Developing a healthy morning routine is essential to getting your day started right. These 7 healthy habits will help you accomplish more, feel healthier and be happier.
Moms have a lot on their plates. Every mom, whether she is a working mom, a stay-at-home mom, or a mixture of the two, has more tasks on her to-do list than she has time for in the day.
These busy days don’t get less busy as our kids grow older either. The to-do list might change but it doesn’t get any shorter.
Moms often wonder how they can accomplish all they need and still have time for themselves. It is possible, but not without a healthy morning routine. Starting the day right sets the tone for the day, making everything seem possible.
It’s not just important to develop good habits so that all of our chores are completed. As moms, we need to recognize that our habits directly affect all of those around us. Our children are especially influenced by what we say and do.
The best part of developing a good morning routine now is that it carries on with us into the future. No matter how the children change, that smart morning routine will make it possible to take on the world.
1. Don’t Hit Snooze
The habit of hitting the snooze button is a bad habit that is especially common for night owls. That extra five minutes of sleep can easily become 10, 15 or even 20. Before we know it, we are scrambling to get out the door to avoid being late for work.
Stay-at-home and work-from-home moms benefit from getting up as soon as the alarm goes off as well. Those extra 10 minutes of sleep could be used for more of the important things on this list.
There is a simple trick to getting up with the alarm instead of hitting snooze. Use a phone alarm or a traditional alarm clock that is not voice controlled. Place the alarm far enough away from your bed that you must get up to turn it off.
We recommend placing the alarm in an en suite bathroom or, at minimum, as far from your bed as possible. Just make sure the alarm is loud enough to wake you up.
Not every person is a morning person. If you just aren’t an early bird and you find that you have a hard time waking even after getting up to turn off the alarm, consider taking a cold shower. The blast of cold water will energize even the most reluctant to rouse.
Take the time to add a few drops of peppermint essential oil to the shower and you will be ready to face the day in no time.
Of course, if waking up is perpetually difficult for you, you’re likely not getting enough sleep. No morning routine can replace a good night’s sleep.
It’s really hard to develop a consistent morning routine when you’re too tired to wake up. If you need some tips on managing your time so you can get more rest, check out 15 tips for exhausted moms.
2. Exercise, Stretch or Meditate
It’s no secret that there are serious health benefits to exercising. The type of exercise you do matters less than getting your body moving.
A brisk walk, a quick jog or a home workout routine will help to get blood flowing into your body and your brain. You will feel more awake and have more energy for the rest of the day.
Yoga is a great way for moms who want to start each day free from stress. Following yoga videos online can help you get started with your yoga habit. However, it is best to avoid technology if at all possible. A better option may be to develop your own yoga routine.
Start by understanding the root of yoga, which is meditation. Seated in a comfortable position, take some deep, cleansing breaths in a quiet atmosphere. Adding a deep breathing exercise like this is an easy way to add a bit of quiet time into your day. Meditation isn’t about clearing the mind but about finding peace.
When you feel fully at peace, practice some yoga poses, or asanas. Some simple asanas might include a Sun Salutation, Downward Dog, Triangle Pose or Dancer Pose.
The videos at DoYogaWithMe.com can be a great addition to your new morning routine.
3. Plan Your Day
Put your plans for the day in writing, preferably the night before. Jot down everything that needs to be done and can realistically be completed.
Do not set yourself up for failure by piling too much into too short of a time frame. Be sure to focus on important tasks and refrain from adding any surplus activities if you know you won’t have time for them.
Likewise, if you see that you do have too much on your plate, figure out how some of those items can be moved to another day or given to other members of the family. Taking these few minutes to create a plan for your day will ensure that the rest of your day is more productive.
Don’t forget to write down your accomplishments from the previous day. Focus on all you were able to complete and allow yourself to celebrate those achievements no matter how small.
We also recommend a habit tracker, which is an excellent tool that lets you immediately see the results of all of your hard work.
Journaling is another important part of your daily plan. We have found that writing down your feelings, emotions, goals and dreams is vital to a productive day. Journaling gives you time to reflect on what is truly important to you.
It also allows you to look back on previous days to see what has worked and what hasn’t.
4. Eat Well
We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day but far too often, we find ourselves eating a quick breakfast or completely skipping it altogether. This is a bad habit and one that should be rectified.
Not only should we eat a healthy breakfast, but we should also make sure the breakfast is filled with the nutrients we need to start the day off right.
A healthy bowl of oatmeal with fresh fruit or a green smoothie is enough to give you the boost you need. Consider adding a multivitamin as one of your morning habits as well.
