11 Perfect Morning Routine Tips And Tweaks For Overthinkers

A perfect morning routine can be the key to a successful and intentional day. For overthinkers, it’s essential to have a routine that sets the tone for the day and helps us to focus on what’s important.

By establishing some simple morning rituals, you can ease yourself into a productive daily routine in a more mindful way and avoid overthinking every little decision. Try incorporating some of these morning routine tips for a more relaxed — yet intentional — start to the day!

Text tips and tweaks for your perfect morning routine on white background over image of young black woman drinking from a glass while sitting at a breakfast.

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What Is A Perfect Morning Routine

Are you looking for a way to jumpstart your day and make the most of your time? If so, you’re not alone. A perfect morning routine is the start to a fantastic day. It can help reduce stress and anxiety by creating a more intentional approach to every day.

But what does a great daily morning routine look like? And how can you make yours more intentional? In this blog post, we’ll explore some ideas for creating a successful morning routine that will help you live your best life.

First, let’s start with the basics. I mentioned that a good morning routine can help you live a more intentional life. But… What does intentional living mean?

Intentional living is all about being purposeful in every aspect of your life. It means taking the time to think about your goals and values and making decisions based on those things.

For some, it might mean striving for more mindfulness in everything they do. For others, it could be a matter of carefully planning each day and week in advance.

When it comes to your ideal morning routine, intentional living means making sure that you’re doing things that align with your goals and values. This article is meant to give you ideas for how can you create a perfect morning routine that will help you live intentionally overall.

Benefits Of A Morning Routine

If you’re not a morning person, it can be tough to get out of bed and get started on your day. However, by implementing an effective morning routine, you can set yourself up for success and get the most out of your day.

Here are some of the benefits of having a morning routine:

One benefit of a daily morning routine is that it can help you to have a more productive day. Successful people know that when you have a routine, you know what you need to do each morning and you can start your day by accomplishing tasks. This can help you to feel organized and productive and get things done throughout the day.

Another benefit of an intentional morning routine is that it can help you to achieve your goals. When you do only the most important things, you are more likely to see progress in your life. This can help you find motivation to work toward your goals and accomplish more in life.

A morning routine can help reduce stress levels and promote a sense of calmness and well-being by beginning your day by doing things that make you happy.

This can help you to feel calm and relaxed instead of rushed, scattered, and stressed every morning. In turn, it’s easier to focus and concentrate.

A great morning routine can also have health benefits. When you have a routine, you are more likely to eat healthy foods and get enough exercise. This can help you to live a healthier life in general.

Additionally, when you take the time to focus on yourself in the morning, you’re setting the tone for the rest of the day and creating a sense of self-care.

Your Intentional Morning Begins At Night

A perfect morning routine actually begins by preparing the night before.

Don’t wait for the morning to decide what to wear, check over your child’s important school papers, and figure out the logistics of the day’s schedules.

Instead, spend a few minutes to review and prepare in the evening. You won’t feel as instantly stressed in the morning, and you’ll probably sleep better.

And speaking of sleep…

One of the most important pieces of any good morning routine is being well-rested.

This might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s often easier said than done. In our fast-paced world, it can be tempting to try to fit in as much as possible each day, even if that means sacrificing sleep. But this is a mistake, both for your physical and mental health.

Most adults need around 7-8 hours of sleep per night in order to function at their best. If you’re not getting enough sleep — and especially if you regularly practice revenge bedtime procrastination (yes, it’s a thing) — you’ll likely feel tired and sluggish from the moment you wake up.

So now we’ve got those *should do* things out of the way, let’s explore some morning routine ideas, tips, and tweaks that will set you up for a beautiful, intentional day.

By the end, you’ll hopefully have a better idea of how to structure your own perfect morning routine.

Things To Incorporate Into Your Morning Routine

Black woman wearing white shirt and sitting at table in sunny room to write in a daily planner.

1) Ditch the alarm

Sound shocking? A little crazy? Because how else would you wake up if not for your alarm?

I know this sounds kind of weird, but alarms with their sudden and loud tone can startle your mind and body. Do you really want to begin your day that way?

What you can do is train your body to wake up according to your internal clock. You can start with an alarm, and then gradually start to rely on yourself. I would suggest trying this on the weekends to begin with. 😉

Okay, so that might not work for everyone. Personally, I sometimes use this little alarm clock that’s super-easy to set and has a variety of alarm sounds and volume settings.

