It’s probably no surprise that we at SOL love a good morning routine- we are an organic bedding company after all, so we are big fans of anything wellness and morning related! In the over-scheduled, overwhelming world we’re living in, taking a few moments to yourself at the start of the day can be absolutely game changing, and we believe in their power to help set the tone for your day.

In this post, we’re going to look at some of our favorite morning routine rituals and help you choose the ones that are right for you. So, whether that means going for an early morning jog or lounging on the couch with a cup of coffee and a few minutes with a good book, this is your completely personalized way to start off the day.

Creating a routine that works for you.

Before we jump into the rituals, we want to reiterate that creating a morning routine that you love and that truly nourishes you starts with choosing things that fit your interests and lifestyle. When you think morning routine, you might have visions of having to wake up at dawn to fit in a packed morning schedule of yoga, meditation, journaling, and lemon waters, and if this appeals to you then go for it, but if it doesn’t, let us reassure you that your morning routine can look anyway you like.

First, it’s important to consider your time constraints. How much time can you realistically set aside for yourself in the morning without having to lose out on any sleep or cause any stress. If you’re a parent trying to get three kids out the door and get yourself to the office on time, you may only be able to set aside 10 minutes for yourself, and that is totally fine! Or maybe you work from home or work a job with flexible hours and you’re able to carve out a solid hour in the mornings. There’s no right or wrong amount of time, it’s simply choosing something that feels good to add into your schedule rather than something that actually creates more stress in the mornings.

Finding the time

For most people, the biggest hurdle to adopting a morning routine is finding time. Mornings are generally rushed enough as it is without adding in some kind of morning ritual. The key to maintaining a morning routine is readjusting your habits to find the time.

A few examples of how this can look is setting your alarm just an extra 10 minutes early, going to sleep earlier so you can wake up earlier, prepping breakfast/packing lunches/picking out your outfit the night before to give you more time in the morning, delegating some morning tasks to your kids or spouse, or even negotiating a slightly later start time at work, if this is an option.

Enjoying your morning routine is another key factor in finding the time. We tend to make time for the things we enjoy, and if your routine is full of “shoulds” rather than true interests and

wants, it’s not likely that you’ll stick with it. With a bit of reorganizing and a genuine enjoyment of your routine, you’ll find that it’s surprisingly easy to fit it in.

Okay, now let’s move on to the fun stuff: morning routine ideas.

Journaling

Beginning your day with journaling can be a deeply therapeutic practice that helps you to connect to yourself and uncover lots of feelings, thoughts, dreams, and desires that you may not usually allow yourself time to be aware of. It can feel so good to allow your thoughts to flow out onto your page, and it’s an especially powerful practice to do in the morning just after you wake up when your mind is still warming up for the day and you are more in touch with your unconscious self.

Allow yourself to write without overthinking or filtering your words. You may be surprised at what comes up!

You can write from bed as soon as you open your eyes (this is great for dream journaling!) or you can get up and make yourself a cup of tea or coffee before settling in to write.

Meditating

Spending anywhere from a minute to an hour closing your eyes and tuning into your breath is an amazing way to start your day. There are many different ways to meditate, so you can play around with different techniques until you find a modality that really clicks for you. There are also lots of great meditation apps as well as free meditations on YouTube if you prefer a guided meditation.

Applying your makeup

This is a great example of how something that’s already in your schedule can be integrated into your routine. Rather than rushing through your make up while simultaneously checking emails on your phone and eating breakfast, take the time to sit down and really focus on and enjoy your application. When we apply mindfulness to what we do, even a routine action can become a deeply satisfying practice.

This can work for anything in your current routine including showering, making/eating breakfast, or packing lunches. Put on your favorite music, focus on the moment, and go through your normally rushed activities with mindfulness and watch how your whole morning can take on a new feeling.

Go for a walk

Starting your day with fresh air and sunshine is the perfect energizer because the sunlight signals to your brain that it’s time to be awake and regulates the hormones in your body responsible for having you feel awake and alert. There’s also something so peaceful about being up and out before the day gets started.

Read your book

Most morning routine suggestions seem to be focused on something that is “good for you” or betters your physical or mental wellbeing, but we think allowing yourself a bit of time in the morning to enjoy your book is just as good for you as heading out for a morning run! If the idea of curling up with a coffee and a good book for even 15 minutes in the morning is enough to make you excited to get up, we definitely recommend it. Remember, these are your mornings and you should get to live them any way you like!

Work on your passion projects

Do you love painting but can never seem to make time for it after work? Or maybe you’ve been dreaming of starting your fan fiction or practicing the guitar. Whatever hobbies you are passionate about but have trouble making time for can become part of your morning routine!

We hope these suggestions inspired you to start creating your own dream morning routine! You can play around with a few different routines and try out some different activities and practices until you find the perfect one for you. Or maybe it changes from day to day and the only constant is that you have a window of time set aside to do exactly what you want to do. There are no hard and fast rules and our top tip is to just enjoy your routine and not take it too seriously.

Enjoy!