Trust me on this! I’m not a morning person. I don’t want to talk to you until I’ve had my coffee or at least 20 minutes to process. I do however enjoy my morning routine, and when I’m done, I’m ready to take on the day!

A Realistic Guide to Upgrade Your Morning

Wake Up (A Little) Earlier

It’s a nice thought to tell yourself to wake up earlier the night before. You set your alarm and feel accomplished. You fall right to sleep. But when that alarm goes off an extra however-many-minutes early, reality sets in. Hello snooze button!

Next time, take baby steps. Set your alarm for 5 min earlier every day. Maybe even every other day if you’re struggling with that. Stick to it. There’s no reason to snooze your alarm for 5 min less sleep. In a month you’ll have trained your body to wake up when you want.

Be sure to adjust your bedtime as well. If you want to get up an hour earlier, don’t cut into your precious sleep time. A good night’s sleep is just as crucial a step as any for you to have a good morning. Try to adjust your bedtime in the same increments.

Preparation is Key

Prepping ahead of time can allow you to create grab and go meals so you don’t even have to think about cooking in the morning. It’s useful to have a few meals on hand for those unavoidable days when your morning gets away from you.

Some of my favorite make-ahead recipes are:

1. Make ahead breakfast sandwiches
2. To-go oatmeal
3. Potato and omelette breakfast bites

I’m hungry now…

The Most Important Meal of the Day

The importance of breakfast is frequently disputed amongst nutritionists. I personally believe that getting some nutrients in your body after a 10 hour fast is necessary if you want to function at your highest capacity.

My go to breakfast when I have time to cook is turkey bacon and eggs. I prefer turkey bacon because it’s less fatty, and that means less time to cook, as well as less mess. If I’m feeling fancy I’ll add a piece of avocado toast to the mix.

Grab A Glass Before the Mug

Coffee is the first thing on my mind when I wake up. Everything about it makes for a perfect start to the day. The taste, the caffeine, the warmth. I want it all…but not just yet.

I challenge you to grab a glass of water first. You’re guaranteed to be dehydrated in the morning, so topping it off with the cup of caffeine isn’t going to help.

For every cup of coffee, you’re supposed to add an extra cup of water to your daily 8 cups! Even better, throw some lemon juice in there to jumpstart your metabolism.

Now you can have your cup of happiness.

Move Your Body

I know, I know. You clicked on this title because you’re busy, and you don’t have time to exercise in the morning. I understand. If you’re like me and don’t want to wake up an hour earlier than you have to just to workout, then I have a compromise for you.

Sneak in some fitness to your morning routine by multitasking. This means doing squats the entire time you brush your teeth. Throw in some reverse lunges while you wait for your shower to heat up.

Even stretching helps! Anything that gets your blood pumping will help you wake up and improve your morning mentality.

Get Your Groove On

My favorite way to jumpstart my morning is listening to music. Depending on the day, I will vary what I listen to. (Some days you just need to belt out Disney songs in the car, ya know?) Most days I’ll turn on Spotify and pick from one of the “daily picks” genres that are curated every morning.

These are great because they shuffle your songs, as well as add a few similar songs you might like. You’ll be jamming out and finding new favorites in no time! It’s best to choose something uplifting and upbeat to get you ready for the day. You don’t want to play something that’s going to put you back to sleep!

Believe in Yourself!

Affirmations always sound so silly, especially when you say them out loud. While they may make you uncomfortable at first, there’s so much to gain from starting your day of with complete positivity.

We are bombarded by so much negativity in our current world. Social media, news, toxic people and environments all play a part in the chisel that chips away at our mental wellbeing. Sometimes these things are unavoidable, so instead of letting them bring you down, boost yourself up!

Start your morning by picking 3 affirmations that are meaningful to you. There are no right or wrongs, think of your biggest insecurities or irritations and smother them with happy thoughts. Check out this post from a fellow blogger if you need some affirmation ideas. I want you to be as enthusiastic as this little girl:

As you grow, you may find that you need to adapt your affirmations (and that’s a beautiful thing)! When that happens, it means you’ve won. Then rinse and repeat. I’ll link to some other websites that list affirmations if you need ideas. I encourage you to take the time to think and tailor them to you in order to get the best results.

Some additional ideas for self-love and happiness can be found in my previous post here.

Make the Most of Every Second

Finding ways to maximize your time is an absolute must for those of us with super busy schedules. The highly technical world we live in can greatly benefit your life if you utilize everything it has to offer. By this I mean using what would normally be wasted time and improving your mind.

Podcasts are a fantastic example of technology giving us the convenience of learning on-the-go. While you’re on your commute, be it driving or riding, listen to a podcast. There are thousands of them out there, I guarantee you will find something that appeals to your interests.

There are stories, true crime, comedy talk shows, even condensed versions of the news for that day!

The same goes for audiobooks. My commute to work is about 20 minutes. That’s a good chapter or two that I’d normally be missing out on. There are certain books that I prefer listening to rather than sitting down to read.

I have a hard time reading personal development books…as in the actual hardcopy. However, listening to them is much more rewarding. It feels like a personal pep talk! This is a perfect way to continue the high from your earlier affirmations.

Please share with a friend who needs a little pick-me-up in their morning, and comment down below, what’s one step in your morning routine you can’t live without?!