If your morning is any indicator as to what the rest of your day will be like, let’s hope it’s a good one! I’m guilty of trying to scarf down breakfast while blow drying my hair in the bathroom, turning my closet into a war zone in search of an outfit, and barely making it out of the door in time only to rush to my destination. Not cool. Stressful mornings can lead to not so great days, so I decided to do something about it. I now have more joyful, calm mornings and you can too with these five easy ways to kickstart your morning routine.
Get Up Early
As tempting as it is to keep hitting that snooze button, you’ll only regret the days you didn’t get up early! In comparison to how much sleep you should get a night, a few extra minutes from hitting the snooze button won’t make that much of a difference for your level of tiredness, but just five minutes can make the difference in your morning routine. This could give yourself time to eat a quick breakfast, iron your clothes, or even time for a trip to Starbucks.
Allow Time to Relax
This goes hand in hand with getting up early. Your morning routine will be much more relaxed if you just give yourself 15-20 minutes to do something you enjoy. This could mean watching tv, actually sitting down to drink your coffee, reading a magazine, or walking the dog. This will also help you feel like you have more time to yourself to do what you like rather than waking up just to go straight to work.
Eat a Hearty Breakfast
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day and that couldn’t be more true. Mornings are already busy and breakfast sometimes feels like one more thing to do, but that doesn’t always have to be the case. You may not have time to scramble eggs or make oatmeal, but there’s still quick alternatives. Plenti Greek Yogurt is a great option packed with protein. Now Plenti Oatmeal meets greek yogurt, which will save you from dirty dishes and spending time at the microwave. Plenti Oatmeal is ready to eat and convenient- the perfect start your morning needs (click here for an instant coupon).
Pre Pack Lunch
For any task that can be done the night before, do it! If you bring your lunch, don’t wait to pack it in the morning- plan ahead! This not only will kickstart your morning routine, but will give you more time for a well thought out meal. You’ll be less tempted to opt for fast food on a day you’re running late.
Designate an Outfit Planning Day
Avoid your closet turning into a war zone and showing up to the office in wrinkled clothes by planning your outfits. You can plan and prep your outfits the night before, or save even more time by planning them all out for the week on a Sunday, and ironing everything at once.
I know these all seem like simple tasks, but so many of us are guilty of not doing them, or at least I know I am! Hopefully this can help kickstart your morning routine to make it a little more pleasing and a little less chaotic! If you have tips for kickstarting your morning routine, please share!
Paige says
Love this! I woke up early today and I felt so much more productive–being able to sit down, enjoy breakfast and take the time to get ready was so amazing.
Alayna says
I really needed this! I need to set aside a day to plan my outfits for the week. It will take so much stress out of my morning!
Jackie says
Great tips! Just waking up a little bit earlier in the mornings really helps me feel ready to start the day and gives me enough time to get a couple things done before heading out. Thanks for sharing!
Kellen says
I love the idea of having an outfit planning day! I always lay out my clothes the night before which definitely helps.
Christine says
These are great tips! I will definitely be using these.
Megan Weaver says
I definitely need to work on getting my outfits organized before the morning! That would help so much! Thanks for sharing such helpful tips! 🙂
Tiffany says
My mornings are always hectic so I try to do all of these things. When I don’t I find it’s pretty frantic!
Jenny says
These are all great ideas for making your mornings less stressful.
I am guilty of rushing around in the mornings so I need to get into a better routine.
xoxo, Jenny
Alissia Haggard says
Loved this post! Mornings around my house are so crazy with little kids sometimes so I’m always looking for any tips to make my day easier!
Allison Jones says
Outfit planning is SO helpful! It saves me so much time in the mornings and helps makes things much less stressful.
LiveLifeWell,
Allison
Jasmine says
my boyfriend and I are trying to get better with eating healthy in the morning and also waking up earlier so we have time to enjoy our breakfast.
Kari says
Waking up with enough time to get everything ready without rushing makes my morning feel so luxurious.
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
Carly @ FitLiving blog says
I have just recently gotten into a really great morning routine where I get up about an hour earlier than my husband, get a cup of coffee, and get caught up on reading/ blog posts for the day. It’s so quiet and peaceful. I love it!
Kathleen says
I started waking up an hour earlier last year, I have absolutely no regrets! I get so much done!
