I’m a firm believer that mornings set the tone. Get them right, and the rest of the day follows suit. But if you’re waking up sluggish, scattered, or glued to your phone before your feet hit the floor, you’re not setting yourself up to win. That’s because your brain latches onto emotional cues you give it first thing in the morning.
The Good news? There are plenty of other things you can be doing to set yourself up for a productive day. Don’t worry this post isn’t about how you need to get up at 5am in the morning or cramming in a dozen tasks before sunrise. I’m not about that life either. This is about building a routine that works for you and your lifestyle.
Here are 12 simple, effective things you can do each morning to take charge of your day.
1. Prep the Night before
Honestly, I don’t always remember to prep the night before, but every time I skip it, I always regret it. A few simple steps before bed make your mornings so much smoother.
Here’s what I do:
- I set out a bottle of water on my desk.
- I lay out my workout clothes and any equipment I’ll need.
- I chose my outfit for the next day.
That’s it. Pretty basic, but it saves me time and decision fatigue when I’m not fully awake yet.
Your version will no doubt be different. Maybe you pack your lunch, prep breakfast, or jot down your top priorities for the next day. I personally create my weekly to-do list on Sundays, but if I need to adjust anything, I leave space to do that in the morning.
Bottom line: give your future self a head start. Even 5 minutes of prep at night pays off the next day.
2. Get Enough Sleep (Seriously)
Going to bed early and getting a good night’s sleep isn’t just for kids. Our bodies need rest in order to function, but it’s often overlooked despite how much it impacts our mental health and overall well being.
Lack of sleep is linked to anxiety, depression, irritability, and emotional instability. Most adults need 7 to 9 hours a night. I’ve learned I need at least 7 to feel human, and since I wake up at 6 a.m., I aim to be in bed by 10 or 11 p.m. There’s no faster way to ruin my day than when I wake up feeling like I haven’t gotten enough sleep. So try setting a consistent sleep schedule. I promise you if you’re getting enough sleep it will be so much easier for you to get up in the mornings as you will feel well rested.
3. Get up when your alarm goes off
Ah, the snooze button. How many of us have fallen victim to its call over the years? Too many to count. But seriously, train yourself to get up when your alarm goes off. It helps build discipline.
Every time I hit snooze and drift back to sleep, I end up feeling worse than I did when I first got up. I used to think that’s crazy. I’ve been sleeping for hours. Turns out hitting snooze often sends you into a new sleep cycle, and waking up mid-cycle especially during deep sleep can leave you feeling exhausted.
If you need help try looking into some sleep apps that help regulate your wake times based on your sleep stages. I don’t personally use them (just not a big app person), but they’re worth checking out if you want some help timing your wake-up more effectively.
4. Make your bed
Want to Build Better Habits? Start by tidying up your bed in the morning.
Making your bed is a simple task that you can complete first thing in the morning that can help set the tone for how your day will go. You’re probably thinking, How is making my bed supposed to affect my entire day?
Lets not underestimate the power of small seemingly insignificant actions.
As author Charles Duhigg describes in The Power of Habit, bed-making is what he calls a “keystone habit.” These are small routines that spark other positive behaviors, like tidying your space, eating better, or staying more focused at work. It’s a small win that helps to build momentum, discipline and consistency.
It also helps you to get started on cleaning up your room for the day. Cleanliness plays a big role in mental health as clutter can increase stress, reduce focus, and contribute to feelings of overwhelm. Starting with your bed is a simple way to support both your productivity and your mental clarity.
5. Expose yourself to natural light
Open the curtains, step onto your porch, or sit by a sunny window. I usually use this time to journal and plan my day while sitting in my backyard so I’m killing two birds with one stone.
Why does it matter?
Morning sunlight exposure has real benefits:
- It helps regulate your circadian rhythm (your natural sleep-wake cycle)
- It can boost your mood by increasing serotonin levels
- It supports vitamin D production, which is key for bone health, immunity, and overall well-being
I personally aim for about 10–30 minutes of morning sun, depending on the season and how strong the sunlight is. Your skin tone, location, and time of year all play a role, so I strongly recommend checking with your doctor first.
In fact, it was my own doctor who encouraged me to do this after testing my vitamin D levels and it’s now part of my morning routine.
6. Stay Hydrated
Think about it: you’ve been asleep for 6 to 9 hours. That’s a long time without water. Even mild dehydration can affect your energy, focus and mood.
Water plays a huge role in how we function. It boosts metabolism, flushes out toxins, supports digestion, and improves brain function so we shouldn’t be skipping this step in our morning routine.
I’ll admit I’m not the biggest fan of drinking plain water, especially not in the morning. I’d much rather have a cup of coffee but water is the best for replacing fluids. A few slices of lemon or cucumber makes a lot of difference for me. Mint, ginger, or even a pinch of salt can work too. Just to be clear, I’m talking about everyday hydration here, not post workout or post illness rehydration. That’s a different story.
