Looking to start a morning routine? Here are five simple tips to get your morning started off on the right foot.
A long time ago in a land far away….
…I used to sleep until noon.
Until.
Until I had a job.
And children.
And dogs and cats and assorted individuals who depended on me to get out of bed and put my feet on the floor and drink loads of coffee to wipe the bleariness from my eyes and face each day earlier than I ever imagined possible. Understandably, it took me a while to adjust. It took me a while to figure out that the sun was my friend and that chirping birds were just nature’s way of telling you that the day had started and that hitting the snooze button could be a little overrated.
To say I’m not really a morning person is the understatement of the century, but I truly want 2026 to be different.
This year I decided I needed a morning routine to start my day off on the right foot. Truth?
I’m more productive than I have ever been before.
Now just between us, I’m only a couple of days in so I don’t want to get overconfident yet, but if this is what getting your mornings on right looks like, then I’m all about it.
So in honor of celebrating a brand new year, here’s my morning routine (including the one thing I do that’s changed my entire day) and my five best tips to get the most out of all those hours I never knew existed before noon.
Five Things I’ve Learned to Make Mornings Easier
1. Start your morning routine by getting out of bed
I know this is the most Captain Obvious suggestion you’ve ever heard of.
But it’s true.
You have to make the commitment to get up out of the bed and stop hitting the snooze alarm and smell the coffee pot that you’ve set on a timer the night before and put your feet on the floor and not snuggle back under the covers.
And here’s my best tip to accomplish step number 1. As soon as you get out of the bed…
….make it.
It accomplishes two things (three if you count teaching yourself how to coordinate your arms and legs together before 7:00 am). First, making your bed prevents you from climbing back in it and secondly it helps get your room ready for the morning, too.
2. Do the same things in the same order
When I was researching morning routines they all had one thing in common.
Consistency.
Getting out of bed is tough enough without having to make decisions, too. If you have a routine in place, then you don’t have to DECIDE ANYTHING (especially at a time when you aren’t really at the top of your game). So decide what you want to accomplish in the morning, make a list and every morning do the list on repeat.
At the end of the post, you can see exactly what I’ve been doing every morning and what works for me right now.
I’m not sure exactly why this works, but it does. I think when you have a routine, you are telling your brain that it’s go-time and there’s no going back and crawling back under the covers (which you can’t do anyway because the bed is already made).
3. Don’t get on your phone
So your bed is made and you are tackling your list and you’ve stumbled into the kitchen to the smell of coffee and suddenly you hear a Facebook beep from your phone.
And you want to reach for it.
Don’t.
That phone can TOTALLY draw you offsides.
If you reach for Facebook it might turn into Instagram which might turn into e-mail or messages or Snapchat or Tumbler and before you know it Good Morning America isn’t playing on the television anymore and the View is on.
Sigh.
And the morning is halfway over.
Kittens playing the piano and dogs riding skateboards and people singing or laughing or graduating from high school or dancing to songs about Applebees can wait.
I established a rule for myself that I don’t get on social media or my phone until I’ve finished my list and I’ve eaten breakfast. It’s what works for me. You can find your own time that works for you, but give yourself time to adjust to the morning first before you start looking at that little screen.
4. Make sure to drink water
The ONE thing that changed my entire morning?
A glass of water.
I know it sounds so simple. I know it sounds so basic. BUT IT IS A GAME-CHANGER.
When we wake up we are dehydrated.
And then?
We reach for coffee which can be a slight diuretic.
Before you drink that coffee?
Drink water.
It’s an easy addition to a morning routine. I started doing this at the beginning of my weight loss journey and it really works. I drink a glass of water before I have that first cup of coffee and it wakes me up and fills me up and starts my day off right.
5. Move your body
I added stretching to my morning routine.
Nothing fancy.
I just found some 10-minute stretching videos on Youtube and I play them on the television. I’ve been trying different instructors and I found one that I really liked.
It’s WAY TOO EARLY to actually exercise for me. But stretching? It makes my toes wiggle and my stomach feel flatter and my arms feel like they want to take on the day. It’s also helped improve my posture and makes me feel taller, too.
And now?