2) Make your bed

I know, I know… everyone says this. But… it works!

I used to be an adamant member of the refuse-to-make-the-bed club. But then one day a few years ago I took a few seconds to pull the covers up and it really changed everything about how I approached the day.

That’s why I include it in my super-short list of 4 simple habits to keep a clean and tidy home.

Just try it. If it doesn’t work for you, then let it go.

3) Say no to screens

Let me guess, you wake up and spend fifteen minutes to get updated on everyone’s lives on social media before you get out of bed?

Or, you turn on the television to the news or a talk show that focuses on the latest celebrity gossip or political hot topic?

Or, you’re ‘checking your phone’ constantly as you rush around trying to remember all the things you’re supposed to do before the day begins?

If yes, please stop doing that.

Mornings are meant for peace, and screens and gadgets can exhaust your eyes and mind. You already have a day ahead of you filled with screens, the least you can do is spare your eyes and mind the strain first thing in the morning.

Related: Why Unplugging From Technology Will Make Your Life Better

4) Practice gratitude

If you want to be positive and happy in life, then practicing gratitude is key! You can add this to your morning routine by writing down things you are grateful for today.

It really does get your mind in the right space to be more mindful and intentional as you go about your day.

=> Click here to grab a free set of gratitude journal prompts.

5) Have a positive talk with yourself

Don’t worry, no one will think you’re crazy.

Really, repeating motivational phrases as part of a positive daily routine (yes, out loud!) is a great idea to boost your confidence and self-esteem. It inspires you to go on, and to not give up no matter how hard the challenges are.

For even more positivity, pick up this set of 20 printable self-care affirmation quotes and scatter them around your home so you’ll see them often.

6) Set your personal style

Finding a complete outfit can be pretty difficult if your closet is crammed with so many clothes that they might fall on you or trip you.

To make choosing your clothes every day simple and stress-free, consider adopting a capsule-style wardrobe that works for YOU. The book ‘An Imperfect Wardrobe’ can help you learn how.

To make your morning routine even easier, spend some time on Sundays to plan and prep your outfits for the entire week.

7) Prioritize self-care for your mind and body

Young black woman wearing a botanical-pattern robe and drinking from a glass while sitting at a breakfast in a sunny room.

Nobody is saying you have to set aside two hours for a major workout and at-home spa treatment every day.

Sometimes it might mean throwing your hair up for the day and doing a few stretches and a few minutes of guided meditation. Follow that with grabbing a 5-minute shower (keep that hair up or wear a shower cap) even if you ‘don’t have time’ and have a tight project deadline.

I work from home and know this struggle — #nojudgement — but I can promise you’ll feel better about meeting the day after spending a little bit of time taking care of yourself.

And don’t forget to eat! Sure, a cup of coffee is delicious, but your body and brain will thank you if you also take in a healthy breakfast — or at the very least, eat something with protein and drink water.

8) Eliminate energy drains

To start your day off in an unstressed and energetic way, you have to eliminate the things that can exhaust you mentally or physically. This can include toxic people, who only waste your time and energy, or the high heels that you think are essential to wear every day for work.

And, yes, I know work itself is an energy drain for many people. However, this post isn’t about that… It’s about how to build a good morning routine that helps you deal with everything else you have to do during the day. 😉

Another common energy drain is all the little decisions we make every day. Streamline your routine into habits, which I discuss more in my post about how to combat decision fatigue.

9) Set your intentions and priorities

One of the best ways to create an intentional morning routine is to start by defining your priorities. What are the most important things in your life? What do you want to accomplish each day? Once you have a clear idea of your priorities, you can start creating a routine that aligns with them.

Don’t just do all. the. things. mindlessly, without a reason. That’s living in a purely reactionary way… and it’s exhausting.

If you normally feel overwhelmed with doing an immense number of chores every morning before the day really even begins, then it’s a good idea to re-prioritize.

Do a brain dump, then decide what important tasks you really NEED and WANT to do each morning. Which things make you feel better? Which things will make your day and your life easier? Is it time for others to take on some chores? Can you start some new, intentional routines as a family?

Use my free printable daily planner page to craft your daily plan with a focus on priority, positivity, and intention.

10) Get creative

Do your best to set aside at least 15 minutes to do something creative.

It could be reading or drawing or morning creative writing… whatever your favorite creative outlet is.

If you constantly say things like, ‘I would love to read more’ or, ‘I wish I could take better photos’ — yet you never seem to get around to it, then setting aside the time during your perfect morning routine will be an amazing gift to yourself.

