A Simple 3-Step Guide to an Intentional Morning Routine
+ a relaxing Spotify playlist, journaling prompts, & a printable crossword puzzle for a screen free morning
What do you do first thing in the morning? Do you grab your phone? Doomscroll for a few minutes? Compare yourself to people before your feet have even touched the ground? These are things we all can find ourselves doing, but you can train yourself to choose better choices when starting your morning. Choosing to start your morning with an activity or practice that is good for you is key to staying on track of your tasks for the duration of the day.
Your brain likes habits because they’re efficient. Automating common actions frees up mental resources for other tasks.Your brain likes habits because they’re efficient. Automating common actions frees up mental resources for other tasks. Healthline.com
I have been trying to find the perfect morning routine for myself. One that I can do when I only have 5 minutes in the morning and one I can do when I have an hour. It took a lot of trial and error. Some days I couldn’t get myself to do anything at all and other days I had a list of 10 things I needed to do first thing in the morning. I now have a simple 3 step system for an ideal morning routine. I have broken the steps down into 3 categories:
Good for the soul
Good for the body
Get to do
I guess we could call this the 3 G’s? These categories are broad enough for you to find the right activity or practice that is perfect for your ideal morning. In this next portion, I am going to break down the 3 G’s, tell you what I like to do, and give additional ideas.
✿ Good for the Soul
An activity or practice that is beneficial overall for your mental wellbeing. I like this step to be for reading my Bible, prayer time, journaling, or reading a chapter of a book.
additional ideas
5-10 minutes of prayer or meditation
enjoy the sunrise
gratitude journaling
call a loved one
start a new book
diy your favorite coffee shop drink
read saved Substack articles
✿ Good for the Body
A physical practice to get yourself ready for the day. If you’re a gym person, you could go to the gym or do an at home workout routine. I like to prioritize stretching during this time. My cats typically walk on my yoga mat so it’s fun for the whole family!
additional ideas
take a short walk in your neighborhood or a treadmill if you have one
follow a guided pilates or yoga workout on Youtube
learn a dance routine (I recently saw a TikTok of a woman learning the Michael Jackson “Beat It” dance and said it was the best workout she’s done in a while)
do a quick 5 minute full-body stretch if you don’t have a of time
✿ Get to Do
An enjoyable task that gets you excited for the day/week ahead. I like to use this time to work on scripts I’ve been meaning to write or recently, the book nook kit I got for Christmas (yes, I know that was 5 months ago). Think of this step as a little reward for starting your morning off without your phone. Something fun before the work day begins.
additional ideas
junk journal
sketching
have an extra long skincare routine
watch an old episode of a favorite show (I love watching The O.C. while having breakfast)
enjoy a printable activity if you want to enjoy a screen free morning (I have one for you at the end of this post)
This 3-step-system is designed to be mixed and matched at any length of time. There’s some days where I have all morning to do these things. There’s other days where I really only have time to get ready for work. That’s when a quick devotional read comes in handy or sometimes I listen to a podcast on the way to work. It’s important to remind yourself that everyone needs something different in a routine. This is the system that works for me most days but that came with time and practice. Trying new things. Learning what works for me and what doesn’t. You may have to try different systems in order to find what works for you. The bottom line is this: don’t let your devices control you. There’s a reason so many people say to keep your phone on the other side of the room while you sleep. Start your morning off technology free (as best as you can) and the rest of your day will fall into place.
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
- Aristotle
Now it’s time to turn off your device that you find yourself reading this from. Write down the writing prompts, click the playlist link, download the puzzle, and unplug from digital life.
PROMPTS OF THE WEEK
✿ Think about the last few mornings you’ve had. What habits have you already formed that you want to change?
✿ Are there any new habits you want to start?
✿ Consider what you prioritize throughout the day, would you feel more productive if you had a stable morning routine?
PLAYLIST OF THE WEEK
PUZZLE OF THE WEEK
Download this screen free activity! Fill in the puzzle, then, color it in!
Letter from the Editor
Thank you for tuning in to the first Monday Issue of Morning Bloom Magazine! I’m so excited to see where this magazine. I hope you find this to be a nice break from the hustle and bustle of corporate life and enjoy a nice little social media break. I’ve been listening to the morning routine playlist for last week anytime I do creative work and I honestly have been so much more productive! I make sure to silence all my notifications and lock in to my creative tasks. I hope you find the playlist and crossword puzzle to be a nice edition to your morning routine.