Mornings can be hard, a gentle morning routine makes it easier. Wayfair is ready for spring and thinking about new routines. They have sponsored this post as part of their Wayfair Homemakers group.
I’ve tried many times to become a morning person. I’d love to get a lot of stuff done first thing in the morning. The problem is I’m not a morning person. I have very little energy in the morning and I’m just not good at being productive when I wake up.
Over the years I’ve tried different morning routines and what has stuck is a gentle morning routine. What is a gentle morning routine? It’s one where you allow yourself to gently wake up and don’t force yourself to be productive right away.
This is something I’ve done for awhile but I didn’t have a name for it until Crystal Paine talked about her gentle morning routine. I loved having a name to put with this idea.
How to Create a Gentle Morning Routine
If this idea of a gentle morning routine sounds good to you I’ve got some tips for creating your own.
Start the Night Before
If you already have a good evening routine makes it easier to start your morning more gently and slowly. You’ve already set yourself up for success so you have less to do.
I’m far more productive at night so this is much easier for me than trying to get things done in the morning. I love waking up with things already off of my to-do list.
Consider adding things like having breakfast prepped the night before, I like to set out mugs for tea or French press coffee for myself and my husband. You can also lay out your clothes and anything you need in the morning if you work outside of the home.
Have a Plan
If you already have your plan for the day ready you can relax more easily. You won’t have so many ideas running through your head first thing.
The night before, have a quick brain dump and write your to-do list. I like to keep mine in my planner so I don’t lose it. When I wait and write my to-do list in the morning it’s hard to relax thinking about all I need to do.
Enjoy Breakfast
I’m not much of a breakfast eater but I do enjoy a cup of tea or coffee when I wake up. Sometimes I will also have breakfast, maybe a nice muffin.
Even if I’m only having a cup of coffee I like to make it a nice treat. I recently got a new beautiful Bodum French press from Wayfair. Pretty things make me happy so seeing it in the morning is nice. French press coffee is also so much better than drip coffee or coffee from a single cup machine, at least in my opinion. This coffee maker just adds a special touch to my morning routine.
Wayfair is a great place to look for some pretty kitchen touches that will make you want to be in your kitchen, even in the morning. Sometimes the simplest little touches can make such a big difference.
After I make my breakfast I like to watch a YouTube video or two while sipping enjoying it. It’s a nice way to slowly wake up and to get to enjoy my breakfast and not just rush through it.
Social Media in the Morning is Okay
I know this is not what most time management articles say, they will tell you to not get on social media until you’ve been productive because it can suck you in. If you can’t keep from going down rabbit holes maybe you should skip but if mindlessly reading some Facebook posts helps you wake up, go for it.
Before I even make my breakfast I sit for a few minutes looking at my phone. I have a built-in time limit because I like to make breakfast for not only myself in the morning but also my husband. We have a set time for this so it helps me to make sure I don’t get sucked in for too long. So set a timer and don’t let yourself go over that, if you struggle with this then stick to traditional wisdom and skip this.
Make Time for Something You Enjoy
Self-care as part of your morning routine can really get your day started off well. I like to read a little bit of something positive, meditation, or do some yoga. Some mornings I need more self-care and I will do all three. Listen to your mind and body and be sure to take care of yourself.
Giving yourself permission to have a more gentle morning, even if it’s just 10-15 minutes of relaxing time, can make a big difference for your whole day.
Look at the related blog posts below for even more information on morning routines and evening routines.
i really need to get into a habit of doing this, my mornings are always so chaotic, its just a matter of putting in that extra effort to do it all the night before! thank you so much for sharing
It really does help. Glad you liked the post!
I have to plan my day the night prior to my planner so I know what needs to get done as soon as I wake up and have my morning coffee. We also set the coffee for a certain time so it’s ready to serve.
Doesn’t it help so much to do those extra steps the night before?
I have a really good morning routine (definitely in large part because I’m naturally an early riser) that includes exercise and meditation. But it also includes a scroll through blogs or Instagram over breakfast and I’ve always felt a bit guilty about that because breakfast is really such an ideal time to practice mindfulness. So I really appreciated you mentioning social media in the morning – it made me feel much better about it to be able to recognise it as just a little self-care practice. Like you, I find that I am able to limit it and not get too sucked in, and I do get a lot of inspiration and general uplifting from it.
I’m glad I could help you feel better. If you can keep from getting sucked in and it is beneficial for you I say keep doing it. <3
I am NOT an early riser so I definitely need this.
Hope it helps! <3
I teach English to Chinese kids from 6-7:30 in the morning and I have fibromyalgia (and two young kids), so I start each day with some CrioBru–it’s a non-caffeinated coffee substitute. I also use a French press.
I have fibromyalgia as well, it makes it harder for sure!