Why having a morning routine can help you hit your goals

A morning routine is a great way to start your day off right. They'll help you get ready for success and keep you motivated throughout your day.

A morning routine is a great way to start your day off right. They'll help you get ready for success and keep you motivated throughout your day.

What happens when you wake up in the morning without a plan? You start daydreaming, or worse, procrastinating. In order to achieve your goals, you need to get organized.

If you want to reach your goals, you need a clear vision and a solid strategy. This means setting realistic expectations and creating a daily schedule that helps you stay focused.

Having a morning routine can help boost your productivity and ensure that you don’t waste time. Here are some ways to create a productive morning routine. 

Why having a morning routine can helps you reach your goals

When you’re getting ready in the morning, you might feel like you’ve got everything planned out — but we all know that doesn’t happen. So, instead of wasting time getting yourself together, take some time to plan out your day ahead of time. Here are five reasons why having a morning routine can make you a better person.

I'm sure we all know someone who has trouble getting up early in the morning. They say they hate mornings and wish they didn't have to wake up so early. However, there are some benefits to waking up early and doing something productive.

A clear morning routine for yourself can help you feel more organized, productive, and confident

Incorporating exercise into your morning routine can help you feel more alert and productive once you start exercising. Starting your day with a healthy morning routine and proper eating habits can help you feel more productive and in control. Whether you want to get the most out of your day, schedule your mornings, make time for what's important, or just want more control over your schedule, designing a clear morning routine for your lifestyle will help You achieve your goals. A morning routine is critical to being productive, achieving goals, feeling organized, and confident. 

"Including exercise in your morning routine can help you feel more alert and be productive as soon as you start work." 6
"Starting your day with a healthy morning routine and the right eating habits can help you feel more productive and in-control." 3
"Whether you are looking to maximize the start of your days, organize your mornings, make time for what is important, or simply feel more in control of your schedule, creating a solid morning routine that is designed for your lifestyle will help you get there." 9
"Having a great morning routine can make all the difference in being productive, achieving goals, feeling organized, and doing all of this with confidence." 11

Create a morning routine that works for you

Create a morning routine that works for you

When you feel and see the positive impact of your morning routine on your day, you will find that it motivates you to keep practicing the habit. It's also important that you implement a morning routine so you can maintain it long-term and use it every day.

"As you feel and see the positive impact of a good morning routine has on your day, you will find it motivating to continue practicing that habit." 11
"It is also important that your morning routine is achievable so that you can keep it up over the long term and use it each day." 6

Mastering your morning routine will help you achieve success in everything else

If you're having trouble adding an entire morning routine at once, you can gradually master it by starting with one item on your weekly agenda and adding new items as you get used to it. As you develop morning habits, you'll find that every aspect of your routine, from waking up early to making breakfast, can become easier. You can start eating a big breakfast, practice mindfulness, or even find time to exercise in your morning routine before work. 

"If you have trouble adding an entire morning routine all at once, you can gradually embrace your routine by starting with just one item on the agenda for a week and adding additional items as you get used to them." 6
 "As you build morning habits, you might find that each aspect of your routine, from waking up early to making breakfast, can become easier." 6
"You may start eating a substantial breakfast, practice mindfulness, or even make time to exercise in your morning routine before work." 0

Morning & Evening Routines Will Make Your Day More Productive

By doing a routine in the morning and evening, you can prepare yourself to be as productive as possible every day. A morning and evening routine keeps you from stumbling throughout the day and ensures you get the most important things done. Although most people do the same things every morning, they usually don't have a purposeful routine. 

"By implementing routines in the morning and evening, you can prime yourself for maximum productivity each day." 2
"They keep you from stumbling through your day and make sure you get the most important things done." 2
"While most people do much of the same activities each morning, they do not usually have a purposeful routine." 8
"Here are the what and why of routines, along with 12 morning and evening routines you can implement to create more perfect days." 2

Create a quality morning and evening ritual

To create a quality morning and evening routine, you can write a checklist that you can do every day until it becomes ingrained in you, or set a Benjamin Franklin-style schedule. Hiring may seem boring at first, but you'll find that your days will go much more smoothly if you plan them with a quality morning and evening routine.

