Productive Morning Routine Habits to Help Jump Start Your Day

Having good habits in place for a productive morning routine can be an underestimated tool in your arsenal for overall success and happiness. Don’t believe me? Here are two versions of my morning, one good and one bad.

Morning Version 1.0

I stayed up a little too late the night before watching videos online to “relax” before bed and ended up going to bed around 12:30 am. I knew I would be tired the next morning so I set my alarms for 6:00, 6:15, and 6:30 but didn’t get out of bed thanks to the snooze feature until around 6:45. 

I didn’t prepare the night before so breakfast was rushed and I didn’t have time to enjoy my food or my coffee. My typical game of Wordle didn’t happen and my morning turned into one of those where I had trouble finding everything and I continued to forget items as I tried to leave. 

First I realized that I wasn’t wearing a belt, then I couldn’t find my keys and I ultimately ended up forgetting to grab my ear buds. All of the confusion led me to leave late and get to work late which created a stressful commute and a bad start to an already busy day. 

All of this carried forward and created a not so pleasant day that felt stressful and unorganized. Not ideal. 

Morning Version 2.0

I knew I had a busy day ahead of me and so I made a point to prepare some things before I went to bed so that I wouldn’t have to worry about them in the morning. I picked out my clothing, prepared some overnight oats, and packed my lunch for the next day. I also made sure to get to bed before midnight. 

Because I had planned ahead I felt motivated to set my alarm a little earlier with intentions of doing a quick workout when I woke up. When 5:30 came around I was awake but still hesitant to get out of bed. After all, 5:30 feels pretty early, so I mentally motivated myself while I snoozed the alarm. I ended up getting out of bed before the next alarm went off at 5:45. 

Feeling tired but looking forward to my breakfast and coffee, I went downstairs to the apartment complex gym to run on the treadmill for 20 minutes. The first few minutes felt difficult but as I got going things felt better and better until my 20 minutes was up and it was time to head back home and shower. 

After showering and getting dressed, it’s still only 6:30 and my breakfast is ready for me to eat, giving me plenty of time to enjoy my food and coffee and play my morning game of Wordle while I contemplate the day ahead.

I am able to leave on time and not stress about traffic during my commute, arriving to work on time and ready for the day. 

Having a good morning makes a difference

As you can see, the difference between a good day and a bad day can usually be attributed to a good or bad morning. 

A bad morning seems to have a domino effect on the rest of the day that can be all but impossible to turn around. The key is stopping it before it happens. How do you do that? Design your perfect productive morning routine with these top habits.

Top habits for a productive morning routine

1. Plan the night before!

As with most things, planning makes perfect. Remember, you want to be in control of your morning and make it yours. This can only happen if you plan. 

I would recommend just imagining your perfect morning and see what elements of this you would like to incorporate into your everyday routine. Do you enjoy breakfast or a hot beverage when you wake up? If so, add that to your plan. 

The more things you have to look forward to in your morning routine, the better. For me, it’s breakfast and coffee. I love my breakfast and coffee in the morning and sometimes it’s the only thing that gets me out of bed. 

Know what you need to do in the morning before your day starts and when these things need to get done. This will create a framework for you to work with and then you can start incorporating your morning must-haves into your routine. 

2. Get your alarm ready and wake up well

Unless you are gifted and wake up naturally and fully rested bright and early (I am very envious if you are this way), you will most likely need to set an alarm of some sort to help you wake up when you need to. 

However, gone are the days of the stereotypical metal ringing alarm clock and even the default phone alarm. There are better and more pleasant ways to wake up and you should take advantage of them. 

Yes, the phone alarm is a great go-to for waking up but I would recommend a more graceful wake up routine. Something that I have done recently to great effect is to set up a “routine” with our Google smart speaker with soft music and customized lighting with our bedroom light. 

Another option is to try a sunrise alarm clock. These work by gradually brightening with natural light tones to simulate a rising sun and usually include various natural sounds for falling asleep and waking up for a more natural experience.  

Maybe you have a favorite song that really gets you motivated (Rocky theme song?) that you could set as your alarm. The point is to make your alarm work for you and give you the best chance of waking up well. 

3. Take time to figure out your day

I would do this before bed so that you aren’t wondering what you need to do when you wake up. Once you have your list, keep it handy so that your morning is stress and worry free. You already know what needs to be done and what you need to do in order to accomplish everything that you’ve laid out for yourself. 

