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It’s amazing how much can really be done in a day, (or in any given period of time) if you’re being more intentional with your time.
A few months ago, I was stumbling out of bed at all hours of the morning—after wasting most of night and the wee hours of the morning scrolling on my phone and then finally falling into bed at an ungodly hour of the night, obviously.
Waking up was a struggle.
Getting my daily tasks and to-dos completed was a struggle.
Sticking to healthy habits was a struggle.
Everything felt like a struggle.
I was just struggling through my days. Every. Single. Day. I’m sure I don’t need to elaborate on how that made everyday feel like a huge chaotic mess from the moment I woke up.
Weirdly enough, I was not even fully aware of how chaotic my days had gotten. I mean, I knew… but I didn’t know know, you know? Not really. Not until I accidentally came across one morning routine video and then somehow spent the next few days in a full-blown rabbit hole watching way too many women wake up at 5 a.m. and get their lives together before sunrise.
So, I decided to give it a try and see if I could really stick to waking up early and getting my days under control. Thank God I did. Since I started using morning routines and night routines and even Sunday resets, because clearly I was not playing anymore, most things just seem to work better now… or actually work, which is saying a lot. Because before, everything felt like I was riding the struggle bus with no brakes.
Now, on most days I feel at least 10x more productive than previously. And, I’m so much more at ease with my everyday life. In fact, I can comfortably say that my early morning routine is one of the top 5 things that has me literally changing my life for the better this year.
But enough about me and how morning routines have made me life better. Let me share what I think is the best 5 a.m. morning routine for productivity as well as some tips and tricks to make it easier for you to stick to a morning routine especially in the beginning.
And before you side eye this, hear me out.
I’m not talking about one of those impossible, perfectly polished morning routines that only works on the internet. Because this one is less about being extreme and more about giving yourself a little head start each day so you feel less rushed, less scattered, and more in control of your time.
And don’t give up on the second day and swear that it’s not for you. Give it a little time, because sometimes things—especially new routines—need at least a week or two before they start feeling less rude… hahaha.
So, let’s discuss why you should try this early morning routine below.
Why a 5 A.M. Morning Routine Can Be So Powerful
Morning routines — or daily routines in general, the ones you actually stick to, that is — are powerful. More than powerful. They can literally help you achieve every single goal you’ve set for yourself. I’m gonna talk about myself for a quick minute again to show you how my morning routine has been helping me as of late.
For me a 5 a.m. morning routine helps me to:
- feel more organized
- improve my productivity
- make time for more healthy habits
- reduce morning stress
- create structure in my day
- work on personal goals before life gets busy
And I’m not just waking up early just because everyone seems to be doing it these days. I’m actually using that time and that routine to build some structure so that I can make my days more purposeful before anyone else is up and adding their own chaos to the mix.
5 A.M. Morning Routine Checklist
Here is a simple morning routine checklist you can try. Also feel free to adjust this to fit into your life if you’re in need of a productive 5 a.m. morning routine:
- 5:00 a.m. – Wake up
- 5:05 a.m. – Drink water and wash up
- 5:15 a.m. – Make your bed
- 5:20 a.m. – Prayer, journal, or quiet time
- 5:40 a.m. – Stretch, walk, or light workout
- 6:00 a.m. – Shower and get dressed
- 6:20 A.M. – Knock Out the Tasks That Make the Day Easier
- 7:00 A.M. to 7:45 A.M. – Take Care of the Final Morning Tasks
- 7:45 or 8:00 A.M. – Fully Ready to Start the Day
That is the basic version of a good general 5 A.M. morning routine to be productive. I’ll also start breaking it down below so you can begin to see how it actually can work for you.
5:00 A.M. – Wake Up
Start by waking up as soon as your alarm goes off. Don’t snooze your alarm…please, please don’t do this!