Lindsay says
I am on board with all of these! I have a one-year-old, so I don’t have an option for waking up early, but I must say that even when I’m tired, I feel so much better for starting my day early. Last year when I was working full-time, I always packed my lunch the night before, and I LOVE eating oatmeal for breakfast. Great way to start the day.
Taylor says
Agree with all of this! I need time to myself before I go to work or I would probably explode!
http://www.repressingthecrazy.com
michelle says
pre packing lunch is huge more me as i am not a morning person so when i can do my lunch ahead of time it is better all around
Leslie says
These are great! I get up at 5:30 every morning. I’m loving Plenti oatmeal! I’m going to have to snag those coupons.
Mallory {Bummed Bride) says
I have GOT to start planning my outfits. Such good tips. I know it would eliminate a lot of stress!
linda spiker says
I need a kickstart in the morning! I’m a morning lingerer!
Cait says
Great ideas! Mornings are the best if you make the most of ’em
Marette @ Floradise says
Getting up early is the hardest part for me. Baby steps.
Jackie says
These are fabulous tips and while I can’t say I’m always on top of these things, I can vouch for the fact that I feel so much better when I do.
Outfit planning is a huge one for me. I waste so much time in the morning trying to decide what to wear…but that time would be better spent relaxing or eating breakfast!
Jackie
Something About That
Kiara Catanzaro says
I love these tips! I love making time in my morning to do something I love whether it’s catching up on bloggers I love, reading a book, writing, working out, etc. If I can spare 30 minutes to make time for my favorite activities, I always have a great day! Of course, a big, healthy breakfast is necessary, too! Great tips! Commenting from The Blogger Life from blissfullybrunette.com
xoxo, Kiara
Rutuja Bhagwat says
I love such posts and I love this one too. I’ve written a similar kind of post. x
http://www.theprettycitygirl.com/
Christine says
I always try to wake up early to get that me time in before my son wakes up. I love this time to read blog posts and drink coffee. I do believe it helps start off my day right. Now I am trying to start the habit of eating a healthy breakfast which I know will help me feel better. The other thing I need to add into my mornings is picking out clothes night before and packing lunches. I need to do this and reading your post will hep inspire me to do it. Thanks.
kristen says
such great tips. I really need to work on the getting up a little early to have some down time. Im always rushing and then I get to work and am exhausted!
Lauren says
great tips! Waking up early is a must for me.. as a working mom of 2 it is the only time I get to myself! ha!
Megan @ Hello Megan O! says
These are great tips! I’m really bad about hitting the snooze button, even though I know I’ll be in a much better mood if my morning isn’t rushed! Definitely going to try to be better about that.
Resa says
OOOOH, I love oatmeal idea – that looks delicious!
Rachel says
Love this post! I’m not a huge oatmeal fan, but maybe I’ll try to spice it up with some brown sugar or some berries! Thanks for sharing.
XO, Rachel
Carrie says
Definitely having my tween daughter read this tonight! It would make both of our mornings a lot smoother!! Thanks for sharing.
Marie says
Oh, I love the idea to take some time to relax! I’m super bad about this. I get up and then I’m pretty much on go until bed time.
Lora says
Breakfast + time to relax are big ones for me. I work from home, but am to quick to pull up the computer in the mornings.
Cristin Wondergem says
I completely agree! I hate rushing and feeling stressed! I also really love that you point out to take time for yourself in the morning. I think too often we think of the morning time as time that is not really part of our day or belongs to us because it’s before work.
Mistle says
All great tips!! I am not a morning person at all but I try to make it a lot less stressful for myself by doing these items you mentioned.
Chelsea says
I seriously wish I was a morning person! I love being up early once I’m actually up, but I struuuuggle.
Aida@TheCraftingFoodie says
That greek yougurt and oatmeal looks delicious! I completely agree with your tips. When kids are in the picture, planning ahead and getting up a little earlier make so much of a difference!
Vicki says
Love this post! Getting up early is always a struggle for me as I have insomnia, but I still try to manage it … great tips!
Emily Humpherys says
Still working on the relaxation part! I think it would change my whole day if I was able to get up and read! Thank you for these thoughts!
Francine says
“Wake up Early” Sigh. This is the one I struggle with! But I do enjoy those days when I am up before the family, can have a peaceful cup of coffee and get in some creative time.
Cassandra says
Fabulous tips! Eating breakfast is so important, but so many people don’t take the time for it.