"To create your morning and evening routines, you can write up a checklist that you can walk through every day until it becomes ingrained in you or set up a schedule, a la Ben Franklin." 2
"You may find it tedious at first, but you will find your days will flow much more smoothly when you have bookended them with quality morning and evening routines." 2

Find your most productive hours and turn them into habits and routines

Find your most productive hours and turn them into habits and routines

The amount of time you spend on your morning routine depends on several factors, including how much time you can spend doing it and how long it takes to feel the benefits. If you're trying to figure out the best time of the day to wake up, check out this helpful guide to finding your most productive hours, and then turn it into a habit and routine. While it's true that many people who wake up earlier are often more productive, that doesn't mean night owls can't have the perfect morning routine that leads to a productive day.

"The amount of time you dedicate to your morning routine depends on several factors including, how much time you can dedicate to it and how much time it needs for you to feel the benefits from it." 8
"If you are trying to figure out your optimal time of day to wake in life, check out this useful guide for finding your most productive hours and then make it a habit and routine." 12
"While it is true that many people who wake up earlier are often more productive, that does not mean night owls cannot have a perfect morning routine that leads to a productive day." 12

Boost your energy and productivity in the morning

Planning your day the night before can help you boost your morning productivity and reduce the amount of thinking skills you'll need to start the day. Waking up early can give you more time to do activities that will help you energize and reduce your morning rush so you can start the day with less stress. Making time in your morning routine for your family and roommates will help you start the day in a good mood and remember what's important to you. Just make sure you take some time in the morning to focus on the present

"Planning your days the night before can help increase your morning productivity and reduce the amount of thinking power that you will need when your day begins." 9
"Waking up earlier can give you more time for activities that help energize you and reduce any morning rush so that you start your day with less stress." 6
"Making time in your morning routine for your family and housemates can help you start the day off in a good mood and remember what is important to you." 6
"Simply make sure to take some time out of your morning to focus on the present." 7

Design your perfect morning routine

How you spend your early morning hours can set the tone for the rest of the day. If you can do something to make your morning easier, do it before bed. Ideally, you should set up your day the night before, so at this point all you have to do is review it and mentally prepare to start your business. According to productivity expert and author of "Designing Your Day," Claire Diaz Ortiz, the best thing you can do is create your perfect morning routine.

"How you spend the first few hours of your morning can set the tone for the rest of your day." 5
"If there are things you can set in place to make your morning easier, go ahead and do that before bed." 11
"Ideally, you set up your day the night before, so all you have to do at this point is to review it and get yourself mentally ready to start on your activities." 8
"According to Claire Diaz Ortiz, productivity expert and author of Design Your Day, the best thing you can do to be productive is to create your ideal morning routine." 12

Create a morning routine that works for you

By incorporating activities in line with your professional and personal priorities, you can sort out your morning routine and start working towards your personal goals. In this article, we list 16 tips for creating a successful morning routine that will help you reach your career goals.

"By incorporating actions on those priorities, you can make your morning routine feel purposeful and start to work toward personal goals." 6
"In this article, we list 16 tips for making a successful morning routine that can help you achieve your professional goals." 6

Create a healthy routine for success

A successful daily routine can help you achieve laser focus from the moment you wake up in the morning...until you close your eyes in a dream and fall asleep at night. Following your routine can help you prioritize, limit procrastination, track goals, and even make you healthier. The more you take care of yourself and be consistent every morning, the better you'll feel, which will help you feel more productive and creative at work. Going to bed and waking up early at the same time every day can help you feel better, more energized, and motivated.

"A successful daily routine helps you achieve laser-like focus from the moment you wake up in the morning...to the time you close your eyes and drift off to dreamland at night." 10
"Following a daily routine can help you establish priorities, limit procrastination, keep track of goals, and even make you healthier." 10
"The more you take care of yourself and stay consistent every morning, the better you will feel all around and will help you feel your most productive and creative self at work." 9
"Going to bed early and waking up at the same time every day can help you feel better, have more energy and motivation." 1

Wake up earlier than you normally would to make sure you start your day with the best possible mindset

If you wake up earlier than usual, you will have enough time to focus on your goals and go through the day with more energy, awareness, and strength. If you're resisting the morning alarm and have snooze enabled, you can use one or two tips from the procedures below to build a better habit. I encourage you to try these simple steps and incorporate them into your daily routine, even if it means waking up a little earlier than you're used to.

"By implementing routines in the morning and evening, you can prime yourself for maximum productivity each day." 2
"They keep you from stumbling through your day and make sure you get the most important things done." 2
"While most people do much of the same activities each morning, they do not usually have a purposeful routine." 8
"Here are the what and why of routines, along with 12 morning and evening routines you can implement to create more perfect days."