Here’s my morning routine (I put it into a Google doc so I’d remember it):
7:15: wake up and drink a glass of water and make bed
7:20: wash my face (with my skincare routine)/brush my teeth/floss/apply moisturizer/add undereye patches to decrease swelling
7:30: stretch with a stretching video for 10 minutes
7:45: morning devotion and quiet time for 10 minutes/drink coffee
7:55: eat breakfast
8:05: get dressed and put on make-up
8:15: take on the DAY
A couple of quick notes:
- I take a bath/shower at night so I already have that out of the way in the morning.
- I also only wash my hair once a week (SO MUCH better for your hair). Then I curl it and I don’t really have to re-curl it for the rest of the week—just brush and go.
- This year I’m also trying to lay out my outfit the night before (this is kind of new, so I need to work more on this).
- The thing that has made the biggest difference for me is that I’ve embraced the routine. I love it. I relish it. I enjoy it.
- When I’m stretching, I’m telling my arms and my legs how beautiful they are.
- When I’m putting on lotion, I’m taking my time and pretending I’m in a romance movie.
- That’s the key. Enjoy your routine. It’s for you. Let it prepare you for the day.
- Be kind to yourself. Give yourself grace. There’s only one you and you are AMAZING.
- My routine is only one hour from beginning to end and I’m ready for the day.
TOTALLY LIFE-CHANGING.
Someone wise once said that the first hour of the day can set the tone for an entire day of productivity.
It is so true.
And having that morning routine is the key.
It takes the thought and decision-making out of the morning—kind of like laying out a super cute outfit for the day so you don’t have to think about what you are going to wear.
I don’t need to think about what I’m doing the first hour of the day, because it’s already all planned out for me.
And when I’m done?
I’m ready for the day.
Watch out world….
…..here I come. 🙂
Here are a few of the things that help me in the morning:
- my favorite yoga instructor is Kassandra—you can see the videos here
- Emily Ley has the prettiest planners to keep you organized
- this is such a powerful reminder for daily quiet time (I’ve met this author before and she’s amazing)
- the best book for outfit planning (I’ve met the author before and she’s so lovely)
- here’s a link to my favorite drugstore make-up
PS What do you do first thing in the morning? Do you have a morning routine? I’d love to hear any ideas and suggestions.
Good morning- I had a wonderful aunt (glamorous to me-being a farm girl; she lived in town and had her own 'beauty shop). When I was about 14 or 15 she told me to start my day the same way everyday. This would have been back in the 1960s! Get up. Make your bed. Wash your face.Brush your teeth. Brush your hair. Slap on some lipstick. Get dressed. She said that no matter how bad the day would get you could look in the mirror and not feel bad about the way you looked and when the day (if it was a bad one) was over you could crawl into a neatly made bed and your world was righted. I have done this for 50 years now~. xo Diana
I love it all! I could use the stretches if you’d share the info! Sounds the a perfect simple morning routine! And I hope we’re going to hear all about the cruise- what you wore, where you went, what you ate, name of ship… the whole thing! You know we love “ all things KariAnne”!! And you look wonderful- haven’t heard much about your “ getting healthy” journey but wowww! You look like one of the twins! The “ third twin”😁😁! Give us “ all the tea” as they say, whoever “ they” is! Thanks for caring about all of us and making time in your day’s routine for us! We’re all so much better thanks to you!
Oh what a great post! Thank you for sharing your new morning routine!!! Can you share your stretching video? Welllll I might need to work a little harder on mine. lol. Mine is a little disjointed. 🤪 We have 2 spaniels and they are ready to start their day at 5:30/6 am. Not us!!! Go back to sleep. It’s dark outside. BUT at 6:45 we are up and the dogs go to the dog park with hubby and I get their breakfast ready and warmed up. Then I make my coffee and tiptoe back into the bedroom, hop into bed with that coffee and watch the news for an hour or so. Notice the words “or so”. Ooops. Booooo! But when my feet hit the ground I am rocking and rolling through my day. Right now I’m crazy about organizing and donating to charity. ❤️
Love your routine Similar to mine BUT I need to eliminate phone time and move it to another part of the day because it does take you down the rabbit hole. First thing I do when I get up…weigh myself. This helps me keep my weight at an acceptable and consistent “poundage.” The scale does not lie; it tells me when I have eaten too much the day before; then I can make appropriate adjustments.
