Take ownership and design your own health journey by experimenting and tapping into what truly makes a difference for you, rather than blindly following others’ advice.
Design health routines, including morning routines, to be unique and personal to yourself, rather than strictly following didactic advice, because everyone has different paces of life, responsibilities, and beliefs.
Use others’ routines and advice as inspiration and ideas, but ultimately empower yourself to choose elements that fit your life context and personal preferences.
When beginning a morning routine, consistently perform the same specific activities every day until the habit is locked in, as this prevents procrastination and doubts that arise from having to decide what to do.
Even a short morning routine, such as five minutes, can be very powerful and beneficial, especially for busy individuals.
Consider structuring your morning routine around the ‘Three Ms’: Mindfulness, Movement, and Mindset, as a useful framework for thinking about and building your routine.
Design a five-minute morning routine using the 3M framework, for example, one minute of 3-4-5 breathing (in for 3, hold for 4, out for 5), two minutes of favorite yoga moves, and two minutes of affirmations, especially if you are a busy individual.
Refrain from checking Twitter, news, or social media first thing in the morning, as these sources often contain negative and anxiety-inducing content that can negatively impact your mindset for the day.
Intentionally feed only positive, compassionate, and kind messaging into your brain and mind first thing in the morning to set yourself up for a calm and peaceful day.
Prioritize showing up and consistently doing your mindfulness practice every day, as this regular engagement is what provides the benefits, regardless of how deep the state of calm achieved on any given day.
Approach meditation not by trying to control or actively quiet your mind, but by making friends and peace with your mind, accepting thoughts as they come and go.
Practice training your attention by focusing on your breath for a few minutes, noticing when your mind wanders and gently bringing it back, as this process helps develop mindfulness.
For about five minutes, practice breathing in quietly through your nose for approximately five seconds, aiming for six breaths per minute (10 seconds per breath cycle), to intentionally slow down your breath, feel calm, and be present.
Engage in box breathing by inhaling for four seconds, holding for four, exhaling for four, and holding for four, repeating this cycle to bring yourself into the present moment and promote mindfulness.
Perform one minute of 3-4-5 breathing, where you breathe in for three seconds, hold for four seconds, and breathe out for five seconds, to help with mindfulness and stress reduction.
Incorporate meditation into your routine, either using an app like Calm for guidance or practicing by yourself, to cultivate mindfulness and present moment awareness.
Incorporate about five minutes of intentional breathwork followed by approximately 10 minutes of meditation into your morning routine for a comprehensive mindfulness practice.
If using a meditation app or phone for morning routines, put your phone on airplane mode to maintain peace and calm, preventing distractions from emails or social media.
Integrate short bursts of movement into existing daily routines, such as doing a workout for four to five minutes while coffee is brewing, to make exercise a regular and easy habit.
Place exercise equipment like a kettlebell or dumbbell in a visible location, such as the kitchen, to create visual triggers that encourage you to pick them up and incorporate movement.
Engage in a five-minute bodyweight circuit workout, including exercises like press-ups, tricep dips, squats, lunges, and calf raises, as it requires no equipment, changing, or purchases, making it very easy to do regularly.
Aim for a morning movement session that is relatively short, around five to ten minutes, to make it manageable and sustainable.
Take advantage of small pockets of time, like when a second cup of coffee is brewing, to perform quick exercises such as kettlebell swings, to add more movement throughout the day.
Engage in reading an uplifting book in the morning, perhaps with a hot coffee and a lamp on, to foster a positive frame of mind.
Practice affirmations, either alone or with children, by repeating positive phrases like ‘I’m happy, I’m calm, I’m stress-free’ for about two minutes, to cultivate a positive mindset.
Incorporate journaling into your morning routine, perhaps before reading, to write down and process things on your mind, worries, stresses, anxieties, or to clarify thoughts.