How I Created a Morning Routine That Doesn’t Stress Me Out (5 Simple Habits)
Feeling stressed before your feet even hit the floor? Here's how I transformed my chaotic mornings with 5 simple habits—no green juice or time blocking required.
I used to wake up already stressed. Before I even opened my eyes, my brain was spinning on all of the things I needed to do.
I would press snooze a bunch of times, wake up at the last possible second, scroll through my phone (even though I didn't really have time for this), fly through my morning ablutions, and torpedo out of the house at top speed, shovelling a granola bar into my mouth while I commuted to work. All this while panicking about being behind.
No wonder I felt like a mess.
The way you start your morning sets the tone for your entire day. I learned that the hard way.
It took me a long time (too long!) to realize that starting my day this way only led me to feeling crazy stressed out, ALL day long. Something had to change. So I changed it.
The person I was 10 years ago probably wouldn't even recognize the person I am today. These days I am usually up by 5am, and I have a solid routine that brings me so much peace and alignment at the start of my day.
I will admit, when I was new to the world of “morning routines,” I was a bit skeptical. Getting up at 5am? Working out, journaling, meditating? Only a crazy person would do that.
Now before you start saying "I'm a night person, I'm never getting up at 5am"—I see you. I was always a night owl too, and you don't need to become a morning person to benefit from these habits.
You don’t have to force yourself into a 6am routine just because the internet said so. Your brain has its own natural rhythm—what matters most is how you start your day, not when. These 5 habits can be shifted to fit your timing.
Whether your day starts at 6am or 10am, these are the 5 things I do to reduce stress and ground myself—no green juice or time blocking required.
1. Take a moment before you get out of bed
Flying out of your bed starts your day on defense; it doesn’t give you any time to get your mind right. This doesn’t have to be long—just a few minutes for either some deep breathing, a quick mental gratitude list, or just a moment of being present.
Give your brain a chance to catch up and create a practice where you look for pockets of peace in your day. This allows you to ground yourself—before your feet even hit the floor.
Now if you want to do a meditation or yoga nidra, go for it! But if you’re like “lady, I don’t have the damn time,” I totally get it. Do what you can. What you can actually manage to do every day will be the things you can do sustainably, which are the only kind that bring lasting results.
2. Drink Water
When you wake up, you are crazy dehydrated. Drinking water when you wake up can help reduce stress by combating dehydration, which can exacerbate stress hormone levels and negatively impact cognitive function.
When dehydrated, your body releases more cortisol, the stress hormone, and your brain may not function optimally. Staying hydrated can help regulate these stress responses and improve mood.
Aim for about 16–20 ounces (2–2.5 cups) soon after waking. Add some lemon if you’re fancy.
3. Get Yourself Some Morning Light
Sunlight exposure, especially in the morning, is crucial because it helps regulate the body's natural sleep-wake cycle (circadian rhythm) and boosts mood and alertness.
This synchronization with your natural sleep-wake cycle helps you feel sleepy at the right time in the evening, leading to better sleep at night, which in turn reduces stress and improves overall well-being.
This doesn’t mean it has to be sunny either—just going outside for 10–30 minutes is all you need. If you’re like me though, and sometimes you’re getting up before the sun, then a Happy Light of 10,000 LUX or more will also do the trick. I like to take my doggo for a walk first thing, but sitting on a patio works too.
You need good sleep to feel refreshed and to have a better morning, so this all loops together.
4. Add in Some Movement
This doesn’t have to be running a 5K or doing an hour of weights. This can be a few minutes of pushups, burpees or air squats while your coffee brews.
Movement snacks (short bursts of physical activity) have been shown to reduce stress by increasing endorphins, promoting relaxation, and improving mood—which turns out to be a convenient way to incorporate physical activity into a busy schedule, with the bonus of offering benefits similar to longer workouts.
Plus, you can always scale up if you get into it. I do 20–40 minutes a morning these days, but I started with just 5. No special clothes, no big time commitment.
5. Hold off on your phone for one hour
For the very first hour of your day, don’t touch your phone. This gives your mind a chance to take a break from 24/7 news feeds, social media updates, and listen to your own thoughts instead of those of everyone else.
On average, a person consumes an estimated 74 gigabytes of information daily—roughly equivalent to watching 16 movies. The average person spends over 5 hours a day on their phone. That’s a lot for your brain to handle, and it can have some negative impacts.
Excessive phone use can significantly increase stress and anxiety levels. The constant stream of notifications, fear of missing out (FOMO), and the pressure to stay connected can trigger a stress response, releasing cortisol and contributing to feelings of anxiety and unrest.
This can also lead to psychological dependency, where individuals experience withdrawal-like symptoms when separated from their phones.
By taking a conscious digital detox in the morning, you set yourself on a good foot. This bookends well with a nightly phone break of one hour before you go to sleep.
BONUS TIP: Luck favours the prepared
Do everything you can do the night before: pack lunches, get the coffee ready, pick your outfit. The more friction you remove from your morning, the more everything flows—and feels way less stressful.
Think of it as your past, night-self, looking out for your present, morning-self.
For years, I thought I just wasn’t a morning person. Turns out—I just didn’t know how to start my day.
You don’t need to block out tons of time for this either. Keep it short and simple, and scale only when and if you feel ready. The biggest hurdle will be biting off more than you can chew.
If your mornings feel chaotic, then it’s time for a change. These 5 small shifts helped me turn mornings from something I dreaded to something I could enjoy.
I was totally in your camp and admiring your post, until… burpees?!!!! I can’t think of a better way to ruin the day than burpee’s. Have you been talking to Kyle?
Amazing. Liked. Saved.