How to Create a Morning Routine (10 Tips for Entrepreneurs!)

The 10-Step Process to Creating a Morning Routine that Brings Peace to a Business Owner’s Life

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Like many business owners, I understand the difficulty and time that comes with running a small business. For a long time, I couldn’t nail down a morning routine, because I’m not a morning person. How could I possibly create a morning routine when I feel useless when I wake up? At least, this was what I thought before I started one. Truth be told, I started developing my morning habits after reading The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod. The book got me hyped for waking up! If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it! 

While Hal Elrod inspired my waking up with a plan, I have modified it to make a morning routine that works for me. You might be imagining an intense morning with a 4 am wake-up and an immediate cold plunge. That’s not me. If that’s for you, that’s great! The point is, your morning routine should be yours. You don’t have to match anyone else’s idea of a miracle morning; you only have to make it work for you. Having said that, there are some steps involved in creating a routine that works just for you. 

Let’s learn how to create a morning routine that serves you and your business.

1. Outline the first hour.

One of the biggest problems with developing your own routine is trying to control the whole morning right off the bat. Instead of planning out several hours, consider how you might control your first 60 minutes. When you have nailed down your first hour, you are likely warmed up for the rest of the day! Call it your CEO warm-up. Your first hour should be spent getting your mindset right. 

What might your first hour look like? Determine what is most important to you for your very first waking hour of the day. Here are some ideas that you might implement:

• Go screen-free for the first hour.
• Skip out on emails, texts, and other communications.
• Spend time in the only silence you’ll get all day.
• Make time for actions that serve you, like planning, journaling, or meditation.

2. Wake up at the best time for you.

Many time management gurus, professionals, and motivational speakers will tell you that waking up any later than 4 am (or whatever time they deem appropriate) is unacceptable. Research shows that individuals have differing sleep needs – you can’t match your sleep patterns to another ‘s, expecting the same results they are getting. Rather than attempting to fit yourself into someone else’s morning routine, think about what you need and want. 

If you want to wake up at 5, you need to figure out what time is best for you to go to sleep. Personally, I know that I function best on 7 hours of sleep. I am also a light sleeper and wake many times throughout the night, so I have to account for an extra hour when I calculate my bedtime. What time do you want to wake up? What time do you need to go to sleep? Knowing your own body is vital to determining the morning routine for you. 

It’s also important to wake up at the same time every day. Weekends, too! I used to look forward to sleeping in on the weekends, but now I would hate to lose my solitude in the mornings! Plus, it is so much easier to continue waking up at the same time when I haven’t destroyed my sleep schedule on Saturday morning.

3. Implement movement, big or small.

Your morning routine doesn’t have to include a full-blown workout, but it is important to get your body moving. Whether it’s 5 minutes or an hour, getting your blood flowing makes all the difference in your mornings. You might be thinking, I thought this was my morning routine, I’m not interested in working out! Don’t get me wrong – I don’t expect anyone to incorporate punishment in physical form. Rather, do what you can.

Consider these ideas for your morning movement:

• 10 minutes of stretching
• A quick walk
• Dance to an upbeat song
• 15 minutes of calisthenics

10 minutes on this mini stepper

4. Intentionally feed your mind.

Here’s something to remember: you aren’t just leading a business; you’re leading yourself. To put your best foot forward, you have to be on top of your game (and your mindset). Spend a few minutes (at least) calibrating your mind, and you will be more prepared for a focused day. How can you do this? 

• Read one chapter of a development or skill-based book
• Journal about your goals and progress
• Listen to an educational podcast
• Watch an informational YouTube video

5. Eat well for energy.

Have you ever had a carb-loaded, heavy breakfast and felt ready to go back to sleep immediately after? That’s because carbs can make your blood sugar rise rapidly, followed by a drop and subsequent fatigue. So, if you want to have the energy to live out your new morning routine, you have to be conscious of what you’re eating. Since I am not a medical doctor, I cannot tell you exactly what you should eat. Everyone is different and different foods impact different bodies in different ways. (That was a lot of “different!”) 

While I can’t tell you what is best for you, there are a few things that might help your morning energy levels. A few of my favorites include:

• Whole grain toast with smashed avocado and eggs
• A high-protein green smoothie with bananas, berries, and chia seeds
• Oatmeal with blueberries, bananas, and peanut butter
• Greek yogurt with assorted fruits and nuts

6. Create a clear plan for the day.

You might be someone who likes to fly by the seat of their pants. Be spontaneous and unpredictable! If so, you may find that your business isn’t doing as well as it could. In your morning routine, you should determine what you’ll be getting done for the day. Don’t just craft a to-do list – that’s a habit I’m working on breaking myself. Busy doesn’t equal productive. Instead, you should prioritize, block out time, and get some clarity on your desired outcomes. 

