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 you might be all out of sorts for the day.

They’re also pretty tricky to get right. This article is for you if you’ve been trying to find the perfect morning routine but struggle to stick with it. 

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 many of us struggle to find the perfect morning routine. Either we’re 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. You make a list of things you enjoy / that would benefit you, and each morning you can take your pick.

This way of doing things allows for the ebbs and flows of life. When you’re tired, you can skip the workout and try a refreshing breath pattern.

Or if you didn’t get enough sleep, you can skip it and get an extra hour or two in bed! 

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.

Here are some ideas:

• Yoga/morning stretch

• Go for a walk in nature

• Take a few deep breaths

• Meditate

• Go rollerskating

• Hug your pet

• Journal

• Go for a swim

• Read 

• Move your body

• Make a special breakfast treat

• Dance (The Fitness Marshall has some fun dance workout videos)

• Plan your day

• A skincare routine – apply your favorite oils and creams 

• Write a gratitude list

• Write a list of things you’re proud of yourself for

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. 

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. 

Some Final Thoughts on Morning Menus

Remember, your morning routine has to work for you. You have all the power here. You can put whatever you want on your list. Don’t put something on there just because you think you should; first, assess whether it’ll benefit you. 

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.