My hope is that you do not feel overwhelmed by this routine, but rather that these ideas will inspire you to try and incorporate a few key habits into your morning for the chance to reconnect with yourself, and to start your day relaxed. Remember,

you by no means need to all or even any of these.

life happens. it is very unlikely that every day will look like this (if yours does i’m jealous).

So, with that, I hope you’re able to find a balance between not feeling overwhelmed having too much to do (aka letting go of what you *should be doing* - as prescribed by everyone else), and still finding that sacred time to incorporate some key habits and rituals that reflect how you want to be spending your time, and what serves you best.

While an obvious part of anyone’s morning routine, here I’m specifically referring to how you wake up. If you’re anything like me, you’ve been caught hitting snooze multiple times, even after telling yourself the night before that you absolutely would not. 

The unfortunate reality is that going back to sleep after your alarm goes off can actually increase your level of tiredness and make you feel drowsy, because you don’t have the opportunity to fall back into a deep sleep and instead each time you snooze you dip in and out of a surface level sleep.

The more you snooze, the more confused your body and brain become (“ummm are we getting up or not?”), and the more unsettled your internal clock becomes (especially if each day you’re getting up at a different time). 

Tips for a better wake-up: 

Set your alarm for the same time every day.

Be realistic in your wake-up time. If you’re trying to start getting up earlier, consider shifting the time slowly, moving it 5-15 minutes earlier every 2-3 days to give your body time to adjust. 

Wake up when your alarm goes off. You need to associate the sound of your alarm with waking up, or your body will begin to ignore it. 

Use the time you would have spent snoozing to cultivate a ritual or routine you’re really excited about. 

Set your alarm clock out of reach, either across the room or in a different room. 

If you hate the sound of your alarm, change it up every month or so! Consider using a song that excites you, or getting an alarm clock like this Philips Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock which simulates the sunrise (this is especially helpful if it’s winter, the days are longer and/or you need to get up before the actual sun rises). 

Ensure your phone isn’t nearby! Scrolling your phone first thing in the morning is the worst form of early morning self-sabotage.  

After being asleep for (ideally) 8 hours, your body needs to be hydrated!

It’s no wonder we wake up feeling tired and lacking energy, when we’re completely dehydrated. I keep a glass of water by my bed so I can take a few moments to drink it before I leave my bedroom.

This is a non-negotiable for me.

I love the sense of control and peace I get when I can complete a simple task like making my bed first thing in the morning. Making your bed is shown to kick start a chain reaction of organization and focus, helping you to increase your productivity and complete more tasks, because you feel accomplished for having already completed a simple win! 

My current facial routine includes a 1-minute wash, which was something I learned from Celeste Thomas of The True Spoon blog as a simple tip for clearer skin.

Set a timer and take the full minute to wash your face; starting by wetting your face with warm water to open your pores, then (after turning the water off) using your face wash of choice to lather in all areas of your face. notice where you spend the most time naturally; are there any areas you’ve been neglecting? Once the minute is up, splash your face with cold water to close off the pores again.

After the one minute wash, I put on some hyaluronic acid (as was recommended to me by a skincare professional last time I got a facial), and allow it to soak in while I brush my teeth. Next is an acne spot gel, and once that’s soaked in, a facial moisturizing cream. The skincare routine you choose to implement should really be unique to your skin type, which is why I don’t want to give any specific recommendations!

Instead, I’d recommend doing some research online, and/or seeing a dermatologist or other skincare expert who can truly take a look at your skin and let you know what you need. 

This routine can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. Other options might include a jade roller and/ or gua sha tool, a facial oil, toner, or face mask. The purpose of this part of my morning routine is to show my skin a little self-love early on, and to give some time for the products to set in before I do my makeup. 

After 8 hours of sleep, it’s common to wake up feeling stiff, and implementing a simple stretching routine is an absolute game-changer. 

Stretching is an amazing way to connect with and increase awareness of your body, feel into any areas of tension and release them, help with any pain and/or injuries (as well as preventing new ones), and just overall helping you to feel good. Seriously - take note of how you feel before and after this practise and you will be amazed at the differences. It’s kind of addicting.  

I find 10 minutes to be the perfect sweet spot, but obviously it’s important to make this routine your own! One of my favourite guided stretches is this one by Yoga with Kassandra. 

Cultivating my own meditation practise has become increasingly important to me in recent months, especially after becoming a Certified Meditation Teacher! Starting your day with 10-15 minutes of intentional breathing, focus, and clarity is a great way to set a positive, calm tone for the entire day.

When we wake up and check our notifications, texts, or emails, we’re immediately plunged into our to-do lists, and can feel stress and overwhelm immediately.

If instead, you put meditation first, you’re starting your day in a state of relaxation, peace, and happiness, which can carry throughout the day, long after you end the practise. 

Resources: 

Hoame, the Toronto Meditation Studio (which is where I took my teacher training) is hosting free live meditations daily on their Instagram page!

How to guide a metta (loving kindness) meditation (blog post)

10 minute meditation for overcoming obstacles with Deepak Chopra  (YouTube video)

Shift to a mindset of gratitude (YouTube video)

10% happier by Dan Harris (Book). P.s. I wrote my key tips and takeaways of the book in this blog, if you’re interested!

I love the comfort of a warm morning drink, especially when sipped slowly while going over my goals for the day, and writing some gratitudes or morning pages. Although most days this drink is still coffee, I like to alternate my morning cup with drinks like green tea or matcha, a turmeric latte, or Foursigmatic’s mushroom cacao with cordyceps. YUM. 

P.s if you order the matcha or turmeric adaptogenic blend from Lake and Oak, you can use the code sustainablebliss for 15% off your order! And you’re supporting a local Toronto company. 💛

I love a good smoothie in the morning to boost my energy levels and provide me with some complex carbs for my workout. Everyone’s body is totally different so take this with a grain of salt and listen to your own body, but I need something light in my stomach before I go to workout, or I get lightheaded.

A smoothie like this spinach and avocado green smoothie is the perfect thing for me to make and drink before I head to the gym. 

I love to vary my workouts so this could include anything from taking a class at the local gym, going on a run or a walk while listening to a podcast, taking a yoga class, or following along with some at-home workout videos!

My favourite at home videos include: 

Yoga with Kassandra | I often use her stretching videos; my favourites are this 10 minute morning full-body stretch and this 10 minute slow full body flow stretch

Yoga with Adriene | My favourites include this 11 minute morning yoga practice and this 12 minute bedtime yoga

Pamela Reif (Workout videos) | My favourites include this 20 minute full body workout, this 10 minute ab workout, and this 12 minute leg workout

MadFit (Workout videos) | Favourites include 2 in 1 abs and booty and this 20 minute full-body routine. She also has a full playlist of choreographed workouts to hit songs which are incredible but definitely a little trickier to follow along with. 

STRONG by Zumba (Choreographed workouts) | Favourites: 7 minutes to stronger abs + core, 7 minutes to stronger arms, chest, and back, and this 20 minute full-body