11) Listen to music

Music has been shown to reduce stress levels and bring you peace. Thus, it’s not a bad idea to play some soft music to relax and enjoy peaceful mornings.

Or… throw in that old ’80s-era mixtape (even if it’s in a more current digital version) and really start your day well! 😉

How To Build A Morning Routine

Creating a perfect morning routine doesn’t happen overnight. New habits take time and dedication to find out what works best for you, but the benefits are worth it… even if you’re not a morning person.

When it comes to building a good morning ritual for yourself, there are no hard and fast rules. However, there are some simple steps that will help you design the perfect morning routine for your needs.

  • To get started, pick one task or activity and focus on implementing that before moving on to anything else. This might mean you begin with very simple tasks like drinking a glass of water or eating breakfast, but it’s an important step in getting your day off to a good start.
  • Wake up early enough to give yourself enough time to complete your routine. This time will probably expand naturally as you add your intentional tasks and activities. That’s is why it’s good to BUILD your perfect morning routine instead of jumping in 100% and then collapsing with exhaustion after a few days.
  • Another tip is to connect the motivations behind your routine to something you’re passionate about. When you’re able to see how your routine supports your larger goals and aspirations, it becomes a lot easier to stick to it — hence, being intentional.
  • Make sure that your morning routine is something that you enjoy and look forward to doing each day.

Note: Although I’m a morning person and actually like having an early morning routine, that doesn’t mean you HAVE to belong to the super-early, go-getter ‘miracle morning‘ club made popular by author Hal Elrod. You need to build a good routine that works for your daily life and energy levels.

By focusing on the activities that matter most to you and taking things one step at a time, you can create a morning routine that works for you and helps you get an amazing head start on a great day.

Related: Cozy Fall Morning Routine For Fall Motivation

Can A Morning Routine Change Your Life?

Overhead shot of blankets book candle and drink ready for a perfect morning routine.

There are a lot of different opinions on morning routines, with some people swearing by them and others thinking they’re a waste of time. However, there’s anecdotal evidence to suggest that having a good personal morning routine can change your life for the better.

Honestly, that depends on how committed you are to the process of creating your own perfect morning routine and making it an important part of your intentional life.

Morning routines can bring positive energy, peacefulness, and intention into your life, which means it’s easier to make healthier choices physically and mentally throughout the day.

Instead of rushing around and trying to do everything at once, you can take your time to ease into the day and get things done one step at a time. This can be especially helpful if you have a lot of things on your plate, as it can help you to stay organized and focused with less overthinking.

So, sure, a solid morning routine CAN change your life… if you’re willing to make the changes!

Inspiration and Resources for Goals, Routines, and Intentional Living

The Goal Journey Annual Goal Planner — This printable goal planner is designed to streamline your goal-setting process, allowing you to focus on one goal at a time and adapt as life evolves. Get the extra stuff out of your head, let go of the regrets and ‘should-dos,’ and start accomplishing the goals that really matter to YOU.

The Joy of Missing Out – Tanya Dalton

Try Audible Premium Plus — get up to 2 free audiobooks, plus access to meditation programs, affirmations, and more

Declutter Your Life: 6 Things to Purge for More Intentional Living

Printable Daily-Weekly-Monthly Planning Pages — set goals and create your own morning routine checklist

The ONE FOCUS Method

Living An Intentional Life: 7 Powerful Steps to Make It Happen

Concluding Thoughts On How To Have A Perfect Morning Routine

A perfect morning routine sets the tone for a successful day. It’s important to be intentional about how you spend your time in the morning and make sure that you are taking care of yourself both mentally and physically.

There are many different ways to create a perfect morning routine, but it all starts with being clear about what you want to achieve and then planning out your steps accordingly.

This list of tips was a great start, and you might want to add others that work well for you and your family. The important thing is to be intentional about what works best for the way YOU live so that each day can make the best start every. single. day.

Build Your Best Life.
You’ve got this!


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3 thoughts on “11 Perfect Morning Routine Tips And Tweaks For Overthinkers”

  1. Great post, Julie! I really needed to read this, and I love the tips to create a perfect morning routine. Especially about having no alarm… However, I do have an alarm on my phone that is set to harp music. I never get ‘startled’ from my sleep. However, with changes coming in my life, I think my internal clock will be getting a workout! 😉 I’m featuring you at Tuesday Turn About this week! Pinned!

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