Morning Routines Don’t Work for You? Try a Morning Menu Instead

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Morning routines are a bit like the unicorn of well-being. Get it right, and you set yourself up for the day ahead. Get it wrong (or skip it), and your whole day can feel off balance.  

And if you’re already burned out, the pressure to follow a strict routine only adds another layer of stress. This is why building a realistic morning routine that actually works for you and helps create small, sustainable habits that stick is so important. 

A morning menu can give you flexibility to choose the right tasks instead of following a strict schedule.

Most of the time, an “ideal morning” can seem completely out of reach. A menu-style morning can simplify everything. You still get intentional mornings, but without the expectation of perfection.  

If you’ve been trying to find the perfect morning routine but struggle to stick with it, this article can show you how a morning menu can make your mornings easier to manage. 

The Problem With Morning Routines

The internet is ripe with advice on the best way to start your day, most of it very ambitious. Ask the top life coaches or wealthiest business people, and they’ll happily reveal their regimented recipe for success.  

But for many people, rigid morning routines don’t work. Because we’re either too ambitious and wake up dreading our 3-hour-long regiment, or we’re just not up for it but know we’ll feel guilty for skipping it. Or, we might feel too anxious about how much is on our to-do list, and our hearts are just not in it. So what’s the solution?

The Morning Menu

The morning menu is a pretty simple concept. It’s a flexible way to approach the morning routine that gives you more choice and adaptability instead of going through the same rigid daily routine. 

You can make a list of feel-good choices that support your body and steady your mind. Each morning, you can pick from the list depending on how you feel. 

For example, on a high-energy morning, you might choose a workout, tidy or reset your space, and eat a nourishing breakfast. On a low-energy morning, you can trade a workout for a few minutes of slow breathing, gentle stretches, or get rest for another hour in bed.

This flexibility calms your nervous system and reduces morning stress. The main goal here is choosing a start to your day that matches your energy level and supports your body rather than exhausting it.

What to Put on Your Morning Menu

Nobody knows better than you what to put on your morning menu. But I can tell you that it should probably consist of activities you enjoy. It’s the only way to make it sustainable. If you put a bunch of items on there that you’re not interested in or find boring, you won’t stick with it.

For me, the winning combo is having a mixture of things that I enjoy and that will benefit me. The idea with morning routines is to set you up for the day. So doing things that bring you joy and help bring your mind and body into focus are always winners in my book.

Mind 

• Take a few deep breath
• Meditate
• Journal (dump thoughts, use prompts, or morning pages)
• Plan your day
• Read something calming 
• Write a gratitude list
• Write a list of things you’re proud of yourself for

Body  

• Yoga/morning stretch
• Go for a walk in nature
• Move your body
• Go for a swim
• Dance (The Fitness Marshall has some fun dance workout videos)
• Go rollerskating

Joy  

• Hug your pet
• Make a special breakfast treat
• A skincare routine – apply your favorite oils and creams 
• Play a feel-good song
• Watch a short funny videos 
• Do something playful for 5 minutes (doodle, color, or baking)

I could go on and on, but you get the picture.

You’ll notice I’ve added a few things here that aren’t typical of a morning routine, like reading or rollerskating. The reason for that is, why the heck not? If you enjoy reading but tend not to prioritize it, why not give yourself 30 minutes in the morning to catch up on a chapter of your book? 

The same goes for rollerskating. What better way than to start the day nourishing our inner child? 

Whatever you decide to include on your list, I’d recommend choosing something each day that will nourish your mind and one form of movement. 

And this approach doesn’t only make your mornings enjoyable—it can also help you get organized for success in the new year by building consistent, intentional habits that sets the tone of the days ahead.

Set a Time Limit

Decide on the amount of time you’d like to spend on your morning routine, then all you have to do is decide what you’d like to do each morning. Keep it within your allocated time frame, but don’t worry about timing each activity. That way, you’re sure to start work on time but still have the freedom to embrace your natural desires from moment to moment. 

Each item can be as long or as short as you’d like. A yoga session doesn’t have to take up a whole hour. You can do 10mn of stretching and still reap the benefits.

Going for a walk can mean a quick stroll around the block to get some morning light on your face (great for the circadian rhythm).

Start With a To-Do List

If you’re someone who struggles with anxiety at the thought of everything you have to do that day and usually jumps straight into work because you wouldn’t dream of delaying it any longer, morning routines can be a challenge. 

I totally get it. How are you supposed to be fully present with anything from your morning menu if all you can think about is the long to-do list looming on the horizon?

My advice to you is to start your morning routine by making a to-do list. Seeing it all written down in front of you will help relieve some stress because you’ve got a plan. It also allows you to stop worrying that you might forget something. 

Keep the list nearby when you’re getting on with the rest of your morning routine, so you can add items that pop up in your mind. There’s nothing worse than a nagging thought while you’re in the middle of a downward dog. Commit it to paper and carry on with your poses. 

Consistency is Key

Morning routines aren’t another excuse to feel guilty over what you did or didn’t do or how well you did it. The whole point is for it to make you feel good.

Having said that, creating change in our life does require consistency. Often it requires choosing the hard thing over the easy thing. A new morning routine is like building a new habit: it will feel more and more natural over time until you don’t even think about it.

If you have to skip your morning routine because you simply don’t have time that day, or you’re away, or not feeling 100%, that is okay. Life happens. Listening to your body counts as a win. 

What matters is what you do most of the time, not what you do all the time. So skip it when you need to, and then return to it. 

How to Build a Morning Menu That You’ll Actually Stick To

Before getting started, take a look at these tips that can help you make sure that your manu actually works for you. 

Choose Activities You Enjoy

The morning menu only works when you make it feel enjoyable and not forced. When your morning rituals bring you joy, your brain associates it with reward rather than a chore, keeping it simple to follow every day.  

Keep Options Limited (5-10 Max)

Overloading yourself with too many choices can overwhelm your mind, which can turn your flexible morning routine into decision-making. Try to limit your list to 5-10 meaningful activities. This keeps your menu easy to use, practice, and realistic, so each morning you can make a supportive choice without mentally exhausting yourself. 

Rotate Seasonally 

With the changing season and weather, your energy changes as well, and your morning menu should adapt accordingly. Swap morning jogs for gentle stretches or treadmill sessions when it’s rainy or cold outside, or switch from warm herbal teas in the morning to iced herbal infusion during hot months. Rotating activities seasonally keeps your routine feeling new and aligned with natural rhythm. 

Remove Guilt 

The morning menu isn’t a tool to increase productivity or feel guilty when skipping a routine. Missing a task doesn’t mean you’re slacking off and being unproductive. Allow yourself to do things that work best for you in the morning. When you let go of the guilt, your routine better supports you instead of pressuring you.    

To get more ideas on building restorative routines, check out 5 Routines to Reset Your Life & Mindset to complement your morning menu. 

Build a Consistent Morning Routine Without Being Rigid 

Remember, your morning routine should fit you—so set it up your way. Don’t just add something on the list out of “I should” guild. Assess it first, and include it only if it adds real value. 

No, successful morning routines don’t require you to wake up at 5 am (unless you want to). Just like an actual food menu, all you need are a few items that will nourish you for the day ahead, so you can give and feel your best.

You can also explore Wellness Planner and Journal as a tool to help you guide your flow and build a wellness routine that serves you every day.