How I built a morning routine for success
photo by Matthias Thrijsen from unsplash
It will come as a great surprise to everyone that they have a morning routine. Not every morning routine helps you live out the kind of life that you want because it wasn’t intentionally crafted.
But the good news is you can consciously create a personalized morning routine that works for you. I used to download morning routines from the internet that people posted to adopt as my own, with really no success, as it soon became a meaningless to-do list, until I made one small shift in how I view morning routines.
In this post, you will discover the same system I use to build a successful morning routine.
Benefits of a morning routine
Here are some reasons why an intentional morning routine is beneficial:
Improved moods and reduced stress
Reduces decision fatigue.
Increases sense of control and accomplishment at the start of the day.
Encourages consistent sleep/wake cycles, which improves overall sleep quality
Creates time to get active
Creating time to connect with yourself
A calmer, more prepared version of yourself
Focus on your goals before distractions appear.
The system
Stacking inside out system
Redefine what success means or looks like for you.
Success might look different for everyone. And no amount of external success can replace personal failure. When I say personal failure here, I mean a betrayal of yourself that occurs when you go against your own values, desires, or sense of purpose to please others or meet external expectations.
In other words, you need to work from the inside out, because who you become internally determines what you produce externally.
Before you create a morning routine, you need time to ask yourself, “What does a successful life look like for me?”
Here are some more questions you can reflect on to help you define what success looks like for you:
What does a fulfilling and meaningful day look like for me?
Which values or qualities do I want to embody in my daily actions?
What achievements or experiences truly matter to me, regardless of outside opinions?
Taking time to answer one or two questions can help you shape a personal definition of success that resonates with you. And a morning routine is an instrument for a better life, and not the other way around.
Wake-up time
A consistent wake-up time is foundational. Research indicates that regular wake times reduce mortality risk, aid in managing body fat, improve mood stability, and combat insomnia.
Everyone's schedule is different, so you will have to choose a waking time that works best for you. If you're not sure where to start, try shifting your wake-up time by just 15 minutes earlier for a few days.
This small, achievable step can help your body adjust gradually and make it much easier for you to stick with a new routine.
I choose to wake up at 4 am because of the nature of my work and also because it tends to be quieter, or at least that's what I tell myself. But that gives me 2 hours to myself before I start doing the things I am obligated to do.
Your wake-up time could still not change, but now eliminate the things you usually do that don’t align with the life you want. For example, many people start their mornings by checking their phones, scrolling through social media, snoozing their alarms multiple times, checking the news, or turning on the TV.
While these habits might feel comforting, they can easily set a distracted or rushed tone for your day. Instead, try to identify the specific morning habits that drain your energy or attention, and gradually replace them with activities that support your goals and well-being.
finding your “one thing.”
I have come to understand that while some things change in your life as you grow, other things need to remain unchanged.
After defining what success looks like for you, picture yourself as a small, empty box with a lot of things around it: the things you do regularly (use your phone, watch TV, work, spend time with others, etc.). And now you need to fill the box, but start with the most important thing.
For example, I ask myself, “If there is only one thing I could do today, what would that be?”
For me, my spiritual life (relationship with God) is the most important thing. I have come to realize that where humans fail, including myself, God never fails. Again, you can’t account for how you go to sleep and wake up, find yourself in really difficult situations, and all of a sudden, help appears.
Not to talk of the Ultimate sacrifice on the cross for our sins. So it is only right to make my relationship with the Father the first thing I nurture when I wake.
Of course, the most important thing in your own morning might look different. For some people, that core focus could be journaling, exercise, meditation, or setting intentions for the day.
The key is to identify what matters most to you and make it a centerpiece of your morning routine. This way, your morning truly supports the life you want to create.
The next thing: Journaling
Your morning routine is not a checklist, and it should never feel like one.
I work from the deepest parts of myself outward. I think many things can influence our actions throughout the day if we do not take time to evaluate where they are coming from or at least prepare ourselves for them. Most of us can agree that we are more reactive than proactive.
The ideal way to approach the next moment, the day, and life in general is with a calm mind that includes a way to check impressions before they enter our minds, as a check-in attendant checks the guest list at an event to ensure only authorized guests enter.
I also use this time to remind myself of what is in my control and what is not. And that doesn't come naturally to everyone, but can be cultivated. It can be cultivated through journaling, meditation, and/or silence.
The next thing: Learning
Reading has many benefits, physical, mental, and emotional, including reduced stress, improved brain connectivity, and enhanced empathy. It boosts vocabulary, sharpens memory, prevents cognitive decline, and provides deep relaxation by lowering heart rate and muscle tension.
There is a saying I grew up with:
“I’m always learning something. Learning never ends.” — Raymond Carver
I used to think it meant I would have to go to school forever, and I didn’t really like it then. But growing up, I came to understand that learning doesn’t have to come from a traditional schooling system.
And this simple action has exposed me to many ideas and practical guides for living a better life.
flexibility
While a consistent wake-up time is recommended for better sleep quality, it is important to recognize that everyone’s lifestyle is different. Some family obligations, inconsistent work schedules, or other responsibilities make it hard to wake up at the same time every day.
In those cases, focusing on the moment before sleep, such as winding down and creating a restful environment, can still improve your sleep. Ultimately, routines should be flexible enough to fit your real life, and not the other way around.
Life is unpredictable, which is something I remind myself of. Life will happen, and there are days when you won't have time to do everything in your morning routine, and that's okay.
Just focus on the moment and go after what needs to be done, personally, when I find myself in a situation where, say, I wake up 1 hour and 30 minutes late, I default to my “one thing,” the most important of all.
Ideally, I never want to have a day when I don’t do at least one of these things. Before I face the day.
Here’s what my routine looks like
You will see some supporting activities in my routing that were not mentioned above, and I will explain why they are included here.
Wake up at 04:00 am on weekdays and weekends vary.
Brush my teeth and wash my face with cold water - gives an invigorating wake-up sensation.
50 push-ups and 20 sit-ups - Boosts energy and acts like a primer for my brain: like, “okay, we are awake now, get ready for action.”
Scripture and Prayer
Journal and a few minutes of silence(or not, depending on the situation)
Make Coffee
Read
Exercise
Physical exercise is important, but it comes last in my routine, because that’s when I get to leave my personal space.
Practical application
Define what success looks like for you.
Pick a wake-up time. If you're someone who usually wakes up right at the last minute, you might want to start by waking up just 10 to 15 minutes earlier.
Small, gradual adjustments like this add up over time and will help your new routine feel more manageable and less overwhelming. If that works for you, you can then increase the time as you get more comfortable. Remember, tiny steps are still progress when building new habits.
Pick your “one thing.”
Add your next thing to it: Repeat as many times as needed, but ideally, don’t overwhelm yourself in the morning. So the 1-3 main things that really make the difference are enough. Most importantly, remember that even making just one small change in your morning routine is a powerful step forward.
It's perfectly normal to start small. Every new habit, no matter how tiny, is valuable. Build gradually, and let yourself feel good about any progress you make each morning, no matter how simple.
Takeaway
Morning routines are important only if they are personal and fit with your lifestyle. Don’t worry if your routine is not like the to-do list you see on the internet, as long as the one you have serves your purpose.
Your routine should be strict yet flexible, adapting to the circumstances you find yourself in.
Start small. For example, do your “one thing” for a few weeks, then you move on to add the next thing, building a solid foundation.