When you first start, it may take some time to adjust to waking up at 5.a.m. I had such a hard time waking up on time and I almost quit quite a few times. I definitely had a few mornings where 5 a.m. somehow turned into 6 a.m. in the blink of a eye. So if you’re struggling to wake up early, a sunrise alarm clock can probably make those early morning wake-ups feel a whole lot gentler.
Sunrise Alarm Clock
If waking up at 5 a.m. feels harsh, a sunrise alarm clock can make the whole thing feel a lot gentler. It’s a simple way to ease into early mornings without feeling completely jolted awake.
Also, even without it, if you keep pushing through it for about a week, it becomes much much easier to wake up when the alarm goes off.
You won’t be perfect right away, but consistency will get you there … so keep at it until you get it right!
5:05 A.M. – Drink Water and Freshen Up
Keep a big water bottle on your side table and drink some as soon as you wake up. A bit of water will help you feel sort of refreshed and wake you up some.
Once you’ve drank some water, get up and go freshen up. Wash your face, brush your teeth, do some quick skincare or whatever quick freshening up routine that can make you more alert so your brain knows you’re starting your day.
5:15 A.M. – Make Your Bed & Open Up Your Curtains
I don’t know about you, but I don’t like to get back on my bed once it’s made. So, if you’re like me, do this small task to get you going and to make your space feel cleaner and more put together.
Open up your curtains too. Letting some light in will help with alertness too.
5:20 A.M. – Quiet Time, Prayer, or Journal
This is the perfect time to get in a little me time before the day starts and to ground yourself in the morning. You can use this short time (20 minutes) to pray, read a few pages from your bible or an uplifting book, journal, meditate, slow stretch, plan your day (without your phone of course), sip some nice tea or coffee or just sit in silence.
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These are some simple things you can do to get your mind in the right place before the day starts to get busy.
5:40 A.M. – Stretch, Walk, or Do Light Movement
In these next 20 minutes, you can use this time to get some daily movement in.
I like to get my first quick 20-minute walk on my walking pad done as early as possible because it helps kick-start my 8k to 10k daily step goal… I’ve been consistently doing this for 3 months now!
Doing this helps me start the day on a strong foot. You do not need to do a full workout this early, but any little movement can help wake up your body and shake off that stiff, sluggish feeling.
If you want to get into walking (and don’t have space or money for a treadmill), keeping a walking pad at home can make it easier to stay consistent with getting your steps in early, and throughout the rest of the day too.
Want an easy way to get more steps in without buying a bulky treadmill? This walking pad gives you a simple, space-saving way to move more at home, even on busy days. It’s a practical, budget-friendlier option for small spaces and makes it so much easier to stay consistent with daily movement.
Keep in mind, you do not have to do a full workout this early in the day, but, some kind of movement will help wake your body up and shake off that early morning stiffness or sluggishness. Also, like me, you can use this time to kick-start your daily workout on a strong footing.
And if yoga is more your thing, even keeping a simple yoga mat nearby can make it easier to stay on top of morning stretching or light movement. Note, whatever you prefer, having it handy is the first major step in actually getting it done. So, for example, if you prefer some at home strength training, keep some dumbbells close by, if you prefer dancing, keep your music ready to go so you can jump right into it without having to think too much about it. This helps so much.
And if you need ideas besides walking, dancing and yoga, here are some other things you can do in this time:
- light stretching
- a short strength training session
- pilates
- mobility exercises
- low-impact cardio
- a quick workout video
- jumping rope
- marching in place
- a short outdoor walk
6:00 A.M. – Shower and Get Dressed
By 6:00 a.m., it’s about time to start getting yourself fully ready for the day.
For some people, that may mean taking a shower, getting dressed, and moving into a more productive mindset even though you may be staying at home. For others, it may mean getting ready to head out the house, helping someone else get going, or simply taking care of the personal tasks that make the rest of the morning feel a bit smoother.
This part of the routine will not look exactly the same for everyone. But, the goal here is simply to move yourself out of sleep mode and into ready mode.
