The BEST 5AM Morning Routine That Changed My Life
Want to learn about the EXACT 5AM morning routine that pulled me out of a slump and brought me the closest I’ve ever been to my dream life? Here’s my daily routine between the hours of 5AM – 9AM 🙂
In May of 2023, I hit one of my lowest points. My sense of purpose was nowhere to be found. I lived life on autopilot – it was wake up, work, eat, sleep, repeat. My dreams felt the furthest they’ve ever been. I was in DIRE need of a reset.
Desperate to take back control of my life, I decided that I needed to resign from my days as a night owl and become a morning person. So many successful people boast that the early morning hours are key to their success. I wanted to build the healthy habits that I had neglected since starting a 9-5 and to work on passion projects that I felt like I never had time to. So I started to set my alarm clock for 5AM.
I’m not going to lie and say that this new routine of getting up at the crack of dawn was easy, because it wasn’t. It was exhausting to pull myself out of bed every morning, regardless of if I had gotten enough sleep the night before. Every day, I would force myself up by reminding myself that this was MY special time. The time that I get to focus on the things most important to me. And by doing so, these became some of my favorite hours of the day.
This post is all about my 5AM morning routine and the positive changes it’s had on my life!
P.S. I filmed a vlog taking you through my entire routine here if you want to watch 🙂
MY 5AM MORNING ROUTINE
Before we dive in, I wanted to preface this by saying that this is my IDEAL morning routine. It’s probably executed maybe 70% of the time? The reality is that I will adjust it based on other things that come up (I have an earlier meeting) or I just don’t have the discipline to complete everything on this list (aka hitting the snooze button one too many times).
A habit I’m still working on is ignoring my phone. My morning routine is my alone time, so I try my best to stay away from checking social media or notifications. This gives me extra time to engage with my own thoughts and begin my day with intention. However, I’m not perfect at it and there are days I end up forgoing parts of my routine because I spent time scrolling.
SO, with that being said – here is my 5am morning routine 🙂
1. Make coffee or tea
The first thing I do every morning is make myself a delicious cup of coffee or tea. This gets me out of bed every morning! I realized that if I started my morning routine with something I LOVE (ie. the smell of coffee), it would be way easier to get up. Plus, the caffeine gives me a nice little boost to my energy levels.
2. Read my morning vision
My morning vision is a document I’ve written that outlines my dream life. It includes everything from my career aspirations, what my leveled-up identity would look like, a list of personal affirmations, and a rulebook for how I want to live my life. Reading this every morning is SO good to remind myself of my purpose and where my ultimate focus should be in life. I truly believe that the key to living your dream reality is stepping into the identity of someone who has that life and acting as if. It’s during these wee hours of the morning that I really focus on transforming my mindset.
3. Write gratitude
I then spend some time writing a few lines of gratitude. This practice has helped me harness more positivity into my life and my stress levels in check. It’s a daily reminder of how far I’ve come and to be appreciative for all that I have, rather than focus on things I lack. Practicing this on a daily basis has allowed me to slow down and come back into the present.
4. Write my to-dos
For me, one of the best parts of having time in the morning is being able to plan my day. In this step, I list out all my to-dos and if necessary, break them into smaller actionable items. From there, I like to label each to-do by the amount of energy it takes me to do (high, medium, or low) and the type of energy (physical or mental). This gives me a good understanding of how I should plan out my day, as I typically like to do the highest energy type of work in the mornings, while I have the most willpower.
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5. Time-block my calendar
After I finish my to-do list, I take a few minutes to time-block my calendar. Using the energy levels to drive my decisions, I identify the best time to complete each task and put it into my calendar as blocks. This is a GREAT way to get control of your day. I used to try to check off my to-dos one by one without a plan. Now, I have a general schedule for how all these tasks will fit into my day. Time-blocking is a great habit that allows you to intertwine time management with energy management.
6. Work on my most important project
My best, most creative work is done in the mornings. It’s when my brainpower is fully charged from the night before and my mind hasn’t been scattered by multiple distractions throughout the day. I like to use any additional time after I finish planning to work on my passion projects, such as writing blog posts or editing YouTube videos. Incorporating these into my morning routine has been absolutely life-changing. Before, I would try to get to these things at the end of the day. Oftentimes, I would be too tired from working my 9-5 that I would never actually do the things that mattered to me. Scheduling them in the morning has made it so I can *actually* prioritize getting them done!
7. Exercise
Next, I change out of my PJs into workout clothes and get ready to exercise! Moving your body in the morning is SO good for both your mental and physical health. I’ve noticed that even a quick workout (~20 minutes of exercise) can really set me up for success the rest of the day. I feel way more alert, energized, and ready to tackle whatever might come my way. My workout routine consists of pilates, weightlifting, and walking.
8. Get ready
After working up a sweat, I hop in the shower and get ready. Taking time to do my skincare and makeup and pick out an outfit is a mental habit for me. It’s the major transition my brain needs from its resting state into productivity mode.
9. Hang out / walk and feed my dog
Can’t forget Milo in my morning routine! Taking care of his needs and spending time with him is the biggest serotonin boost ever. Studies have also shown that having some time outdoors is great for your mental health and gives you more energy!
10. Eat a quick breakfast
I’m not usually super hungry in the mornings, but I like having something in my stomach to fuel me for the day. My go-to breakfast is a cup of oatmeal and two scrambled eggs, but there are definitely days that I only have time to scarf a protein bar down. It really depends, but I typically eat a bigger brunch!
Establishing this morning routine has been the best thing I’ve ever done for myself. As the rest of the world has yet to awake, the early hours are the only time of the day when I have complete control of my day. 5AM wakeups allow me quiet time to set myself up for a great day and do my best work for my passion projects, undistracted.
In sharing this, I hope that I’ve given you some ideas on how to structure the perfect morning routine for yourself! Maybe I’ve convinced you to join the early risers club 😉
This post was all about my 5AM morning routine.