Hi Kari Anne. My routine very similar to yours. It starts my day right. I always shower at night and have a glass of water on my nightstand. I do my stretches while still in bed. My clothes are already planned tne night before including undies and jewelry. It’s great to have a routine. Can’t wait to hear about the cruise
I can relate to your reference to Good Morning America and The View. As I write this I am back under the covers, drinking coffee and watching GMA. Oops! I am not as productive on these cold winter mornings as I probably should be, but now that I'm retired I've relaxed a bit. I definitely agree that a morning routine is necessary, because it's so much easier to not have to think and make decisions so early in the day.
I just recently started following you, and you are so cute and fun! I'm retired but I still plan my week and have daily "to-do's." My #1 is making my bed, but my hubby (also retired) usually does that...he needs more sleep than I do, so he makes the bed when he gets up! I think it's really important to have a routine and plans for each day, especially if you are retired. It would be way too easy to just float through your day, getting nothing done because you feel like you have all the time in the world. I do try to keep my routine flexible, because at my age "surprises" pop up...for instance, I had surgery on New Year's Day! Oh, btw, if you have big plans for your "Golden Years," they aren't necessarily all that "golden," so make the most of each day now.
Carol- hope you’re recovering from your unexpected surgery! Life is full of surprises! I love your comment about the “ golden years”- I’m retired too, we’re having fun traveling often, we love cruises, but those golden years get a little tarnished at times, so we keep going till we can’t! I always say we’re gonna go till we run out of time or run out of money! Heal quickly- so you can get back to enjoying retirement!
My golden days seem more like rusty tin than gold. Lil.
Perfect! Very similar to my routine too except, as I teacher, my day starts about 5 am. Love the quote about the “first hour of the day.” Great reminder. Big hugs from Paducah, sweet friend. 😊
Hi KariAnne Well unfortunately, I do not get to control my morning routine. I have 3 little 5, 6 and 8 pound pups they have control. Our morning begins at 3a.m. that's right, they get me up at 3 in the morning. So them going to the bathroom is #1. Then they allow me to go. But after that, it's puppy breakfast time. I eventually get to do my stuff but the 1st few hours is pups, then relax with coffee. But I hope your routine works for you. Hope you had a fun cruise. Your weight loss is looking great. Are you doing weight watchers? Have a great day.
Happy 2025, KariAnne! You look as beautiful on the outside as your heart is on the inside! Thank you for sharing yourself in all it's beauty!
Love all your ideas especially the phone time!! So true! You look amazing!! I love your jeans if you can share. Happy New Year!
Getting up early is not a problem for me at all. However, the phone is!!! Thanks for the encouragement to leave it alone for a while! I’ll have to start that tomorrow!😊
What a great way to start off the New Year! I have been admittedly in a bit of a slump and reading this helped me to restart my thought process on how I want this year to be better. I recently launched my own business after having been retired for just over 3 years. Winter is a bit of a slow time, so it's so easy to slack off. I am most definitely NOT a morning person, BUT I do get out of bed and make it right away and never crawl back in. After I retired I told myself that I was never going to set an alarm clock again, and I have been living that dream (except for important appointments, of course). I need a little motivation in the morning. I don't drink coffee (never have), only one cup of tea, then water for the rest of the day. I have been watching my weight (go up) and need to get back on track. I would love for you to share your stretching routine as I detest exercising - it's just not for me. You are looking fabulous and that smile of yours lights up the room. Can't wait to hear about your cruise destinations and excursions, as I love cruising and am hoping to plan another one very soon.
Great tips for starting your day! What do you call that double-tiered mug set & where to find~~love it!
Ok, I have got to give a morning routine a good college try! You look fantastic! I just love your beautiful smile. While you are much younger than I am, I believe looking and feeling good can be achieved at any age. Thank you so much for your tips. Have a wonderful day!
Excellent advise! Guilty of picking up the phone first thing in the morning! It is such a distraction! Please share which YouTube exercise instructor you are following! Thank you for your morning instructions! Now to execute! Lol!
I have almost the same routine, I need do stretches in the morning. I never watch tv till later in the day. I am retired so I don't get up until 7:30. I'm 76 and my doctor says I'm doing good, when it's nice outside I love to walk. Glad your back, pray you had a restful exciting time.
How do you curl your hair that it lasts all week and looks so good? That would be wonderful to know.
