Following a morning routine checklist means you’ll be starting your day off in the right direction.
Most mornings I’d drag myself out of bed at the last possible minute. I used to spend half the day in my pajamas and accomplish nothing.
After a few months of this, I realized I needed a morning routine checklist to get my day started the right way and finally get out of bed at a decent time.
Following a morning routine means I’m a better mom to my kids. I have more energy and I’m more productive.
Getting myself ready and having a morning to do list starts my day in a productive way.
As you create your morning routine list, remember it is specific to you.
Your family, schedule, and priorities are unique to you. So if you are trying to figure out the best way to set your morning up for success, make sure it is designed for you and no one else.
If you have children, you’ll want to keep in mind that your morning routine will also involve their needs. Especially, if you have a baby, you’ll want to make sure you fit in your baby’s morning routine with your own.
Why do you need a morning routine?
When routines are done effectively, they make your life easier not more difficult. They allow you the freedom to do those extra things that you want to do and even be spontaneous.
Your morning routine shouldn’t be so rigid that it’s hard to follow or that you get stressed out when something unexpected comes up.
Routines put every day household chores on autopilot and get them done and out of the way so you can live your life!
I also love following a morning routine as a mom because it makes sure that I practice self care. It’s so easy to take care of every one else in the morning, and skip yourself.
But you can’t do that forever. Eventually, you will wear out. So prevent that and get intentional with your self care.
I hope I have talked you into why you need to be intentional with your morning routine as an adult. Now, let’s figure out how to get productive with your mornings!
Morning Routine Checklist for Adults
Make a list of all the things you’d like to accomplish. Here are some example things you may want to add to your list.
Go to bed on time.
Your morning routine actually starts the night before. In order to get the sleep that your body needs, you should go to bed early enough.
That way you have the energy you need to get out of bed the next morning.
Don’t hit the snooze.
It’s so important that you pick a wake up time and stick with it. Train your body to get up at the same time each day.
Practicing this consistency will help your body know what to do each morning.
Stay off electronics.
It’s so easy to grab your phone and check updates from the night. But doing that will only be a distraction.
You’ll be less likely to follow through with your daily routine once you’re distracted by your phone.
Make the bed.
As soon as you are up, an easy, but productive habit is to make your bed. It will start the domino effect and get you motivated to accomplish more things.
Besides if your bed is made, you’ll be less likely to get back in it!
Take a shower and get dressed.
After you are out of bed, get a shower as soon as possible. This will wake you up and get you moving for the day.
The sooner you get out of your pajamas into clothes for the day, the more productive you will feel. However, if you stay in your pajamas for most of the morning, the more likely you’ll be to lounge around the house.
Read the Bible and pray.
If you’re a Christian, a great way to start your day and set your mind in a positive way is to spend time with God.
Journal or add to your daily gratitude list.
So often our minds focus on negativity and the things we don’t have. That causes us to become ungrateful and less productive.
So set time aside each morning to right about things you’re thankful for.
Exercise or stretch.
Another healthy habit is to move your body in the morning. This gets the blood and endorphins flowing which causes you to have more energy!
Eat breakfast.
Sometimes people skip breakfast, but it’s an important part of your morning. Try to eat healthy, fulfilling breakfast that will keep you full through the morning.
Make a plan for the day.
You may have created a meal plan the night before. I love creating lists in my planner. Each morning, I take a quick glance at my plan for the day and create a prioritized to-do list for the day.
Quick tidy up in the kitchen.
After you finish breakfast, be sure to clean up your kitchen. This will set your kitchen up for later.
You will thank yourself later in the day when you make dinner. You will be so glad that you don’t have to clean up from breakfast before starting on the next meal.
Start a load of laundry.
One of my favorite morning habits as a mom is to start a load of laundry. That way we are one step ahead on the to do list for the day.
It’s an easy yet productive task to complete.
You don’t have to include everything on this checklist. I’ve found that the more simple my morning routine is the better. Try not to pack it full of a bunch of activities that will be hard to accomplish.
Just make sure you’ve included enough to feel productive and get your day started.
Download a free printable to make your own morning routine checklist.
My Morning Routine Checklist
This is what my morning routine looks like as a work from home mom to an 8 year old and 4 year old.
