Even if you’ve only got 15 minutes for your morning routine there are lots of things that you can do to start the day feeling accomplished, productive, and ready to face what the day brings.
I’ve changed my morning routine a few times over the years. What once went well doesn’t necessarily work for your whole life therefore, in order to continue to start the day on your terms, it may be necessary to change things up.
As we move into a new season, with the weather getting warmer and the mornings brighter, perhaps now is that time. If you don’t currently have a productive morning routine, perhaps now is time to start one.
The following morning routine ideas can take between 5 and 15 minutes and some can be done together, giving you the option to get things done no matter how little time you have.
9 Ideas for Your 15 Minute Morning Routine
Movement
It’s good to get moving in the morning, taking away stiffness and waking the body up, getting the blood flowing. You don’t have to do an hour in the gym though. All these can be done in 15 minutes or less.
- Yoga or Tai Chi
Movement in the morning doesn’t have to be vigorous. A 5 to 15-minute gentle yoga flow can wake you up whilst giving you the satisfaction that you have taken care of your body. The added bonus? This can also be a good mindfulness practice.
- Walk or Run
Now that the mornings are lighter – even though they don’t seem to be warmer – taking a walk as the sun comes up is a lovely way to start the day. If getting ready to go out so early seems an effort, I once read about someone who would go to bed in their running gear so that there was no excuse. That’s possibly not for everyone…but the walk or run can also incorporate some learning, which we’ll come to later.
- Body Weight Exercises
Fancy something a bit more rigorous? Press-ups, sit-ups, squats, mountain climbers – you can do all of these without the need for any other equipment.
Creativity
It is said that being creative can help with things like problem solving, confidence and even improvements in quality of life including a reduction in stress and anxiety. What better time, then, than first thing in the morning to set yourself up for a stress-free day.
- Draw
If you love to draw then the morning could be the time to do this. You don’t have to be “good” at it or even show it to anyone. This is more about letting your mind experiment with new ideas and feelings.
- Write
Be it your next novel, book of poetry or just journaling your thoughts, writing is said to be “thinking” and “to write well is to think clearly”. Developing a writing habit can therefore set you up for a fruitful day and get any niggling thoughts out of your head, allowing you to address the day with a clear mind.
- Make Something
Start knitting your next winter scarf, make a birthday card for a friend, or make a collage of photos to hang on your wall. Who knows – maybe this could turn into a side hustle and earn a bit of extra cash.
Learning
Even if you only have 15 minutes you can fit some learning in. It doesn’t have to be deep detailed learning such as for a degree or MBA. Learning about things outside of your usual areas of expertise can contribute to conversations or new points of view.
- Read a book
The morning is the perfect time to read. It’s low energy and could even be done in bed. Who doesn’t love the idea of being productive whilst lying in bed? However, for you to get the most out of this learning time, you need to be able to highlight or make notes for you to review later, so make sure you have a notebook, sticky notes or pencil to hand, or make the most of the highlighter function in the Kindle app.
- Listen to an audiobook
Another one that can be done in bed but can also be done whilst walking, drawing, colouring, knitting. Similarly, listening to a podcast or Youtube video whilst doing other tasks is a great way to fit learning in and start the day with a sense of achievement.
- Do an online course
As learning online is very different to being face to face, many online courses break down content into smaller videos or sections, which makes bitesize learning much easier. Find a course that piques your interest, fits into your area of expertise or will provide options for future job moves.
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Have you changed your morning routine recently? What would you like to be able to do? Share in the comments below.
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Until next time, remember, if the excess baggage is weighing you down, you can always leave it in lost luggage.
Best wishes,
Ear Worm: In the Morning, Razorlight
The Redhead Resolve 