4. Eat a healthy breakfast (that you like)

This is a huge one for me and sometimes the only thing that gets me out of bed. I understand that not everyone likes to eat in the morning but if you do, I recommend finding something that is healthy, relatively easy to prepare or perhaps something that can be prepared in advance like overnight oats, and delicious. 

Between the incentive to get out of bed and the satiety of a good breakfast, you should be left feeling ready to take on the day with plenty of energy. 

The key is to make this a healthy meal. Donuts and other similar pastries are undeniably delicious but don’t do much for lasting energy and satiety. This doesn’t mean you can’t find something enjoyable. A favorite of mine is oatmeal which can be made into almost anything. Pumpkin pie oatmeal, chocolate peanut butter oatmeal, and countless others. Believe it or not all of these were made with no sugar, some added protein, and all tasted amazing. 

Find what you like and get excited.

5. Cup of coffee or tea

Another favorite of mine is coffee in the morning. I’m not very unique in this regard, I know, however the idea behind it is an important element to a good morning routine. 

Enjoying a morning beverage can create a positive association with mornings that can really help keep your morning productivity on track. Just like with breakfast, make this one exciting for you and something that you look forward to every day. Try different things like coffee, different types of tea, smoothies, and even broth. 

Make it important and enjoyable. I enjoy looking for unique teas and different coffees and I’m rarely disappointed.

Smoothies are another fantastic option for a morning beverage (and breakfast!) and there is really no limit to what you can do with a smoothie. You can blend fruits, vegetables, powders, and more. I’ve even added coffee or tea to my smoothies to great effect. 

6. Listen to podcasts or audio books

Sometimes listening to the radio or a podcast can be a really good way to get your brain going and wake you up with something that you enjoy. Audio books can be another great option.

There are so many interesting and unique podcasts out there for any interest that you may have. Topics can range from local news, travel, history, mystery, and literally anything else you can think of.

Audio books are another great option. I love to read but sometimes actually reading can be inconvenient or dangerous depending on what you are doing while reading. Sometimes being read to is the best way to read and it’s hard to beat a good story in the morning. 

7. Enjoy a morning brain game

Getting your brain going in the morning with a game is an enjoyable way to ease your way into productivity and help you wake up without feeling like you’re doing too much. 

There are several free online puzzles to choose from. There is Sudoku, Wordle, and millions more to cater to your personal puzzle tastes. 

8. Dress for the weather

Dressing for the weather is an important part of making the start of your day bearable and productive. 

This may be more applicable to those living in a colder environment but it will apply to varying degrees (pun intended) regardless of your location. The simple fact is that waking up and starting your day will always be more difficult if you are cold and uncomfortable. 

This means dressing for the weather so you can feel comfortable and ready for the day. If it’s raining or even if there is a chance of rain, bring your umbrella. If it’s windy and icy, wear gloves and a scarf. Whatever you need to do to be well protected against the weather, do it, because dreading dealing with the weather is not a productive mindset. 

9. Exercise

Probably the most beneficial activity that can be done to increase productivity is to exercise. I’ve read about it and experienced it myself and it really does work. 

The great thing is that it doesn’t need to be extreme to reap huge benefits. Even a simple walk can make a big difference in how you feel during the day. The main goal is to get your body moving which will help get the blood flowing and your mind awake and alert. 

Exercising also helps you sleep better which will, in turn, help your mornings feel a little less painful. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that there is a week or two period of time that it will take to acclimate but keep with it! Once this initial period of adjustment is complete all of the rewards of daily morning activity will pay off big time. 

10. Get going!

None of these habits will be worth anything if you never do them. Commit to yourself to implementing one or two of these at least this next week and then slowly add in more as you feel comfortable. 

Some will be easy and others will be difficult but all will be worth the effort and commitment if you truly put in the work.

Summary

Mornings can be one of the most difficult parts of the day, especially if you are not a morning person and can have a lasting impact on your entire day. Having good habits in place can help improve the overall experience and create a more productive and happy you. 

When working to improve your morning routine, remember that consistency and adherence go hand in hand. If you have a hard time adhering, you won’t be consistent but if you are able to be consistent, you will find that adherence becomes easier and easier. Just take things slow and make changes incrementally and make changes that you think will work for you. 

I hope these help. If you have any more productive morning habits, share them in the comments!

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