Which is truly why I am intentional about my mornings and nights. My morning routine will be different from yours. Because its what works for me. Let me just say that the foundation of my productive morning starts the night before.

Here are my steps to a productive morning…

I don’t know what it is about knowing people’s morning routines, but I love reading about them. And recently I read about 10 things to be more productive in the morning and was really intrigued by that process. Whenever a fellow blogger, or even a friend, shares what they do to get ready for the day, I’m all ears. We all do things a little differently and I think there’s something to take away from all the various routines people have – don’t you think?

Because I love reading about other people’s morning routines so much, I thought it was time I shared mine with all of you. Honestly, it’s evolving as my schedule changes, but for the most part, this is what I try to stick to.

You might find that these don’t take as long as you think. It’s about being purposeful and creating patterns of positive momentum. And after two years of the majority of us working from home, I feel like it’s a little easier to get some of these in before 10:00 am.

1. WAKE UP EARLY: Alarm goes off at 6:00. I’ve honestly always loved waking up early — Willie not so much. But for me, waking up early makes me instantly feel more productive and good about my day. That said, I usually need a little bit of time to feel alive, so when my alarm goes off at 6:00, I’ll hit snooze so I can actually wake up around 6:15.

2. REVIEW MY SCHEDULE / QUICK EMAIL SCROLL:  I stay in bed for a few minutes after my alarm goes off. This is when I’ll check my phone, but I stay off social media. I spend this time looking over any texts or emails that may have come my way since going to bed. This is when I’ll also flag any emails I want to get to right away when I get to my desk. I also review my schedule to see if any appointments popped up. I like to review my schedule and make sure I give myself padding in-between appointments. This will allow me to tend to fires as they arise or any last-minute projects that come up. Padding your schedule with free time will also give you a better chance of achieving your goals and may even add some downtime throughout the day. I know it’s not the healthiest thing to scroll your phone in bed, but it honestly makes me more stressed to ignore any potential issues with the site, projects, etc.

3. MAKE THE BED:  But making our bed literally takes 5 minutes and is something that genuinely makes me feel better when it’s done. It also makes me want to pick up my clothes and keep the room tidy — so its definitely a daily habit for me.

4. HYDRATE, SUPPLEMENTS and COFFEE: Before I even wash my face, I make coffee. To know me is to know how much I love my morning coffee! While I’m making coffee, I drink a glass of water and will take my vitamins or supplements. This is when I also take my Vital Proteins Collagen — For skin, hair and nails its a ingestible collagen that provides the amino acids to assist my body in naturally producing collagen.

In my opinion it doesn’t have any taste, so you can mix it in coffee, smoothies, oatmeal, and still get the benefits. I like the sticks because they are easy to throw in your bag if you’re on the go — no need to use a frother with these either.

I do this every day and believe it has helped keep my skin and kept my hair healthy. My hairdresser even made a comment at how fast my hair was growing when I saw her a few months ago!

5. SET INTENTIONS: This is such a big one for me. I learned about this when I was dealing with some postpartum anxiety and even just trying to balance work life of being a mom. Taking that 5 or 10 minutes each morning to tune out the noise and FOCUS on what is going great in your life and being thankful for big and small moments, is everything. It also allows me to set goals for the day. The 5 Minute Journal has been a great guide in helping me maintain this practice.

6. SOMETHING ACTIVE: Whether that’s a 30-minute walk on the treadmill or a video session, any movement helps wake up the body and boost my energy levels. If I’m really struggling or feeling tired, I like to stretch while listening to a meditation app. Headspace is great and they have quick 10-minute guided meditations. For those mornings that aren’t super hectic, this combo of getting in some movement + quieting your mind sounds pretty amazing.

7. EAT A HEALTHY BREAKFAST: If I’m not intermittent fasting, I eat a quick breakfast. I usually prep smoothie bags each week and often grab one of those and some granola, because lately, I’ve been on a smoothie bowl kick. I also love a good ole regular smoothie for breakfast as well. If you’re looking for a good recipe (and a way to sneak in some veggies for breakfast), then green smoothies are one of my go-to’s. If you’re not a coffee drinker, you could mix in your Vital Proteins Collagen to get your daily dose of collagen.

8. GET READY FOR THE DAY: Washing my face and getting ready play a big role in my productivity level. There were many lessons learned during quarantine, but one of them was get ready (even if you are just working at the kitchen table). You can check out my stories for the skincare products I use. The night before, I usually mentally plan what I want to wear the next day so it saves me time on trying to figure out an outfit.

9. PREP MY TO-DO LIST: When I sit down at my desk, I try to spend at least 10-15 minutes each morning either making my to-do list or mentally thinking about the projects or tasks I need to tackle. I set my phone to “Do Not Disturb” and it stops notifications until you’re ready, so the mornings can truly be yours…and you won’t accidentally waste 15 minutes scrolling Instagram at your desk. Having this time really helps me focus on my goals for the day. I usually map out the MUST-DOs and rank by priority. I alway use this time to ensure that Kourtney’s items are prepped for homeschool.

10. HARDEST TASK FIRST: If you are a planner like me, this is key. It’s human nature to put off or set aside something that is hard or requires more brainpower. I make myself do my hardest task first (could be an email, writing drafts, concept outlines, etc.) Once this is done, I feel like I have a weight off my shoulders and it allows me to focus on other tasks.

Do you have a morning routine? Please comment below. It’s my hope that this post inspired you to create your own morning routine.

Let me know if you want me to continue with these types of posts!

Photos by Christina Jones Photography