6:20 A.M. – Knock Out the Tasks That Make the Day Easier
Once you’re dressed… and hopefully you’re fully awake by now, this is the time to start doing the more practical things for the morning.
This is when you’ll usually start making breakfast, packing a bag, tidying up the kitchen, starting some laundry, checking your schedule, reviewing your plans, or helping other people get ready for their day … kids, significant others etc.
Whatever your routine looks like, this block of time is meant to take care of the things that will make the rest of the morning less chaotic in the upcoming hour.
7:00 A.M. – 7:45 A.M. – Take Care of the Final Morning Tasks
By 7 a.m. you should be in the thick of the morning.
If you’re a stay at home mom, this is the time where you’ll want to be serving breakfast, cleaning up breakfast mess, grabbing water bottles, bags, or school items, handling last minute kid chaos etc.
If you’re a busy career mom who needs to get out the door soon, this is the time for a quick kitchen cleanup, some final getting-ready tasks, loading the car, daycare or school prep, making sure nobody forgot anything etc.
If you’re a work from home mom, you’ll be finishing breakfast, straightening the house a little, answering one or two urgent emails, getting fully into work mode etc.
Whatever needs doing really… this is the time of the day to handle whatever needs your attention before the next part of the day begins.
7:45 or 8:00 A.M. – Fully Ready to Start the Day
By 7:45 or 8:00 a.m., you should start to feel ready for the day ahead… with way less chaos I might add.
By this time, your goal is to have already showered, eaten (if you eat early, or at least prepped breakfast), cleaned up a little, and gotten focused. If it applies to you, by this time, you would’ve also helped others get out the door, or reviewed your days plans, or eased into work, school, care-giving, or the tasks waiting for you at home.
Either way, the goal is the same: to feel more prepared than panicked by this time of the day.
If you follow this plan (with or without some tweaks) your days will start to feel more grounded, more organized, and you’ll feel a little more ahead than you would have otherwise so you’re not scrambling around the place with shot nerves trying to get everything in order with no time to actually do it.
This is the power of a good early morning routine. This is why I’ve been doing these for the past few months now and i don’t see myself stopping and going back to my previous chaos.
But, nothing is ever perfect so here are some useful tips to help you some more.
Best Tips To Get It Right
While it may take a few days or even weeks to get this routine to stick, here are some simple things you can do in the mean time to move things along:
Go to bed early enough
A 5 a.m. routine is much harder to stick to if you are going to bed too late every night. So, try to be in bed by 9 or 10ish. So you get 7 or 8 hours of sleep and you’re not too tired to wake up on time the next morning. If you’re struggling with this, you’ll also need a good night time routine to follow.
Keep the routine flexible
You do not have to do every single step in this routine every single morning. Some days may be shorter than others and some may include some extra things that aren’t even included here. Just make sure you show up for yourself every day and you’re a few steps ahead.
Prep the night before
This can be such a big help on busy mornings. So if you have the time, make the night before count by setting out clothes, straightening up the kitchen after dinner, knowing what breakfast will be, and maybe even prepping the ingredients if this applies. This makes things move along a lot smoother the next day.
Give it time
Waking up earlier usually feels so hard at first. I used to snooze my alarm for what felt like a million times before I could drag myself out of the bed an hour later. That is normal for most people by the way, so don’t be too hard on yourself at first. Give yourself some time to adjust to this new thing before deciding it is not for you. By week two, this new way of life may start to feel like you’ve been doing it forever!
You do Not have to do everything
One of the biggest mistakes people make is thinking their morning routine has to be impressive to count.
It really does not.
You do not need to meditate for 20 minutes, journal three pages, run five miles, and cook a full breakfast every single day. Do not just add habits just because they sound good online. You need to focus on building a routine around what makes your life work for you and the people in it.
The best early morning routine is the one that helps you feel better and function better. It also needs to reduce your stress, not add to it.
