How to Create a Mindful Morning Routine

If you feel like you wake up each day feeling stressed and rushed in the morning, these tips for a mindful morning routine can help!

Find out how to incorporate a little mindfulness in the morning so that you can start your day calm and collected. 

If you’ve ever done any research into creating a strong morning routine, you’ve probably come across the concept of a mindful morning routine.

 

Maybe you’ve seen people recommending yoga or meditation upon waking or perhaps you’ve heard the common suggestion to save your social media time until the afternoon. 

But if you’re anything like me, adding mindfulness to your morning routine can feel a little overwhelming.

It often feels as if you need to be a practiced yogi or a spiritual monk to access this sort of zen so early upon rising. 

And what about your personal time constraints?

What about the kids running around the house making it impossible to sit in peace? 

Want to improve your morning routine? Try one of these morning mindfulness exercises. #mindfulness #morningroutine Click To Tweet

Is a mindful morning routine truly accessible to all lifestyles? 

Though your morning routine won’t look perfect, incorporating mindfulness in the morning is absolutely possible for anyone, no matter what lifestyle! 

I want to share with you 15 small ways that you can inject a little bit of mindfulness into your own unique morning routine. 

If you have the time, you can try them all. However, if you only have 60 seconds to yourself in the morning, just choose one that you think you can manage and try it out. 

Even the smallest mindfulness activities can make a giant difference in your day. 

What does it mean to have a mindful Morning routine? 

Mindfulness is all about being physically and mentally present in your day. 

A mindful morning routine enables you to be fully invested in the present rather than getting distracted by the past or the future. 

Though mindfulness sometimes involves activities such as meditation or journaling, a more significant part of mindfulness simply involves removing distractions and focusing fully on one thing at a time. 

For example, perhaps when you make breakfast on a normal day, you are also watching the news on the tv, checking up on your social media, and trying to communicate with your partner. 

In a mindful routine, you would make breakfast without these extra distractions so that you can focus fully on the task at hand. 

As Thích Nhất Hạnh would say…

Live the actual moment. Only this actual moment is life.

Why Should I Practice Mindfulness in the Morning?

There are two big reasons practicing mindfulness in the morning is ideal. 

1. Easier to Practice Mindfulness in the Morning. 

Think about it. 

Once your workday has started, there are so many possible distractions that could get in the way of your mindfulness practice. 

People could interrupt you, pressing tasks might come up, and you might be feeling more distracted as a whole. 

In contrast, the beginning of your day is much quieter, especially if you rise early. 

Spouses and children are often still sleeping. Work hasn’t started contacting you. Even your own brain and body are still barely functioning yet. 

Everything is calm and quiet- the perfect opportunity for a mindful activity! 

2. The Morning Sets the Mood for the Rest of the Day. 

When you have a rough and hectic morning, the rest of your day is more likely to also feel rough and hectic. 

Likewise, if your morning is calm and relaxed, you will be more likely to take some of that calm with you throughout your day. 

By adding a little mindfulness in the morning, you are encouraging your brain to continue to live mindfully throughout the rest of your day. 

How Can I Practice Mindfulness in the Morning? 

Okay, so maybe you feel convinced that this sort of morning routine might be a nice addition to your day? But, how exactly do you do it when life just feels so chaotic and busy? 

The good news is that you don’t need to have a lot of resources to add a little mindfulness to your own morning routine! 

There are a lot of activities you can do to encourage mindfulness that doesn’t involve money, skill, or even a lot of time.

Pick a few mindfulness ideas from the list below that you would like to try and add to your own morning routine. 

Once you find the one that works for you, experiencing a mindful morning routine is easy! 

Tip: Make sure you are giving yourself enough time in the morning to get ready for your day. 

Mindfulness is extremely hard to practice when you are constantly in a rush. 

So if you are only giving yourself a few minutes in the morning to get ready and run out the door, try waking up just a little earlier. This way you have more time to slowly get ready. 

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How to Create a Mindful Morning Routine – 15 Ideas To Try

1. Make your bed carefully

I know this might sound a little strange. 

How could making your bed in the morning be a mindful practice? 

If you make your bed by simply laying the blankets down and throwing the pillows haphazardly on the mattress, this is not going to be effective for you.

However, it is possible to take this simple daily activity and turn it into something mindful. 

Instead of rushing to make the bed, take your time. 

Make sure the sheets are nicely tucked and you’ve removed all the wrinkles from them.

Fluff the pillows and gently lay them in your preferred spot. 

Take time to care for what you own. You can even take a moment to encourage gratitude towards your bed for giving you a comfortable night’s rest. 

When this is the approach you take to making your bed in the morning, it magically turns into a mindfulness practice without any extra time or resources needed! 

2. Turn your shower time into a restorative routine

This is another activity that you are probably doing in the morning that can be turned into a mindful practice.

Instead of speeding through your routine, take a moment to really enjoy it. 

Notice the feeling of the water touching your skin and imagine all of the bad thoughts being washed away as you wash your body. 

Here are some other simple things you could do to turn your shower time into a meditative practice: 

• Light a candle
• Dim the lights
• Put some essential oil into the tub for nice scents
• Play calming music
• Use a cozy towel or robe after your shower is over

3. Meditate

This is probably the mindfulness activity you were most expecting and it certainly is a good one. 

Practicing meditation doesn’t have to take very long and there are lots of amazing free resources that you can use to get started. 

Check out this list of the top 10 guided meditations or this list of free mindfulness apps for a good place to start! 

Some people try meditating while they are still in bed while others like to wait until they are up and moving.

You can try your own styles and see what works for you! 

4. Practice Mindful Morning Yoga

In its own way, yoga is also a meditation of sorts but it’s additionally a great way to get your body awake and moving in the morning. 

