If you have only an hour to spare for your morning routine before starting the day’s business, what to do in the first hour of the day? Here’s a simple, balanced, effective, and quick one-hour morning to start your day right.
Every time you scroll through productivity and wellness IG or TikTok sections, you’ll find videos describing how having a morning routine “changed their lives.”
Sometimes, if you stumble on “that girl” with an aesthetic morning routine, it feels unrealistic to attain, but you want to give it a try.
And you’re wondering if you can squeeze a morning routine into your daily schedule.
However, you feel short on time and don’t have the luxury to spend two hours practicing a self-care morning routine.
You want a simple, short morning routine that you can finish in an hour routine to kick-start your day right.
Well, I got you!
In this blog post, I’ll share tips on how to create a balanced one-hour morning routine that allows you to prioritize your health, self-care, and mental, emotional, and physical well-being without wasting time or feeling overwhelmed with a morning routine checklist that’s unattainable.
A balanced and relaxing morning routine helps ease anxiety and stress and sets the tone for the day.
And if you’ll have a productive day, it starts with what you when you wake up.
Conversely, if you have a lazy, unproductive day, it starts with your morning routine.
So, without further ado, let’s dig into the perfect one hour morning routine checklist to help you set your day right.
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What does a One-Hour Morning Routine look like?
Here is a practical one hour morning routine example you can recreate to build better morning habits that encourage productivity, mindfulness, wellness, peace, and self-love.
1. Wake up Early at 5 – 6 am (~ 5 Minutes)
When you wake up early, you’ll have enough time to practice a slow morning routine without rushing out of bed because your alarm is so loud after you snooze it for the third time in a row (okay, maybe not three times already, lol).
I wake up daily between 5:00 and 5:30 am, depending on when I go to bed, usually between 10 and 10:30 pm.
After waking up, spend at least 3 minutes on the bed doing nothing, relax, take deep breaths, and do nothing.
If you have a pet, you can cuddle and play with them during this time.
By spending a few minutes relaxing, you start your morning slowly and mindfully with less anxiety.
Before crafting a healthy morning and prioritizing self-care, I would wake up and rush to my laptop.
Guess what this caused? Anxiety and panic whenever I wake up, even though I love my business so much.
However, starting my day slowly helps me enjoy a calm morning.
Now, as the case may be, you’ve spent 3-4 minutes relaxing or enjoying warm cuddles with your pet or partner.
It’s time to get out of bed and make your bed immediately.
PS: Although staying in bed relaxing and doing nothing for about 5 minutes is an excellent way to start your one-hour morning routine,
However, avoid staying in bed for too long; else, you may slip into lazy mode and start procrastinating when to leave the bed (“Oh, I’ll leave in the next 5 more minutes, and so on.”)
PS: I don’t have a pet, so I spend this time praying for a few minutes before leaving the bed.
2 . Do the Mundane Task (~ 7 Minutes)
Everyone uses the toilet first thing in the morning because this is real life (lol).
After making your bed, you can do mindless tasks like peeing.
- Opening your blinds.
- Unplugging your devices from charging (I put my devices to charge every night before going to bed)
- Go to the toilet.
- Brush your teeth
- Wash your face.
- Open the blinds.
- Apply skincare products.
Basically, you’re setting yourself up for the day’s task.
3. Drink a Cup of Water (3 Minutes)
After these mindless tasks, you can have a cup of water or coffee, whatever works for you.
But having water before taking in anything in the morning is a healthier habit.
I don’t drink coffee or cold water ( for cold water, only once in a blue moon and never in the morning).
Instead, I go for lukewarm water.
So slowly sit with your water or coffee, and relax your mind without worrying about anything.
You can throw in positive affirmations to help you reframe your mind and start your day positively.
Download our Free Mindset Booster Printable Affirmation Cards below to Start Your Day Rightly….
4 . Journal (~ 5 minutes)
Is journaling part of the things you do in the morning?
If not, journaling is a powerful mindful activity to include in your quick morning routine.
Not only can it help shape your mindset, but it can also help you stay productive and practice mindfulness. It’s a good tool for introspection and reflection.
If you can journal intentionally for 5 minutes daily, you can tackle one mindset problem daily.
For example, if you struggle with cultivating a gratitude mindset, list three things you’re thankful for every day. It could be the little things in life that make you happy.
In your journal, write down the things you’re thankful for and watch your mindset shift daily.
The same goes if you’re stuck in a rut and don’t know how to get out of a slump.
Journaling helps me clear my thoughts, find answers to deep questions, and clarify what step to take next.
Regardless of where you’re at, including journaling in your one hour morning routine checklist is life-changing.
But if you don’t know where to start, this is a guide on how to journal intentionally for personal development.
Also, start with journal prompts if blank pages scare you.
5. Read a Book or Listen to a Podcast (~10 Minutes)
Reading a book every morning should be in your one-hour morning routine.
Reading helps you feed your mind with valuable and helpful information.
Read a book for at least 10 minutes every morning.
If finishing a certain number of books is part of your New Year’s resolution, including reading in your morning routine will help you smash your reading goal.
For my morning reading, I read motivational and self-improvement books.
By reading these types of books, I feed my mind with valuable words to shape my self-growth journey.
But if you don’t enjoy reading as much as you enjoy listening to podcasts, find audiobooks and listen to them while doing other tasks in the morning.
For example, you can listen to a podcast on your way to work while exercising, having breakfast, or showering.
The goal is to feed your mind with good information on areas where you desire growth.
