"If you’re a wellness or corporate girly, you’re no stranger to morning routines. Your feeds are flooded with the GRWM for my 9-5 or the “my 5-9 before my 9-5” trends. I personally love these videos because they’re #aesthetic and they give me ideas for what I can incorporate into my own morning routine to optimize my day and life.
However, sometimes I wish I could get a breakdown of the different components so that I could pick and choose what makes the most sense for me.
After listening to hundreds of podcasts, reading blogs, and watching thousands of morning routine videos, I’ve compiled the different components of a successful woman’s morning routine so you can create one that works for you.
Let’s dive into the 10 things successful women do before 9am.
1. They prepare the night before
Technically the night before is before 9am the next morning. Successful women know that the less they have to decide in the morning, the better their days are going to go and the more energy they’ll have for bigger decisions.
Set out your clothes the night prior and if you’re heading to a morning or after-work workout make sure your gym clothes are ready to go, too. Take it a step further by getting your water bottle ready for the morning and making sure you have your snacks and lunch ready, as well as your breakfast ingredients organized ahead of time.
On top of ensuring items are in place, I like to review my calendar the day before so that I know what I am walking into the next day, this way I know in advance if I need to get up a little earlier or have more time for my morning walk.
2. They don’t waste time
Kiss the snooze button goodbye. Successful women know that snoozing will only make you more tired and feel less productive. Try putting your phone away from your bed or investing in an alarm clock that is placed in a spot that forces you to physically leave your bed to turn off.
Remember, you set this alarm at this time for a reason, it’s important to respect yourself enough to honor that and get your morning started on the right foot.
3. They hydrate
WATER. Upon waking up, it’s extremely important to drink a glass of water to rehydrate after your long night’s sleep (you know, #science!). Hydrating with water before your morning jolt of caffeine can help you feel more energized throughout the day and be a mini act of self-care first thing after waking up.
4. They focus
One of the most critical things successful women implement in the morning is reviewing their goals and intentions. The morning is a great time to ground yourself and remind yourself what you are ultimately going after.
Consider creating a note in your phone of your goals or using post-it notes to stick your affirmations on your mirror to reframe your thinking while you get ready for the day. Habit trackers are another way to ensure you are staying on track. Consider reviewing a tracker each morning that outlines different habits or goals you are trying to achieve, mark what you tackled the day prior, and set intentions for the day ahead.
For work, take a look at what is on the list for today and remind yourself of the larger career goals you are going after in order to propel you into a successful day ahead.
5. They move
This is no surprise, but moving your body in the morning prior to your work day is key. It can feel overwhelming for some based on your schedule, so remember that moving can be as simple as taking a short walk or stretching! While getting to the gym to lift or doing an online pilates class would of course be great, a little movement also goes a long way.
Bonus points if you habit stack and listen to a meditation or podcast while you move.
6. They breathe in the fresh air
Successful women don’t forget to stop and smell the roses. In the morning, it’s important to get fresh air. Specifically, in the non-winter months, prioritize getting outside even if it is just for a minute of vitamin D and a few deep breaths.
This is a game changer to boost your mood and clear your mind for a productive day ahead.
7. They practice good energy
This is the fun part. I’m a big believer that how you decide to face the day is how it will go. So start your morning off with a positive attitude and mindset. This will look different for everyone, but this could mean listening to your favorite playlist, journaling on your current dreams and aspirations, listening to a podcast that inspires you or helps you grow, meditating on your future self, or being present in the day.
Again, this will change for everyone—maybe you just want to dance around your house to Camp Rock (just me?). Just ensure you’re choosing to feel lucky and uplifted in the morning so that the day can unfold for you and not to you.
8. They take care of themselves and their space
Successful women make their beds. They clean their breakfast dishes. They don’t skimp on their skincare routine. Make sure you are incorporating the practices that make YOU feel your best. Maybe it’s a lymphatic face massage, dry brushing, a cold shower—maybe it’s none of those things.
Find what self-care practices work for you, and implement them into your daily routine as you get ready.
9. They keep it simple
Of course, doing all of these things each day would be amazing! But we don’t all have 4 hours to do every single self-care thing we can find on the internet.
After years of trying to do the PERFECT routine, I realized that for me, incorporating just one or two of these things daily is what works best. Some days I’ll do more than others, and that’s okay too. Life ebbs and flows and the best way to stay on track is to adjust with it, giving yourself grace as you navigate the different seasons of your life.
If you don’t know where to start, try doing one of these things for a month and see where that leaves you.
10. They keep it fun
While it could be great to be someone that wakes up at 4:00 AM and hits the gym for leg day, meditates for an hour, then eats a large breakfast, and so on and so forth—we can’t do it all, and we don’t have to. As you’re crafting your own morning routine, remember to do it in a way that makes sense for YOU. It should light your life up, rather than drag you down. It won’t always be easy, but it shouldn’t be something you absolutely dread. So give yourself some grace, and incorporate just a few positive items into your morning to be the successful woman you know you’re meant to be.