Leslie Soto says
Awesome post! I need this inspiration for my mornings. I get up early and I take my 15 minutes to drink coffee and do my daily devotional but, as soon as my son is up, our morning is chaos and I rarely eat breakfast until 9 a.m. (on a good day).
Jordyn says
I am so much happier when my mornings move at a slower pace. I try and plan outfits ahead of time (though they always vary slightly) and give myself extra time to relax in the morning.
Brianne says
Yay productivity! I’m so bad about breakfast, but I love your idea of designating an outfit planning day.
Brianne says
Yay productivity! I’m so bad about breakfast, but I love your idea of designating an outfit planning day.
Lauren says
I always try to prepack my lunch and all the kids lunches for the next day.. it saves so much time in the morning! great post!
Sabrina @ Pink Little Notebook says
Love this! I think it’s so important to give yourself relax time in the A.M.
Carly @ FitLiving blog says
I have recently learned to get up earlier and spend about an hour with my coffee and computer catching up on reading! It is my favorite time of the day now 🙂
Kamara says
I definitely follow 2 and 3 – I always make sure to have enough time to take it easy in the morning. Even if I have a shoot at 7.30am and it takes an hour to get there, I’ll get up at 5.30am just to make sure I can sit on the sofa and eat my breakfast in peace for 20 mins first! Great tips, thanks for sharing 🙂
Euriental
Rachel Cunliffe says
Great tips. Where’s the coffee 😉 Haha. The outfit planning day is an interesting idea – I’ve never done this. Thanks!
Marie says
Such a great post! So happy I came across your blog. Officially following. 🙂
Lee Anne says
Great tips! Morning is my favorite time of the day, and breakfast is my favorite meal!
-Lee Anne
Mindy@FarmFitLiving says
I absolutely love me time in the mornings before anyone else is awake. I go to the gym at 5 am so I’m up before 4 so I can eat a little, check my phone and get ready. This is a great list! Thanks for the motivation.
Clare Speer says
Very specific and simple steps and tips… I really love to get up an hour earlier when I have a specific task or something I particularly want to do… eating breakfast is so important too – levels me off better for the day! And I love quiet time before I “dive into” the day – that’s a must! Thanks!
Joanna says
Great post! I’ve found that if I don’t get up early, like before my kids, my whole schedule gets thrown off.
Diana Elle says
These are all things I do in the morning, I agree that waking up early to have time to do ten minutes of something else is a good way to put you in a good mood!
Leslie Soto says
These are great ideas! I think allowing yourself time to relax is a big one. I used to hit the floor running as soon as I woke up but now I take 15 minutes to lay there and allow my body time to wake up naturally. I’m all about getting everything ready to go the night before!
Sarah says
Great post (and blog!). Getting up 15 minutes earlier makes such a difference to me. Means I’m rushing about less trying to get the kids to eat their breakfast while making up lunchboxes. I struggled to do get up earlier until I got one of those sunlight body clocks that wake you up slowly (the ones with daylight bulbs). It has totally transformed my morning!
Kim says
I just tried Plenty yogurt this week and I LOVED it…I had vanilla with oats, pumpkin seeds and flax seeds….YUM
Maggie says
Great ideas! I adore your blog layout!
Olivia @ Olivia's Cuisine says
Great post! I could definitely use some of these tips, like outfit planning. I always tell my husband that we would be so much happier (aka less stressed) if we were more organized!
Candy says
Eating breakfast is always hardest thing for me to do.
Theresa says
These are great ideas! I pre-plan my outfits and it makes a huge difference. A good breakfast is a must.
Linda says
Great tips. I eat oatmeal almost every day with a little protein powder in it to give more sustained energy. I also stretch or do 5 minutes of yoga and read from an inspirational book for 5-10 minutes. This helps me start off with the right attitude and mood. Thanks for your great morning tips!
Leah Herring says
Love this list, getting up before my kids is my saving grace!
Adam W. Warner says
All great advice. I’m the early riser in our house and my wife likes to sleep until the last minute and gets frustrated that she doesn’t have time to relax in the mornings. If only I could convince her of the personal benefits of taking time for herself in the mornings:)
Katie says
Love it! I have my morning routine down pat, but I really need to start getting up earlier!
Tayler Morrell says
I definitely agree with eating a good breakfast!
Danielle Greco says
That’s so awesome that they sell that kind of yogurt now, because I have been putting natural oats into my greek yogurt in the morning, along with berries. It’s really good and fills you up! Love it!
Danielle Greco – AccordingtoD.com