How do you feel when you wake up in the morning?
Do you jump out of bed hollering, “whoop-whoop, let’s go—I’m ready for the day!”
… or do you notice a sense of slow, creeping dread?
- What’s coming my way?
- How am I going to get through today without eating all the cr*p?
- Here we go again … (oh no)
Perhaps waking up feeling anxious leads you to reach for your phone—the news, social media—a momentary distraction for sure …
But does it ever feel better? Heck no! At least, never ever for me.
Even during those times you’re lying in bed, eyes determinedly squeezed shut to hold onto the last remnants of dreamy unconsciousness for just a few more seconds …
… there is a trick that’ll flip your brain over to positivity, possibility and progress.
That trick is creating a short and sweet morning routine.
Find just two or three simple actions that suit you will start your day on an entirely different footing.
Wouldn’t it be incredible to feel more optimistic, focused, inspired, accomplished and confident? To feel more authentically YOU on the regular.
That reframe can make all the difference to what you put into your mouth as the day unfolds.
You’re likely to have heard about morning routines from all sorts of sources.
The following steps will show you how to create a morning that supports and feels good to you.
And, if you’re interested, at the end, I’ll share my morning routine. It’s so simple yet has been truly transformative for me.
Turns out, I’m so much nicer to my husband and kiddos now that if I try to miss a day they send me right back upstairs to get it done!
How to create your morning routine
Step 1: If you could wave a magic wand, how would you like to start your day?
Brainstorm short habits or routines that you know would make you feel better.
Here are a few starter-ideas that will always move you in the right direction!
- Get up when the alarm goes off rather than hitting snooze
- Drink a glass of water
- Get clean and fresh
- Stretch or move your body—even for 30 seconds
- Think of 3 things you’re grateful for
- Identify your top goal or intention for the day and choose one small action that will move toward it
- Scribble in a journal for 5 minutes to get those thoughts out of your head and onto paper
- Look into your own eyes in the mirror and smile
- Get some daylight on your face
- Note down the food you’ll eat today and at what time
- Plan your top priority for the day
For many more ideas to help you find small habits that’ll work for you and are likely to have a profound impact, click here to download your FREE Starter Guide, The First Key Step to Stop Binge Eating (for good this time).
Step 2: Choose 2 or 3 actions and plan to do them first thing tomorrow morning.
Nothing too flash or over-ambitious. Just a couple of simple actions to experiment with.
Just 30 seconds is enough!
Step 3: When tomorrow morning rolls around, make those 2 or 3 actions the first thing you do.
If you can, before you check your phone for anything other than to turn the alarm off!
Step 4: Notice how you feel on the days when you follow your short morning routine compared with the days you don’t.
No pressure, just a quick check-in to see if there’s any kind of difference to how you feel and how your day rolls out.
The value of small habits in getting you set up for the day is often underestimated yet turns out to be surprisingly powerful.
As for my 3-minute morning routine … well, this is it right now:
- Take a hot shower—ending with 2 minutes of cold [120 seconds]
(I was convinced to give it a dubious try after listening to Dr Susanna Søberg talk about the benefits of cold water on mood, immunity and energy … and now it’s become a must!) - Drink a glass of water with my vitamins [10 seconds]
- Complete 15 tricep dips [45 seconds]
(sometimes, that’s enough to make me want to add in a few squats, wall press-ups—yes, I’m very weak!—and the plank … but the tricep dips are all I aim for) - Cuddle the cat [5 seconds …. ok, usually a few more 😻]
I can honestly say, it feels soooooooo good when I do it and kinda ok-but-a-bit-meh when I don’t.
What small action might you take every day that would leave you feeling great?
In Summary
Starting your day with a short routine that’s so simple you barely need to think about it can drastically alter the course of the next few hours.
A supportive morning routine can set a positive tone for your day and send your brain off on the hunt for more.
It’s a super-effective way to diffuse anxiety.
And, as so much overeating or bingeing is driven by feelings, it can change the course of your eating too.
If it feels right for you, why not give it a go for a week? Just to see what happens.