This quick planning structure is something I’m trying out:

1. Name your Big Three. What three things will make today a win?
2. Lay out your focused time blocks. When are you most focused? Block out those times for focused work.
3. Avoid an overload of tasks. If your Big Three are broad, list two smaller tasks beneath them that will help you to achieve the win.

7. Create a morning routine with no excuses.

What prevents you from thriving in a morning routine? You have to make the process easy; when it’s easy, you’re more likely to do it. For instance, if a regular alarm doesn’t do the job, try a sunrise alarm clock to add light to the situation. Or, maybe your challenge comes with working out. Set your clothes out the night before. If you keep forgetting to journal, put your notebook next to the coffee maker. 

By making your morning routine simpler to adhere to, you’re more likely to actually keep up with it. Remove friction! Try these suggestions to make your morning easier:

• Pre-decide to eliminate decision fatigue. Have a breakfast schedule (or just eat the same thing every morning, if that doesn’t bother you), create a workout routine, or print out a journaling prompt list.
• Turn on Do Not Disturb on your phone.
• If you work from home, do your morning routine in a different space than your work area.

8. Do the parts requiring quiet first.

If you’re like me, you put off creating a morning routine for years because you have kids. Sometimes, my kids wake up and interrupt my morning routine, and it just doesn’t feel worth waking up early anymore. I’ve been there. So, I’ve rearranged my mornings to make sure the quiet things get done first. 

1. Prayer
2. Meditation
3. Read affirmations
4. Visualize hard work and success
5. Exercise
6. Read Bible
7. Journal
8. Read development
9. Plan the day while the coffee brews

Occasionally, my kids wake up during my exercise time. I can read with noise around – I’m used to it. However, if you need quiet to focus and read, you will want to rearrange your morning routine to match your needs. If you can’t journal when others are around, put that earlier in your schedule. Remember, the important part of creating a morning routine is to make it work for you.

9. Stack your morning habits if it isn’t sticking.

Some people can start a full routine as soon as they want, and it will stick. Others find it overwhelming and need some time to adjust. If you’re the latter, that’s okay! We’ll take a tip from one of my favorite books, Atomic Habits by James Clear.  

When you’re having trouble sticking to a new habit, stack it on top of something you already do. For example, if you want to start reading development books, do it alongside something that’s already a habit. Do you drink coffee every morning? Instead of scrolling social media, read a book with your coffee. Or, maybe you want to start washing your face first thing to wake you up. As soon as you’re done brushing your teeth (an existing habit), start washing your face (new habit). 

Here are a few additional habit stacking ideas for your new morning routine:

• After you turn off your alarm, do 5 minutes of stretching.
• After you fill your pet’s water bowl, drink 8 ounces of water yourself.
• After you eat breakfast, write down three things you’re grateful for.
• After you put away your journal, say your daily Big Three wins aloud.

10. Reflect on your morning routine regularly.

We change and grow regularly, so that means we must make alterations to our morning routines, just as much. What worked for you six months ago might not work any longer. So, put a time of reflection in your calendar. Some people find they need to make changes in their routine every three months, some go for 6, or even as long as a year. The point is, you must evaluate how your morning routine is working for you and if any changes need to be made. So, set a reminder to ask yourself these questions:

1. What is working?
2. What feels unnecessary?
3. What could be added?
4. What could be simplified?

These questions will help you to reflect on the morning routine you created and make adjustments as needed. There is no perfect morning routine for everyone, so remember to think about your individual needs and not what an internet guru says you must do.

Final Thoughts: Create a Morning Routine that Benefits You

Building a business is harder than most people think. Leading that business well requires even more energy, focus, and resilience. When you create a morning routine, you won’t magically fall into success or enlightenment. It won’t fix all of your problems. However, it will help you to develop the mental fortitude and edge to work better. That edge begins to add up as you continue to build upon your routine day after day. 

So, start small and be consistent. Your mornings are a launchpad for the rest of your day—don’t waste them. 
Do you need help building a morning routine to kickstart your day? Or, maybe you need a little extra motivation to keep going? Schedule a free consultation with Dr. Kristy Speciale, DBA.