That said, you should not take this as medical advice. Talk with your doctor or healthcare professional before adding any daily medication or vitamins.
A healthy morning routine must also include adequate hydration.
Many of us survive mornings thanks to a large cup of coffee. While caffeine is a stimulant that certainly helps us to awaken each day, it is not a replacement for water.
Drink water along with your breakfast to ensure you are adequately hydrated. Next, fill up a bottle that you can keep with you throughout the day.
5. Prep Your Technology Without Using Technology
This may seem a bit confusing at first, but hear us out. Most of us need technology to get through the day. We might not always like it, but work can rarely be accomplished without a phone, tablet or laptop.
Make sure your devices are fully charged and, if you have one, put your fitness tracker on as soon as you can so you won’t forget it later.
Though tech is important to many moms, it is also important to avoid getting wrapped up in technology first thing in the morning.
It might be tempting to get caught up on social media or check news sites, but social media often drains time and before you realize it, you have spent your entire morning routine on Instagram.
This is a good time to mention the dangers of getting wrapped up in social media.
Platforms like Instagram and Facebook are excellent tools for staying caught up with friends and family members. Social media is especially important for moms who stay at home with their children during the day. It can sometimes be the only connection we have to other adults.
However, we must always remember that most people only show their best selves on social media. Many times, their “best selves” are manufactured and do not reflect reality.
It is vital that we don’t compare ourselves to others. It’s better to skip the temptation at the beginning of the day and just get on with your day without worrying about what others are up to.
6. Develop a Skincare Routine
It is neither selfish nor a luxury to have a good skincare routine. Being healthy on the outside is just as important as being healthy on the inside. If possible, invest in a good day cream for your face and a light moisturizer that contains SPF for the rest of your body. After your shower, but before you are completely dry, use the moisturizer.
We highly recommend exfoliating in the shower before moisturizing. A gentle exfoliator can be used every other day, if not daily. It helps to slough off dead skin cells, which lets the moisturizer penetrate your skin in the best possible way.
Is money keeping you from the best morning routines for your skin? Don’t let it!
You can create your own exfoliating body wash at home with some over-the-counter body wash and some table sugar. Just make sure to rinse completely. Afterward, use a combo of vitamin E oil and coconut oil as a low-cost moisturizer. Just a little bit goes a very long way.
7. Take Some Time for You
We advocate getting up a little earlier than the rest of the household so you can have some peace and quiet. Even if you only get five minutes to sip a cup of coffee, that is time that you can relax, take in a few deep breaths and prepare yourself for the day.
It is good for your mental health to take the time to not focus immediately on getting ready for the day but instead to focus on you.
Mindfulness and mental clarity is an important part of wellness. When we give ourselves time to be present in the moment, we can see how rich and full our lives truly are.
This is a habit that should be shared with the rest of the family as well. Children, even very young ones, can benefit from spending some time focusing in quiet solitude. Many schools have begun starting their days with a moment of mindfulness. It may be a good idea to try this at home so your kids can get their day off on the right foot.
Bonus Habit: Take a Cheat Day
Maybe you need a break from the structure of a morning routine. Make it a habit to have one day per week when you don’t follow every rule.
Enjoy a sugary bowl of cereal. Skip meditation in favor of listening to loud, happy tunes. Instead of yoga, dance with your kids in the middle of the living room floor while you’re all still in your jammies. Skip the alarm clock altogether!
Cutting loose every now and then is something we all need from time-to-time.
Aside from these seven healthy habits, another thing you should do is jot down your planned morning routine and leave it some place visible, like on a refrigerator or on a bathroom mirror. Seeing your plan makes you more likely to follow through.
Likewise, don’t be frustrated if you aren’t successful with completing all of these habits every day right away. It takes time for habits to form. Some days will be easier than others.
Give yourself encouragement to succeed, but also give yourself permission to fail. Sometimes, we are our own worst enemies. That is especially true when we berate ourselves for being human rather than being Supermom.
Use these morning routine ideas to create your own, self-customized plan. Maybe you have other necessary routines that aren’t included here or, perhaps, you prefer to journal in the evenings after a busy day than to start your morning in this way.
Only you can know what is best for you, and over time your morning routine will adapt to fit your own lifestyle.
I hope that these ideas have inspired you to develop a new healthy morning routine.
Leave a comment below and let me know which healthy morning habit you can’t live without and don’t forget to save this post to Facebook or Pinterest so you can find it later.