6:20 Wake up
After I roll out of bed, I slowly wake myself up by doing simple tasks that don’t take a lot of brain power.
I start the coffee maker and make my husband’s sandwich.
6:30 Quiet time
I like to read my Bible and pray each morning. This habit helps settle my mind and gives me a positive focus for the day.
I’m currently using the Bible Recap reading plan (affiliate link) and other Bible study books that my church is using.
7:00 Exercise
I don’t do anything super complicated. I follow an exercise routine from this book: Weight loss Super Hero. (affiliate link) It’s a combination of walking and strength training.
In the past I’ve done 15 minute workouts on YouTube or simply walked in place while listening to music or a podcast.
7:15 Get ready for the day
Take a shower and get dressed for the day. If you are a stay at home mom or you work from home, it can be tempting to not get ready for the day.
However this is a really important step to complete each morning. You’ll feel better about yourself and it will signify to your brain that it’s time to get things done!
7:30 Eat breakfast
I like to eat breakfast with my kids each morning. This is an easy way to connect with my kids first thing in the day.
7:45 Clean up the kitchen
We all help clean up after breakfast. It doesn’t take long, but it’s an important task.
Taking care of the breakfast mess means I don’t have to clean up a bigger mess later in the day. It also means that the kitchen is cleaned up and ready for the rest of the day.
8:00 Help the kids with their morning routines
The kids get ready for the day and do their daily household chores. Currently, my 8 year old starts a load of laundry and wipes down the dining room table. My 5 year old wipes down the bathroom counter and sweeps the dining room floor.
Create a Morning Routine
You can create your own morning routine checklist. It doesn’t have to look exactly like mine. Pick the things on this list that fit your morning goals.
Here are some tips to help you no matter what your morning checklist includes.
Go to bed on time the night before.
In order to wake up on time each morning, you’ll need to get enough sleep. Be sure to follow an evening routine.
Decide what time your morning routine is over.
What time do you need to leave the house to get to work, drop the kids off at school, or start working from home?
If you are a homeschool mom, pick a start time for your kid’s school.
And stay at home moms who don’t have a specific time to leave the house can pick a good time to finish the morning routine and move on with the day.
Having a stay at home mom schedule is really helpful for days when I have morning appointments, want to meet a friend, or run errands.
My kids and I are naturally ready in the mornings because we are all used to getting ready each morning. This saves us all a lot of stress on those days when we have to get out of the house!
So decide on the time you need to be finished with your morning.
Choose a wake up time.
Think about how much time each morning task will take and work your way backwards to pick a good time to wake up. You’ll probably find that you’ll end up waking earlier than you do already.
For example, if you need to be out the door at 7:30 and it takes 10 minutes to get shoes, jackets, and backpacks on and load up the car, that’s 7:20.
Let’s say it takes 10 minutes to get the kids dressed, teeth brushed, and hair styled. That’s 7:10. Then it takes 10 minutes to eat breakfast, so you would need to get the kids up at 7:00.
Next, pick a time to wake up yourself. If you have trouble waking up before your kids in the morning, there are some things you can do to help. One of the best things you can do is go to bed earlier by following an evening routine.
If it takes you 20 minutes to shower, dress, and do your hair and makeup, you’ll need to get up at 6:40. But if you want to enjoy a cup of coffee and some journaling time for 15 minutes, you’ll need to wake up at 6:25.
But don’t stop there! You have to take into account the final step.
Add cushion time to each morning routine task.
You know that unexpected things will happen, so plan for them by adding in extra time. Especially with kids. Someone’s going to have a meltdown. A shoe is going to disappear. Someone will have to go to the bathroom as soon as everyone is loaded in the car.
It happens. It’s life.
Expect these things to happen by cushioning your time. If you only allow enough time for each task and not interruptions, you’ll run late, and end up rushing.
When everyone is rushed, it only makes everyone feel on edge and grumpy!
So let’s go back to the example from earlier. You need to be out the door by 7:30 and all your tasks added up mean you need to get the kids up at 6:45, but let’s add some cushion. Get them up at 6:20 or 6:30 instead.
Following a general plan for your morning will make your life and your family’s much easier! I hope this has been helpful as you create your morning routine.
Pin it for later!
