Do you ever feel like your mornings are a panicked rush? Maybe you are shouting at your kids, tripping over the dog and guzzling a gallon of coffee to feel “normal”?!! Well, a solid morning routine can make all the difference on how your day will go.

If you are feeling rushed or tired, it can set the tone for how you will tackle challenges as they come up during the day. In this post our mindset coach, Kimberly Carson-Richards is sharing her exact strategy that has made all the difference in her mornings!

Step 1.

Stop hitting snooze

For real. Stop doing this immediately. Perhaps you think you really like that extra 30 minutes of sleep you get in 10 minute increments. Well, sleep cycles take approximately 45-60 minutes to complete. When you continually hit snooze you are starting multiple sleep cycles that don’t get to finish. This has the opposite effect of what you want to accomplish.

Each time you fall back to sleep, your body releases more melatonin. Melatonin is the hormone that induces sleep, so each time you hit snooze your body can be releasing more of this hormone into your body. The end result is you will feel more tired than if you get up right when your alarm goes off.

Studies show it can take your body up to 4 hours to recover from a broken sleep cycle and run at full capacity. For example, if you are hitting snooze repeatedly at 7 a.m., your mind and body are not at their full potential until 11 a.m!!! So, no amount of coffee is going to make you feel better.

If you need a quick strategy to help you get out of your warm, comfy bed in the morning try Mel Robbins’ 5 Second Rule. Count down from 5. Here we go 5,4,3,2,1 and go. Just go for it.

Now, get up and seize the day.

Step 2.

Stay away from Social Media for 15-30 minutes

Stay away from social media for at least 15-30 minutes. Nada, zip, nothing. If you log in, you will likely spend an hour flipping through your news feed and really what for? You can spend this time on yourself instead. Don’t worry you can catch those pics of Jenny’s cute puppy later. Funny memes can wait too.

Jumping onto social media first thing is a bad idea because every “just checking” you do will suck up at minimum 15 minutes of your time. The first 2-3 hours after you wake up (if you haven’t been hitting snooze) will be your most productive hours of the day, so channel your energy into some self-growth instead. I will give you a list of fun and easy ideas in step 3.

Step 3.

Create “Me Time”

Spend 15-30 minutes focusing purely on yourself. If you need to, wake up a bit earlier so your kids or partner are still sleeping.

Yes, that’s right. Start every day doing some well deserved self-care because you deserve it. Now this is not the time to make your to-do list or worry over everything you need to get done.

This is a time for your own self-growth so you can keep your sanity in the face of everything you will need to tackle today. Try any of the ideas listed below. Maybe even 2 or 3 of them!

o Meditate

Meditation is a great health boosting activity. If you are new to meditation check out YouTube for great videos that will help you do self-guided meditation at home. The benefits of mediation include reduced stress, increased mindfulness, it can increase your positive view of the world and increase your focus!

o Keep an I.A.G journal

I Am Grateful for…

Write at least 3 things you are grateful for because it helps you be in the moment and appreciate what you have now. Psychological studies are finding that gratitude leads to increased happiness so, taking a few minutes each day to get in touch with what you feel grateful for in your life can make you feel wonderful!

o Set your positive intentions for the day.

These can be “I AM” or “I WILL” statements. You can journal them or just think them to yourself. For example, “I will have a fantastic day because today I will see my best friend!” or “I am strong and unique and I will conquer today!”

o Keep a dream journal

It is believed that dreams are a result of our subconscious processing information. Keeping a dream journal can help you remember what your dreams were and think about how they felt.

o Read a book

Spend some time reading a book by your favorite author or a book about self-growth. 

o Quiet reflection

Sometimes just a bit of quiet time to enjoy your coffee before the chaos of life kicks in can be the most amazing time spent!

Once you turn these 3 steps into a habit, build on this routine! In my house we have an exact morning routine for school days. My 7 year old daughter eats breakfast, gets dressed and preps her school bag at the same time every morning. There’s no yelling and no last minute rushing. We get to be calm and take our time because we are prepared. She is clear on what the expectations are, and what she has to accomplish before it’s time to leave.

So let me know, what’s your morning routine??!