How a morning routine can boost productivity and self-confidence

A morning routine with typical wakeup times, a healthy breakfast, and some exercise is a great start, says Erin Engle, a licensed clinical psychologist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. A more focused approach at the start of the day can help build self-confidence and lead to a more productive rest of the day, according to Erin Angle. If you find yourself allowing aimless screen time to invade your morning routine, allow yourself to reclaim those boundaries so you can refocus on creating a healthy morning routine.

"A morning routine with a typical wake time, a healthy breakfast, and some exercise is a great place to start, says Erin Engle, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center." 3
"Having a more intentional approach to the day early on can help instill self-confidence and lead to a more productive rest of the day, says Engle." 3
"If you find yourself letting aimless screen time invade the morning routine, allow yourself to put those boundaries back in place so that you can refocus on the purpose of developing a healthy morning routine." 11

Here are three reasons why you should wake up early and do something productive.

1. You’ll Feel More Productive

Having a consistent morning routine can help you stay focused throughout the entire day. It gives you something to look forward to every morning so you don’t get distracted by things that aren't important. Plus, you’ll be more likely to accomplish what you need to get done during the day.

2. You’ll Be Able To Stick With A Routine

It’s easy to fall into bad habits when you wake up late. If you wake up late, you may skip breakfast altogether, which can lead to eating unhealthy food choices. Instead of skipping breakfast, ensure you eat something nutritious before heading out the door. When you have a routine, you’ll stick to it and eat healthier foods.

3. You’ll Have Time To Take Care Of Yourself

You probably spend a lot of time caring for others, especially when working or studying. However, to live a happy life, you should learn to care for yourself. Having a morning routine allows you to take time to relax and unwind.

4. You’ll Get More Sleep

According to research, those who sleep less than six hours a night tend to be less productive during the day. In addition, they’re also more likely to make poor decisions. By following a morning routine, you’re giving yourself enough time to get ready and then go to bed without feeling rushed. This way, you’ll have time to wind down and get a full eight hours of restful sleep.

5. You’ll Make Better Choices

If you have a morning routine, you won’t have any excuses for making poor nutrition choices. For example, you may grab a bagel over oatmeal because you don’t have time to prepare it. However, this excuse will no longer work if you have a routine.

1. You Will Have More Time To Do What You Want

When you get up early, you don't have to rush. Nothing is stopping you from spending the entire day doing whatever you want. If you need to go to work, then you can do that. Or maybe you'd rather spend the day working out instead. Whatever you choose, you won't feel rushed. You can take your time and enjoy yourself.

2. You Can Get Things Done Faster

It doesn't matter what kind of things you do, whether it's cleaning the house, writing a paper, or exercising. When you're rushing, you tend to make mistakes. It's hard to concentrate when you're tired and stressed out. So when you get up early, it's easier to stay focused. Plus, you can get more done in less time.

3. You Will Feel Better About Yourself

There is something very satisfying about accomplishing something every single day. Even if it's just taking a shower and brushing your teeth, it makes you feel better about yourself. Plus, when you accomplish something each day, you feel like you're growing as a person. That feeling is great.

So the next time you find yourself wishing you woke up earlier, remember these three reasons. Wake up early and do something constructive. You'll be glad you did.

Cited Sources

Scientific Studies

Vanderkam, L. (2016). What the most successful people do before breakfast: And two other short guides to achieving more at work and at home. Penguin.

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/213976/what-the-most-successful-people-do-before-breakfast-by-laura-vanderkam/

Fournier, M. A., & d'Arripe-Longueville, F. (2018). The pre-competition warm-up routines of elite tennis players: Experts' opinions. Journal of Sports Sciences, 36(10), 1095-1101.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02640414.2017.1356218

Ellemers, N., Spears, R., & Doosje, B. (2002). Self and social identity. Annual Review of Psychology, 53(1), 161-186.

https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.psych.53.100901.135228

Baumeister, R. F., & Masicampo, E. J. (2010). Conscious thought is for facilitating social and cultural interactions: How mental simulations serve the animal–culture interface. Psychological review, 117(3), 945-971.

https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2010-17500-014

Duckworth, A. L., Peterson, C., Matthews, M. D., & Kelly, D. R. (2007). Grit: perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Journal of personality and social psychology, 92(6), 1087.

https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2007-12208-007