Daily routines for mental health can transform into long term habits over time. With the right morning routine, you can increase the energy you feel through the day, get your mindset right, and boost your mood.
An effective morning routine will support you holistically, improving your mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health. So today, I’m going to talk through how to have a good morning routine through a morning routine checklist to help you reap the benefits in your own life.
Morning Routines and Mental Health
Tons of research supports that individuals who have morning routines feel more focused and productive about their days. Daily routines for mental health can also empower you to identify activities that make you feel focused and optimistic. Setting good morning routine habits gets you to start your day in the best mindset.
An effective morning routine is one that is accessible and workable in your life. A morning routine for depression or an anxiety morning routine should not be so long or complicated that you feel hopeless you’ll ever be able to complete them. Instead, fill your mornings with tasks you can complete quickly that offer you a meaningful benefit.
Morning Routine Checklist
A morning routine checklist is simply a list of the tasks you move through each morning. The list helps to take the decision-making and guesswork out of the process, so you remove barriers and stay consistent.
With the support of a morning routine checklist, you can make the most of your morning and make sure you’re starting your day from the “right side of the bed.”
This is my typical order, but do them in whichever order suits you! In full transparency, most weekdays I only cross a few of these off the list. And of course, not every day will be perfect, even with a morning routine. However, don’t let perfection be the enemy of progress.
Wake Up With Your Alarm
Consistency is important for your circadian rhythms. Figure out how much sleep you need, what time you need to wake up, and commit to going to be early enough each night to consistently wake up at that time.
As comfy as you are in your warm snuggly bed, wake up with your alarm, knowing that waking and moving through meaningful activities is going to set your day up for success.
I love this hatch alarm clock that is meant to mimic the sunrise to give you quality sleep and a natural rise.
Stay Off Of Your Phone
We all know the time-suck of technology, especially the addicting apps on your phone. Remember that you’ll have the rest of the day to check emails and social media. Give this morning routine time to yourself so that you can truly soak in all of the benefits.
Apps like the Freedom App can set restrictions on your phone to keep you committed if you find yourself having trouble holding this boundary.
Hydrate
Your liver worked hard over night to detox your body of chemicals it was exposed to during the day. Complete that detox process by flushing out your body with water (bonus points for lemon water!).
The body gets dehydrated overnight, so make sure to keep sipping on water. I constantly have my lime-water filled Brumate on me to make sure I have plenty of energy and hydration to cut through brain-fog and my body refreshed.
Movement
Movement helps to flush out stress chemicals from the prior day your body processed over night via the stress response cycle. It also helps to increase levels of dopamine- reward and “feel good chemicals” in the brain.
Yoga will always be my favorite form of movement for the way it incorporates mindfulness and physical exertion. I’ve also been a member The Sculpt Society app for several years, and I’m a huge fan of the range of classes from gentle sculpts to invigorating dance cardio. Most of the classes I take range from as low as 10 minutes to about 30 minutes- super easy to fit into a morning routine checklist. Click here for a free month of workouts.
Personal Hygiene Routine
Proper hygiene takes care of your body, keeping it strong and healthy so that you can continue living the life aligned with your goals. Feeling fresh and clean will also boost your own confidence and stress as you feel healthy in your skin.
On top of the basic maintenance, I also like to show my body a little extra love to feel clean, hydrated, and nourished. I’ve been loving this shower oil and these eye patches, both leaving the skin feeling plumped and well-cared for.
Mindfulness
Meditation is an effective form of mindfulness to get in touch with thoughts and your experience in your body early in the day. Guided meditations, or simply setting a timer for five minutes and sitting in silence will do the trick.
Meditation is not the only form of mindfulness though. Many emotional grounding techniques are effective signals to your nervous system that you are in a safe place. This grounding will help your body feel steady to take risks as you seek to achieve and go for your goals throughout your day.
Journal
Journaling is another form of mindful awareness. You may find incorporating different prompts on different days helps keep the practice feeling fresh.
Here are some different prompts you can try:
- Set an intention for the day or week
- Write down what and who you are grateful for
- Get in touch with your intuition and spirit. Ask it what you should know as you move into the day
- Consider recent moments where you felt alive and connected. Write down all you can remember about them
- List the core values you’d like to live your day by
Get Outside
For many of us, working from home as removed natural habits of getting outside to commute. Yet, stepping outside and exposure to natural light is a huge part of staying healthy and connected the the cycles of the Earth and nature as humans.
Even if it’s only five or ten minutes, take a step outside, breathe fresh air into your lungs, and look at the world around you. The natural light will boost your energy levels through the day.
Tidy Your Space
Make your bed, fold your close, and tidy your things. A cluttered environment can lead to a cluttered mind, leading to anxiety and disorganization.
A clean and organized environment can give you a sense of control and clarity. This can boost your mood and create a more calming and productive atmosphere for your day.
Fuel
Your brain needs glucose to restore blood sugar levels and function properly through the day. Do not forget to fuel your mind and your body before heading into your day. It’s also important to start paying attention to body cues early in the morning, noticing when you feel hungry to prevent having to binge later in the day.
As someone who doesn’t wake up hungry, I am a huge morning smoothie fan. I know I can throw tons of fruits and veggies into my Nutribullet and start getting fuel for the day.
For more tips, here’s how to create a routine without feeling stressed or trapped.
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