7. Get Moving
We all know exercise is good for us, but it’s not easy for everyone to find the time or motivation to get started. I started exercising six years ago, but prior to that I always had an excuse.
I don’t have time. I don’t have space. I don’t know where to start.
What finally pushed me into action was learning how important it is to start before age 30. Why? Because after 30, your body naturally starts to lose muscle mass through a process called sarcopenia. Your muscles build most efficiently in your late teens and 20s, so starting earlier helps build a stronger foundation for healthy aging.
What other benefits are there to exercising in the morning, you ask?
Great Question! Here’s what moving your body in the morning actually does for you:
- Boosts your energy naturally
- Improves focus and mood by increasing feel-good chemicals like dopamine and serotonin
- Regulates your metabolism and supports better blood sugar levels throughout the day
- Builds consistency. You’re less likely to skip a workout if it’s already done by 9 a.m. Take it with me.
Take it from me: when I first started, I knew realistically I wasn’t going to jump into anything too intense. I needed a way to slowly warm myself up to the idea of exercising in the morning. So what did I do? I started warming up for just 5 minutes every morning (see what I did there?)
I did this for two months before it became part of my routine and only then did I decide to take it up a notch.
So if you’re like me and constantly making excuses not to get started, don’t go all in right away. Start slow. Even 10–15 minutes can make a huge difference.
8. Take a shower
Let me start by saying this: I know the popular advice is to take cold showers in the morning. But that doesn’t work for everyone, myself included. Some people can’t handle cold water due to joint pain, and others just straight-up hate the idea of a morning shower. There are so many ways to be productive in the morning. If showering doesn’t feel like one of them for you, feel free to skip it.
Personally, I start every day with a warm shower. Sorry, no cold plunges for me (unless it’s a hot summer night and I need to cool down). There’s just something about feeling clean and refreshed that instantly shifts my mindset into “let’s go” mode.
And at night? I love that cool, fresh feeling when I slip under the sheets after a bath. A quick shower can be surprisingly energizing in the morning or calming after a long, draining day of work.
9. Read something or journal
I started journaling as a way to document my life and it’s become one of my favorite parts of the morning. It gives me space to unload my thoughts, track how I’m feeling and jot down what’s ahead for the day.
In the mornings, I also read my Bible and take time to pray. It really helps me feel grounded before the day begins. But if that’s not your thing, you could try meditating, reading a book, or simply sitting in silence for a few minutes. The point is to check in with yourself before your day really start to get going.
10. Resist the Urge to Pick up your phone
Looking at your phone right after waking up takes time out of your day that you could be using more productively. That “quick scroll” often becomes 30+ minutes of lost time.
I’ve also noticed it makes it harder for me to get started on my tasks. Suddenly I’m no longer energized and feleling like I can take on the day. Instead I just want to keep scrolling or listening to another video. That’s why one of the most important things I do in the morning is resist the urge to grab my phone. I know how easily it can derail my entire day.
I also noticed it makes it harder for me to get started on my tasks. All of a sudden I no longer feel energized and just want to continue scrolling or listening to another video. So one of the most important things for me in the morning is to make sure I resist the urge to pick up my phone as I already know it will derail my whole day.
If you’ve experienced this too, I highly recommend reading this article from MIBLUEDAILY for more info: Why You Should Stop Checking Your Phone First Thing in the Morning
11. Review your goals or to-do list
You don’t have to plan your entire day in detail (I certainly don’t), but it’s usually a good idea to have some sense of what needs to be done. It adds structure to your day and helps you stay focused on what matters.
I personally use a physical planner because I love writing my tasks down, but there are so many ways to do this. Some people like digital calendars for time-blocking, while others use tools like Asana or Todoist to organize their tasks.
If you prefer a printable option, I’ve included a free daily planning template below. Try it out and see if this method works for you.
12. Tackle one hard thing first
Mark Twain once said, “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.”
In other words? Do the hard stuff first. The stuff you dread. The thing you keep pushing off.
I used to start my day with the simpler tasks, thinking that would help me build momentum. But what really happened? I’d spend all my energy on the easy stuff, and by the time I got to the harder, more draining tasks, I was mentally checked out. So I’d push them off to the next day and the cycle would continue.
This is one of my favorite quotes as it’s what led to me switching things up and tackling the hardest task first, while my mind was fresh. While my days haven’t been completely transformed at least I know I’ve checked the hardest tasks off my list and it frees up my mind for the rest of the day.
Final Thoughts
It’s important to also let you know not to go overboard with adding too much to your to-do list as this can lead to burnout or procrastination and you’ll likely be discouraged from starting if you have a long list.
With that being said. Let’s get into it.
You don’t need to do everything on this list. That’s not the point. The goal is to find what fits you and build from there. Even one solid habit can make your mornings feel more intentional and some structure to your day.
What do you do in the mornings to feel more focused, productive, or just a little more in control of your day?
