A good morning routine is the root cause of not just health, but of high performers and successful people alike. We’re sharing our favorite morning routine ideas that you can implement into your day-to-day life and get started in making these actions a part of your daily activities.

12 Morning Routine Ideas to Have an Excellent Day

Prioritize Sleep

In many cases, a successful morning routine starts the night before. In fact, in an interview with Thrive Global, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos states that he prioritizes getting eight hours of sleep each night. Poor sleep has also been linked to a reduction in cognitive ability, impaired decision making, as well as making you more susceptible to illness. Focusing on a quality sleep hygiene routine the night before will set you up for success in the morning.

Wake Up Early

A recent study shows that 90% of executives wake up before 6am. One reason to start the morning before the sun rises? Setting an early morning alarm helps to ensure that you are getting a jumpstart on the day before obligations—like that 8am meeting—arise. It is also an ideal time to center yourself for the day and enjoy a moment of distraction-free calm while everyone is still sleeping. While not everyone enjoys waking up early, try setting your alarm clock 30 minutes earlier as part of a good morning routine and see what differences it makes in your day.

Drink a Glass of Water

Did you know that your body is composed of 60% water? Water helps our bodies function at the highest level by helping with blood circulation, nutrient distribution, and waste removal. While the data is mixed about whether or not drinking water first thing in the morning has added health benefits, it has shown that dehydration is linked to reduced daily performance. If you are someone who struggles to drink enough water throughout the day, introducing this simple habit as part of a good morning routine can lead to lasting benefits all day long.

Consider Making The Bedroom A No “Phone Zone”

Reaching for your smartphone as soon as you wake up is something that you may be unconsciously doing. Not only that, but being on your phone immediately before bed has its disadvantages as well. Late-night scrolling is linked with decreased productivity the next day. One of the easiest daily success habits can be started the night before. By making the bedroom a phone-free zone, you allow yourself to decompress without harmful blue light, unnecessary distractions, and noisy notifications. Instead, spend this time reading a new book or spending time with your family, friends, or loved ones. In the morning, you’ll be less likely to immediately seek out your phone when it’s not within arm’s reach.

Gratitude Journal

Use the time that you would normally spend scrolling social media in bed to write in a gratitude journal. Commit to 15 minutes each morning to write three things that you are grateful for in your life—family, friends, your job, even a new plant. Creating successful habits starts with a positive mindset and by immediately starting your morning with gratitude, you can abruptly change the rest of your day as well.

Get In A Morning Workout

Another healthy morning routine to implement? Start your day with a workout. Starting the day with exercise has been shown to have a positive impact on focus, mood, and energy levels throughout the day. Working out in the morning also guarantees that you won’t be “too busy” in the afternoon or miss your workout due to an unexpected meeting request.

Try A Daily Stretch Routine

If the sound of working out in the morning makes you want to throw the covers back over your head, try adding in a morning stretch routine. These gentle movements and breathing exercises are simple ways to increase blood flow, allowing for greater flexibility in your body and a gradual way to warm up muscles for the day ahead. Many stretch apps also incorporate meditation or daily mantras to help start your day in a calm, yet focused, way.

Make Your Bed

This simple task isn’t just something that your mother reminded you to do! In a 2014 commencement speech at the University of Texas at Austin, Admiral William McRaven said, “If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter.”

Making your bed can have an effect on your mental health as well. By completing this simple task, you’re reducing the clutter in your room, which has been shown to have an impact on your wellness as well.

Plan for the Day

Another morning habit of successful people? They make sure to make planning their day part of their daily routine. This includes reviewing to-do lists, organizing tasks, scheduling work demands, all before the day truly begins. This organization ensures that you not only stay on track throughout the day, but you do not forget smaller tasks as you become busier. If possible, set aside time in the morning to dedicate to planning your day and see how it changes the way you operate!

Play Some Feel Good Music

If planning for the day is letting stress creep in, blast it away with a bit of feel good music. Listening to your favorite jams has been shown to have therapeutic effects. In fact, music may help to decrease anxiety and fatigue. Not only that, but listening to a happy song might cause you to burst out into a spontaneous personal dance party, giving you an endorphin boost to carry you through your morning.

Eat A healthy breakfast

Another good morning routine idea? Switch up your eating habits! Each night, as you sleep, your body fasts until you wake up. Starting the morning with a healthy breakfast ensures that you not only get in essential vitamins and nutrients, but you replenish your body’s blood sugar, which is usually the lowest upon waking.

Don’t have time for a large breakfast? Try one of our healthy breakfast ideas, including overnight oats.

Check your emails…Intentionally

We completely understand—a full inbox can be digitally overwhelming. However, a study from the University of British Columbia showed that people who checked their email just three times a day were significantly less stressed than those who constantly refreshed. Instead of letting your inbox control you, set aside a designated time to check email first thing in the morning.

Even if you don’t have time to address every email that you received, sorting the emails by importance will allow you to check off the most crucial responses first. Those that can wait? Add them to a designated folder that you can address at a time that you schedule. This way, each message is addressed without causing excess anxiety.