7 Ideas to Add to Your Morning Routine

Dress: Love of My Life Dress, more colors here and here (I just ordered it in black too!) | Shoes: Royale Sneaker, also comes in white and black, and available here too! | Necklaces: Gold Necklace (similar) & ‘O’ Initial Necklace, also love this one

Today’s post is written by contributor Chelsea Becker, a San Diego native, living and writing in San Francisco. Follow her on Instagram & Pinterest.

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve loved routines. Whether it was taking a bubble bath and then braiding my hair before bed (I was all about self-love, even as a 10-year-old), or reading the sports section of the newspaper while eating cereal before high school, routines have always made me feel happy. So with the surge of healthy morning and evening routines in the wellness world, I’m obviously game!

Routines—especially to start or end the day—have shown to decrease stress, improve happiness, and overall, contribute to a healthier life—and once you get in the habit, they really do make a difference. Plus, the beauty is, routines can look totally different from one person to the next, depending on what feels best for you. Or what your body/mind/soul is needing more of.

So, if you’re just as into routines as I am or are the total opposite and are possibly craving one, here are 7 things to think about adding to your morning routine. Set your alarm for 20-30 minutes earlier (it’s worth it!), and try one of these practices—then let me know what you like best!

Read

If you’re someone who falls asleep as soon as you crawl into bed, reading probably isn’t an option for you at night. But if you enjoy reading and wish you could get more of it, try reading first thing in the morning. Keep your book on your nightstand, and log a chapter (or set of pages) before getting out of your PJs.

Go for a Walk

I won’t even write ‘exercise’ because I know it’s a turnoff for some people first thing in the a.m., but a brisk walk is doable, right? Grab your headphones, or leave the phone at home and tune into nature if this is your only chance for silence, and hit the streets for 15 minutes. It’ll not only wake you up, but being outside is a natural happiness boost.

Drink Hot Lemon Water

Anyone looking for better skin, digestion, or energy levels, hot lemon water might be for you! Especially if you aren’t a fan of caffeine. It’s one of the most relaxing and easy morning routines, plus it tastes delicious. Simply heat up lemon water and then drink it (p.s. best on an empty stomach). Enjoy the peaceful moments to yourself.

Spring Dresses

Set Intentions

It wasn’t until I got this book as a gift that I started thinking about intentions for the day, but now it’s one of my favorite a.m. practices. We all tend to go through the day on auto-pilot, without setting goals or an intention for the day—which is kind of crazy when you think about it. If you’re feeling lost or want more direction to your day, try listing out a couple intentions after you wake. Maybe it’s “slow down” or “spread kindness”; they don’t have to be grand. But it’ll be something to come back and think about throughout the day!

Savor Coffee

There’s something to be said about brewing a fresh cup of coffee vs. running to Starbucks during your morning rush. I love nothing more than brewing a pipping hot cup of Joe, then adding in a scoop of Vital Proteins Collagen Creamer instead of cream or milk. I call it my “healthy coffee” ha! You can’t taste the collagen, but collagen helps with glowing skin, gut health, aging, digestion, and lots of other things, so I always add it. Feeling healthy all before I’ve even gotten dressed? Yes please!

Pink Sneakers

Meditate

Meditation is something anyone can do, for any amount of time, anywhere. Even 5-10 minutes can help to intentionally start your day and quiet your brain, and overtime, can help you self-soothe. If you’re a newbie, try the app Headsapce to get things started—then see if you naturally progress to being tech-free while meditating.

Stretch

I’m writing this on the list because it’s not only an amazing thing to do for your body, but it’s also something I desperately need more of in my life! It’s actually one of my main practices in the morning at the moment. Like cats and dogs, it’s important for our bodies to stretch out after laying stagnant for hours, yet we rarely do it (or at least I rarely do!). Give your body 10 minutes of slow stretching as a way to wake up, prevent injury, and simply feel better—especially if you’re gearing up to sit at a desk all day.

Take a Bath

Most of us shower every morning, but why not up the relaxation factor with a bath instead? For some reason, baths are always saved for the evenings, but doesn’t starting the day with a slow, warm bath sound amazing?! Light a couple candles, layer on a face mask, play an energizing playlist, and you’ll start your day feeling completely blissed. Not to mention with amazing skin to boot!

Have you tried any of these morning routines? What do you do to start your day? Please share!