When you are practicing yoga, it is especially mindful to focus on your breath. You can also pay attention to how each individual part of your body feels. 

They are great ways to center your focus on something simple and can bring you greater awareness of your own body. 

5. Sit and do nothing while you drink your first glass of water

This is another great activity that you can do if you have very little time available. 

When you drink your first glass of water in the morning, instead of chugging it down, take the time to just sit and sip it. 

Notice the sensation of the water as you sip and swallow. Take a moment to assess how your body feels when you drink a full glass. 

6. Enjoy a hot beverage

Drinking a hot beverage slowly and intentionally is a great way to centre your thoughts and practice mindfulness. 

In fact, even the act of preparing the drink can be a meditative process. 

I know plenty of people who really savour every moment of preparing their first cup of coffee in the morning.

Take the time to really focus your mind on the taste and the feeling of your favourite warm drink! 

7. Get outside

There’s something about being out in nature that is somehow able to instantly ground you and stop your mind from racing. 

If you’re able to, take the time to get outside for some fresh air and sunlight. 

Even if it’s just a step outside and one big breath in before going back inside, it is a great practice to add a bit of calm to your day. 

8: Do something generous 

I got this suggestion from a Monk’s morning routine and thought it was absolutely beautiful! 

 

He recommends practicing one small gesture of mindful generosity every morning to put your heart in a healthy place right away. 

There are so many simple ways that you can be generous right away in your day.

Here are some suggestions: 

• Send a kind message to a loved one
• Donate one dollar to your local temple
• Make a coffee for your partner or housemate
• Give a hug or a compliment
• Pack a small treat to share with a coworker

9. Take time for a spiritual practice

A spiritual morning routine will look different for everyone as our spiritual practices belong uniquely to oneself. 

However, whatever you use to develop your spirit can be a great way to practice mindfulness in the morning. 

Take the time to focus on your spiritual health in whatever way works best for you! 

10. Write in a journal

One amazing way to become more aware of yourself and your surroundings is to journal about it. 

Don’t worry about making your writing look beautiful or sound coherent. Just write what you’re thinking without needing to edit your thoughts. 

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Start your morning routine off with my Self Love Journal –  Love Yourself First Daily Guided Journal

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11. Try a ‘5 Senses’ activity

This mindfulness activity is great for people who want to meditate but don’t traditionally do well with the original style of meditation. 

For this activity, you simply take a moment to try to notice all five of your senses. 

Ask yourself these five questions and focus on the answer: 

What do I…

• See right now? 
• Smell right now? 
• Hear right now? 
• Taste right now? 
• Feel right now? 

By focusing on the senses, you are slowing down your thoughts and inviting awareness into your day. 

Tip: For inspiration check out this article on the Simple Pleasures in Life – broken down by our 5 senses.

12. Eat without distractions

This is a great activity to add to your mindful morning routine if you feel like you don’t have enough time as this doesn’t take any extra time. 

When you eat your breakfast in the morning, don’t take any distractions with you. 

Don’t use your phone, don’t watch tv, and don’t read a book. 

Simply eat and enjoy your meal. (I bet it will even taste better too!)

13. Do a simple chore around the house

Much like making the bed, this activity is not about the activity itself but about the way you do that activity. 

Choose something in your house that you want to pay attention to and take about 5 minutes to focus on caring for that one thing. 

By taking the time to intensely focus on one caring task, you are inviting mindfulness into your day. 

Here are some simple Mindfulness Ideas when it comes to Chores: 

• Water the plants
• Feed or brush your pet
• Clean and polish your toaster
• Wipe away smudges from one mirror or window
• Polish a pair of shoes
• Dust a bookshelf

14. Give yourself a massage

This activity may sound a little extravagant but it’s actually deceivingly easy to do even on the busiest days. 

Take a moment in your morning to focus on one area of your body and give it a quick massage. 

Personally, I feel like giving a quick massage to the feet is the best way to start the day but other people have different preferences. 

If you have more time, you could do an oil massage or try dry brushing. 

There are lots of nice ways to give your body some attention in the morning and focusing on one simple task like this is a great practice in mindfulness. 

15. Put away your screens

Okay, technically, this isn’t really an activity but a habit. However, it’s an important thing to consider if you want to have a mindful morning routine. 

Mindfulness can be especially hard to practice if you are constantly connected to the outside world. 

So, if you can, try to ignore your work emails and social media accounts for the time being and save those things for later in the day. 

If you absolutely can’t go without them, then consider doing one mindful activity before taking out your screens. It really will make a big difference. 

Want to start your morning with mindfulness? Try one of these 15 mindfulness morning ideas and share what you love best. #mindfulness #morningroutine Click To Tweet

What mindful activities feel right to you? 

Every person is going to have different preferences and needs, so it might take some time for you to find the right activity. 

Experiment with a few of these mindfulness activities and see how you feel! 

You might hate some and love others and that’s okay! 

There is no perfect formula for a mindful or spiritual morning routine so you can have fun creating your own unique mix. 

What mindful morning routine ideas will you try?

Share in the comments below! 

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About Genesis:

Genesis, the writer behind In Its Season is a former elementary teacher and an avid writer. She has always been passionate about discovering new routines and habits for her life, and now she spends her time sharing those discoveries with others so that they can live a simpler life that is built for their unique needs. She believes that we all have the power to live an authentic, healthy life that never feels like a ‘daily grind’. Her articles are full of habits and routines that can help improve your physical and mental well-being. You can also connect with Genesis on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

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Related Mindfulness Articles:

• How To Practice Mindfulness: 14 Techniques
• 5 Fun Mindfulness Exercises for a Happy Life
• 5 Types of Journaling for Mental Health Support
• Today I Choose Joy: Mood Tracking for Women