How I Developed a Productive Morning Routine
A few months ago, I realized that I was a terrible mess in the mornings. I would snooze my alarm for too long, then jump out of bed in a panic, forget a bunch of things I needed to do and get done on the way out the door, and start each day off on the completely wrong foot.
The day started off hard and stayed hard: I was tired, irritable, and unproductive. Slowly but surely, without actively trying, I corrected this by establishing a new morning routine and things have gotten much better over the last few weeks. I made a lot of small changes, but two of them really made a difference, and here’s what I did.
My morning routine starts in the evening
I’m not a morning person and never have been. I teach several spin classes every week at 7am, and for three years of my life my regular job started at 5am, but that schedule was not my choice. Generally speaking, I am more alert and productive at night. In the past, when I had to wake up at 4am, I used it to my advantage by preparing for the next day every evening. I laid out my clothes, packed my bag, and planned my Uber ride ahead of time so there were fewer things to think about and do when I was bleary-eyed. I started dyeing my eyebrows and getting eyelash extensions to cut down on the amount of makeup I wore, started wearing curlers at night, and kept heels in my office so I could wear comfortable shoes to work. I had it.
But when I got a new job and started working from home and logging in with later start times, all of that went by the wayside. I returned it back a few weeks ago. My clothes are laid out again at night, I invest a lot in my night decorations and look ahead, anticipating everything I will need to do, and then do everything I can before I go to bed. However, I still work from home, so I have nothing to worry about. Instead, I started planning out all the other tasks I needed to complete the next day at night.
I do a brain dump , writing down everything that happens the next day. I’m just putting this in a note on my phone, nothing special. Last night on my list were things like “cancel Hulu,” “make an appointment for a face-to-face appointment,” and “get my laptop fixed.” Even the simple task of making a phone call is added to the list, so I don’t think about it when I fall asleep or worry about what I need to do (or forget to do) in the morning. But there’s something else on my list: things I look forward to doing the next day. Today that included “going to Tony Moly’s holiday window display” and “opening an online shopping bag.” Considering these are everyday tasks, I can expect something, even though it’s fun, but it doesn’t necessarily work. When I wake up in the morning and look at my list, I feel focused on the serious things and excited about the fun things. This combination of a little anxiety and a little anticipation pushes me straight out of bed and I don’t have to take another nap.
Finally, I work a little – not a lot , just a little. I schedule emails in advance, look for interesting story ideas to pitch in the morning, and complete small tasks that I have the resources to complete. For example, today “cancel Hulu” was on my list because I couldn’t cancel it on the TV and I needed a laptop. I didn’t have this resource so I just saved it for today. I don’t allow myself to worry too much about the little things; I just do the best I can before starting my daily routine, which includes reading a book, playing Fortnite , and enjoying various lotions, curlers, aroma diffusers, and white noise machines. A good night’s sleep is a huge part of a good morning, and God knows I take it seriously .
I use a reward system to make my mornings more productive.
I write a lot about the benefits of using a reward system when you have to do something you don’t really want to do, like cleaning the house . Without even meaning to, I started using similar thoughts in the morning. For me, small treats and enjoyable activities really help me move forward. To get through the day, I look for small joys and simply allow myself to have them; there are too many bad things in the world to justify depriving myself of small bursts of happiness, and scheduling some of these events in the morning has really helped me prepare for the day. I just allow myself one nice thing when I’m doing something productive or boring.
First, I play New York Times games while I brush my teeth and wash my face. Knowing that I can play Wordle and Mini Crossword as soon as I wake up, as long as I get up and go straight to the bathroom, really motivates me. While I figure out the breakfast situation and drink a glass of water, I allow myself to play Goss , an app where I bet on pop culture to win in-game currency that can eventually be redeemed for cosmetics.
Since I work from home, if I’m not careful, I can spend eight hours here without moving on days when I don’t do early spin classes. It’s too easy to order breakfast delivered, but I’m too lazy and sad to stay in one place, so I force myself to get up and go to Dunkin’ even when I don’t feel like it. It gets me dressed, gives me a chance to run errands, and provides immediate gratification. On days when I teach spinning classes, this is especially helpful as it forces me to get out of the house earlier. If I have a choice between 15 extra minutes of sleep or a shot of caffeine before a workout, I always choose Dunkin’. I could make coffee or make breakfast the night before, but I know myself and I know I need to push the door open, so I don’t do that while I do the rest of my evening pre-dawn preparations.
I know myself and what works for me—pre-planning, phone games, and expensive iced coffee—and if it works for you, hell yes. But if you want other rewards or treatments, now is the time to play with them. As winter approaches, the mornings will only get colder and darker, which means the temptation to cut corners, stay in bed, and be less productive will only grow stronger. Think about your own goals and motivators, and then make incremental changes to find what works.