I have wanted to write about morning and evening routines for a long time because I absolutely love the idea. But when I figure out what I want my daily routine to look like, reality comes into play, and the routines often don’t happen. So instead, I decided to write about daily routine ideas.
The same thing every morning and night may not feel right every day. The ups and downs and the range of emotions we have need flexibility.
The goal of having a morning and evening routine is to center yourself and prepare yourself for what’s next. They can keep you organized and help you accomplish your goals.
While I think it’s important to have routines, I’m not the kind of person who can do the same thing every day. My mind doesn’t work that way. I need some structure, like waking up and going to bed at roughly the same time, but I change my mind so much about what feels good in the moment.
Sometimes I get up and get the urge to do some cleaning first, sometimes, I want to check for a message, and sometimes I actually do a little meditation.
But what has to happen every day for me is time to think about my day before I leave the house.
Sometimes that means I have to get up earlier, and if I don’t, my whole day is a little off. I feel like I’m going through my day in a fog with no purpose.
Go to my Resources Page for a PDF of the options plus journal prompts to find your own routines. Sign up for the password.
Generally, this is what my morning routine looks like.
Wake up, wash my face, brush my teeth, make coffee, and while that is brewing, I will do a little laundry or tidy up the kitchen. Then I take my coffee to my office, and ideally, I start writing in my daily journal. That all happens before I pick up my phone to check messages or emails.
In my morning journal practice, I like to write down what’s on my mind, write down my daily affirmations and think about my intention for the day. How do I want to feel about what is on my agenda? Productive, happy, grateful, relieved, creative, etc. On Mondays, I choose two Oracle cards from one of my decks and write down the message. That message guides my week, and I look at those cards every morning.
What do you do?
I wrote about the book The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod last month, and he advocates 5 things you should do every morning starting at 5 am. He says, “How you wake up each day and your morning routine (or lack thereof) dramatically affects your levels of success in every single area of your life.” I agree with that, but what you actually do will depend on what makes you feel good.
Here are some daily routine ideas. Pick a few that feel good and start creating a morning that starts you off with a clear focus and direction.
Morning Routine Ideas
- Drink a glass of water with lemon
- Eat a healthy breakfast
- Make your bed
- Enjoy some comfort – coffee, snuggle
- Read
- Meditate
- Journal
- Take a walk/run – if we expose ourselves to daylight first thing in the morning, it lets our brain know that it is time to focus, concentrate and start the day.
- Yoga
- Set an intention
- Review your goals
- Gentle stretching
- Make a to do list
- Listen to a podcast or watch a Ted Talk
- Do something creative; color, paint, knit, or write
- Answer a journal prompt.
OK, moving on to the evening.
This is where I really struggle. It is easy for me to sit on the couch and watch TV with my husband while I scroll through social media or read a book.
I do not give myself much of a transition period from the electronics’ blue light and closing my eyes for sleep.
Generally, this is what I want my evening routine to look like.
My goal is to start getting ready for bed around 9:30 pm by going upstairs, washing my face, brushing my teeth, writing my gratitude, reading until I get sleepy, and finally saying my prayers.
An evening routine should calm your mind and your body down so that you can fall asleep easier and faster and stay asleep for a good 7-8 hours.
Related Post: How to Sleep Better and Faster Naturally
Evening routines can also set you up for a more productive morning. If you work a 9-5 job, your evening routine might start right when you get home from work. Your routine could include making dinner, picking up the house, getting the kids ready for the next day, doing personal tasks like paying bills or writing letters, or watching TV.
Again, your evenings could look different every day, so pick some daily routine ideas that feel good and set you up for a good night’s sleep.
Evening Routine Ideas
- Read
- Write out your gratitude for the day
- Take a bath
- Wash your face
- Spend some time with your spouse
- Drink herbal tea
- Stretch
- Meditate, say thank you for the day
- Write down anything stressing you out about tomorrow
- Set an intention for tomorrow
- Charge your phone in the kitchen or somewhere away from your bedroom
- Do some light housework
- Turn off all blue light electronics (computers, phones, tablets, etc.) at least one hour before bed
- Set out your clothes for the next day
- Plan your food for the next day
- Do some stretching
Putting some intentional thought into how you want to spend your day can prevent stress, burnout, and irritability. It keeps you focused and more productive.
Using these daily routine ideas and maintaining some structure will lead you to make the most of this life and living marvelously a little faster.
Don’t forget to go to my Resources Page for a PDF of the ideas plus journal prompts to find your own routines. Sign up for the password. You will find it under Personal Development.
“If you want to change your life, start by changing your day.” Natalie Bacon
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