6. Stretch and Move Your Body ( ~10 minutes)
I’m not too fond of heavy exercise in the morning; it makes me lazy, tired, and unproductive.
However, this may be different for you.
Since it’s a quick morning routine, you can stretch and move your body for 10 minutes instead of long, tedious workout sessions.
One tip for maximizing your workout session is to focus on areas you want to improve.
You can find good videos and Tutorials on YouTube that’ll help you stretch and keep fit.
7. Shower and Get Ready for the Day (~10 Minutes)
Now, we’re almost done with our quick morning routine. It’s time to shower and get ready for the day.
I keep my morning shower simple and direct. Instead, I schedule a full self-care night shower.
So, after showering and doing skin care, you wear the dress you laid out the night before, apply makeup, and get ready to leave for work.
8. Have a Light Breakfast (~10 Minutes)
I don’t eat breakfast until noon. Instead, I have a cup of green and black tea together or eat fruit.
You’re probably nothing like me, who skips breakfast and doesn’t listen to “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”
Prepare a light breakfast, tea, and bread with eggs or something else that suits you. Keep it simple, and wrap up in 10-15 minutes.
While having breakfast, you can turn on your phone if it’s turned off, switch off flight mode, check your messages, etc.
9. Check your To-do List
I don’t believe in planning my day in the morning.
Instead, I set my to-do list and plans for the next day, the night before.
Not only does planning my day and to-do list help me organize my time, but it also makes me feel productive, and I start my day knowing exactly what to do to have a successful day.
For a minute, I’d look through the notes app on my phone and see my daily tasks.
Remember, I work from home and am fully self-employed, so I know precisely how to kick-start my day.
Also, using Momentum Dash helps me stay productive, practice the Pomodoro technique, and have my to-do list on my browser; I can always see my most important daily tasks.
Perhaps you aren’t like me and work from home; after checking your to-do list, leave the house to work.
Now, you have an effective 1-hour morning routine checklist to follow. But the problem is sticking to it.
Because a quick morning routine seems pleasant and easy, but practicing it may be daunting because you’ll feel short on time if you don’t know the proper steps.
Thus, these are my best Tips for creating an effective 1-hour Morning Routine and sticking to it.
Tips for Creating a One-Hour Morning Routine and Sticking to It
Now you know how to create a quick morning routine and what to include. Let’s look at some helpful tips to help you stay consistent with this routine, without feeling overwhelmed or crunched for time.
1. A Good Morning Routine Starts the Night Before
For you to stick to your routine in the morning, they have to become habits you can’t live without, and we know habits take time to form.
When forming a new habit, you want to make things easy and set a system that allows you to thrive without falling off your new routine.
This is why the task you do the night before plays a vital role in your morning routine.
For instance, if you go to bed late, you’ll wake up late and barely have time to prepare for work or practice any healthy routine.
In the same way, if you enjoy a self-care night shower, relax, and sleep early, you’ll wake up early, healthier, and energized to start your day.
Hence, your morning routine starts the night before, and you should do these things at night to ensure a smooth morning routine.
- Put your phone away from your bed; you can turn it on flight mode or completely off.
- Go to bed early and sleep for at least 7-8 hours.
- Have a night routine that promotes relaxation and sound sleep.
- Use comfortable bedding to sleep.
- Plan your day and set your to-do list – You can do this at the end of a workday or just before bed.
- Lay out the clothes you’ll wear in the morning at night.
- Pack your bags and all you need for work at night to avoid forgetting or rummaging through your bags in the morning.
When you organize everything the night before and go to bed early, you’ll start your morning feeling more productive and put together.
2. Avoid Touching Your Phone First Thing In the Morning
The truth is, our phones are addictive.
When you spend the first part of your morning on your phone, you’ll likely waste at least 30 minutes moving from one social account to another.
To curb phone addiction, keeping your phone at a distance is better.
Turning off my phone before bed helps me focus on ‘me’ when I wake up, and I only turn it on at the end of my morning routine.
So, decide if you want to keep your phone in flight mode, silent, and far away from you, or turn it off completely.
Can a Morning Routine Change My Life?
Yes, your morning routine can change your life. A balanced morning routine can help you work better, build stability, and form good habits that will improve the quality of your life.
For instance, if you wake up early every day, put your phone away, and focus on getting things done, you’ll procrastinate less, become more productive, and do more.
Also, morning routines aren’t just about getting more done and starting the day with intention.
My mindset has shifted by dedicating time to self-care and goal-setting each morning.
Gone are the days when I wake up in a panic, feeling behind on my to-do list.
Practicing quiet mornings brings clarity and peace, an invaluable start that ripples positively through all aspects of well-being.
Finally, on Creating a Quick One Hour Morning Routine
This one-hour morning is simple, has no fluff, and focuses on your well-being, self-care, and productivity. It’s flexible and easy to do.
Whether you’re single or have a family to care for, you should set aside at least 30 minutes to One hour every morning to do something for “you.”
If you live with others, try waking up at least an hour before everyone gets up and spending some “me” time alone. It will help you avoid feeling overwhelmed, be mindful, and intentionally start your day.
More Blog Posts to Help You Organize Your Day and Life Better
- 12 Insanely Toxic Habits to Quit to Improve Your Life & Be Happier
- 100 Easy Ways to Organize Your Life (Every Aspect)
- 12 Things I Do Before 8 am (Morning Routine) for a Productive Day
- How to Wake Up Early at 5 AM Every Day and Not Feel Tired (Step by Step)
- 16 Smart Things to Do at The Beginning of The Month to Crush It
- How to Simplify Your Life and Be Happy (Things to Get Rid of)
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