Simple Ways to Rebuild a Morning Routine in 2021

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morning routineLet’s talk candidly about rebuilding a morning routine in 2021. I don’t know about you, but in 2020 I threw out any expectations that I would be faithful to my wakeup rituals.

Now that we have safely (knock on wood) landed in 2021, I plan to rebuild my morning routine much differently than years prior.

Briefly worth noting: before kids I had a solid morning routine, comparable to that of Tim Ferris and Robyn Sharma. It was a strict wake up time in the wee hours of the morning, followed by movement, reflection, then nutrition. (Kind of like Rachel’s Mindful Morning Routine.)

Recovering from my first pregnancy and breastfeeding a hulk of a child, dwindled that 1.5 hour morning ritual down to about 30 minutes. Of course, over the years of maintaining full time work, having another baby, and burning the midnight oil for personal projects, that routine was stripped down to a single sip of coffee. 

I was determined to rebuild it, but had to accept that that was the season I was in. You and I both know that is the deal we make as parents. It’s a constant rush without a breath in between, but forever and always worth it. 

So as someone who has had a thriving morning routine, then restructured it around mom life, then lost it all trying to juggle 2020, I very much look forward to rebuilding my mornings in 2021 so that they can be motivating, free of self-judgment, and just plain fun. 

The goal is to keep it simple.

There are ways we can take that deep inhalation and full exhalation before the day begins without the pressure of it being exactly perfect or so drastically complicated that it causes us dread to wake up to. Some of these suggestions are things we can do while we are getting ready for the day and can be tried in no particular order. Take what works, leave what doesn’t! 

Gratitude

Before you pick up that phone or check any emails, think of five things you are grateful for right away when you wake up.

Make Your Bed

Morning routine gurus like Tim Ferris and Admiral William H. McRaven both share this valuable life hack; the simple task of making your bed can lead to many more tasks accomplished throughout the day. (Highly recommend this short clip of Admiral McRaven.)

Deliberate Joy

Tap into joy while having your morning coffee, tea, or breakfast. Find one thing about the moment that brings joy, even if it’s the color yellow. Try to build up the feeling of joy. 

No Excuse Meditation Plan

The simplest way to start meditating during your morning routine is to do it for 1 minute on day one, 2 minutes on day two, 3 minutes on day three, and so on. 

Goal-Getting

Write down one simple goal for you to accomplish within the next 24 hours. It can be as simple as making someone else smile.

Cold Water Ritual

This is an Ayurvedic tip that I learned in yoga teacher training. It is a simple, refreshing way to start the day and takes no time at all. Simply splash clean cold water on your eyes and face right when you wake up.

Feed Your Brain

Listen to a podcast, radio show, or personalized playlist while you get ready for the day.

Spend time with family!

Remind yourself that you are not waking up to your family, you are waking up for your family.  

The most important thing to remember as you consider rebuilding your morning routine, is to focus on what matters most to you. Do what is sustainable. What puts you in a great state of mind before you hit the ground running for the day? Try to choose 1-3 things that you believe could work for you so it’s not an overwhelming change. There may also be things that have worked well for you in the past. Maybe they can even be modified instead of doing them fully.

Wishing you a morning routine full of grace and ease this year!