I wish I could get some sleep. As someone who has fibromyalgia and has a hard time sleeping, I do not remember the last time I slept soundly through the night. Thank you for your suggestions. I hope that 2025 is a wonderful year for you and yours.
Can you provide a link for the stretching exercises you like? You're looking great!
Sounds just like my morning routine! Glad to know I’m on the right track❤️
Welcome back. My biggest advice is to prep what you can the night before. This is especially important if you work outside of your home. Lay out clothes, make your lunch, fill your hot water kettle with water and have your travel mug and teabag nearby, have your shoes and boots, keys and work badge by the door, or whatever else you need to get smoothly out. If you have small children, make sure lunches and backpacks are ready to go, invest in one of those hanging daily clothes organizers with their clothing set out ( this only works if you have set the expectation that they will actually wear what has been set out--best to enforce this when they are small and they will be more consistent as they get older and see the value of organized prep work). My brain isn't sharp in the morning, so eliminating potential chaos is important.
Kari this is such a timely article for me! I'm really, really wanting to establish routines and planning into my life. I used to have more of this by necessity - because it was tied to my work schedule and then to my families schedules. Since becoming an empty nester where for the first time in my life I have all the time of the day to do whatever I want, I can't seem to mange my time 🤷♀️ By nature I'm a fly be the seat of my pants kinda girl. I like the ability to be spontaneous so I don't miss out on the serendipitous moments in life. I also have ADD and get so distracted by every little shiny thing 🫤 To achieve my goals and live my potential I've realized I NEED routines and to establish self imposed schedules so I can be more focused! Your tips are very helpful, thanks for sharing!
GREAT post, KA. And a good thing to change in this new of new years! I also wanted to say that first pic of you looking out the window is so beautiful. Hope you had a great cruise. Can't wait to hear all about it (hopefully.)
You look absolutely gorgeous, can really tell you've lost a lot of weight! ❤️
Thanks for the great advice. You look amazing! I am willing to try this out and I look forward to your emails every day.
Thanks for the video of the stretching moves. And the couch photo was great! You look wonderful - but you always do.
I make my bed at the end of my morning routine to give it a chance to air out. It’s actually proven to be healthier. Just give it 30 minutes 😊
I have done what Deb wrote for years and tell everyone, even my doctors because it works so well. I wake up, wiggle my fingers and drink water kept in a bottle next to bed then go the bathroom and then step on a digital scale kept right there. Everyday I see the number goes up or down and don’t skip a day, because what you eat “the day before shows up on the scale in the morning” so you can immediately catch your self and eat a little less and it’s black and white. It takes emotions out of the way. And weight can’t sneak up. I add powdered collagen to yogurt to help with any cold morning stiffness.
Love this post and I’m saving it! I’m working on small steps to get myself moving better in the morning.
I second whomever said you look like one of your girls! I thought it was one of the twins in the sofa! I am not a morning person, so my current “routine” has been rolling out of bed at 8:25, brushing my teeth, popping my pills, and running for my computer by 8:30 - Husband-dearest had my coffee ready to go. It is not a “winner” and my entire office knows not to disturb me for at least an hour. I will try to implement your routine. It sounds (eeee gads) healthy, and I need to take better care of myself. BTW, I only wash my hair once per week (for years) and I get stopped by strangers about my hair. When you do wash it, wash just the scalp with mild shampoo.
I pick out my whole weeks worth of clothes and accessories on Sunday afternoon after listening to the weather forecast. I ick out five outfits, along with scarves, jewelry, and any jackets and hang those in the closet. I then just have to reach for a hanger. I can't make decisions like choosing clothes and accessories when I'm half asleep. I never change the outfits, even if the weather changes.
I started and it works! I am off to a rocky start - but the simple act of getting up a little early and taking a couple of minutes for self-care really made a difference this morning! I am going to even add a 1/2 hour me-time nighttime routine into my rotation. (I went for hot lemon water at my desk before coffee - and a face wash/moisturizer/eye cream and liner) I’ll have to work my way up to a full glow-up. At least I stretched and got dressed - even though my clothes don’t match. (It’s pre-coffee. I need to pick them out at night!) I’m still evolving as a morning person.
My "morning " is 2-3 in the afternoon. Working nights I'm ready for bed when everyone else is up and starting their day. My routine is get up ,restroom,coffee,family to work( one car),afternoon feedings of animals then I get my coffee and " breakfast ".