My Morning Routine: 7 Simple Things I Do Before 9 AM

Why Morning Routines Matter in 2025

Have you ever felt stuck when trying to plan your day? I’ve been there too, and here’s what helped. The way you start your day determines what your day will be like.

A well-planned morning routine can boost your energy, and focus, and build momentum, leading to a more productive day.

With the demands of life constantly increasing, having a well-planned morning routine can be the difference between feeling confused and feeling in control.

In 2025, the important thing to productivity will lie in planning the morning hours, ensuring that you can handle your tasks with energy, clarity, and purpose. If you’re a morning person like me, you can accomplish a lot in those first few hours when you’re fresh and able to think clearly.

Having a morning routine is essential for success. You won’t have to wake up confused and not even know where to start. Before having one, I used to wake up late and always feel tired and directionless.

When you have a morning routine, it creates a sense of structure that encourages productivity throughout the day. You can never go wrong with a morning routine

In this article, I’ll share how I start my day. 7 things I do before 8.30 and honestly, they have changed my life. You too can try.

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Wake up at 5.30 AM

To make sure I wake up at 5:30, I usually go to bed early the previous night, not later than 10 PM. I set my alarm and place my phone away from my bedside table so that when it goes off, I have to get up to turn it off. If it’s within reach, you’ll be tempted to turn it off and go back to sleep. Learn this trick from me! 

If you struggle with waking up on time, I highly recommend using something like the Buffbee Sound Machine & Alarm Clock. It helps you fall asleep peacefully with white noise and wakes you up gently with soft lighting and sound

But with time, your brain will adapt, and you’ll start waking up before the alarm. Also, avoid checking your phone first thing in the morning, it’s a distraction. I used to check social media in the morning, and it would consume my time. The next time I checked the clock, it would already be almost 6:30 AM.

Make my Bed

The first thing I do is make my bed and tidy up the place. I honestly hate untidy spaces, I can’t focus in such an environment. I fold my clothes and put them in my wardrobe. Once everything is clean, I feel relieved and ready to start my day.

I start my day with a word of prayer. I go on my knees beside my bed and thank God for a new day. I pray for strength for the day. I pray for my mom and my grandmother.

Then, it’s time to tidy myself up. I brush my teeth, wash my face, and apply moisturizer. This makes me feel good and helps me start my day with a clear state of mind. This takes around 10–15 minutes, so by then, it’s already 5:45 AM.

Exercise & Morning Stretch

I quickly change into my workout outfit, which I usually keep within easy reach. I have planned exercises for each day. You can do exercises such as:

     1. Jump rope-This cordless digital jump rope tracks your time and calories without tangling.

     2. Jogging in place, I love using this compact foldable treadmill when I can’t go outside.

     3. Walking

     4. Squats-These resistance bands add the perfect tension to my lower body workouts.

     5.  Push-ups

Exercise helps with circulation, boosts my mood, and helps my concentration too. If you are okay with an intense workout in the morning, then you can go for it. Some days I just like to stretch and do some yoga to wake up my body. This extra-thick yoga mat gives amazing support during stretches.

If you prefer to walk outside and breathe the fresh air, you can do it too. But this mostly depends on the season. During winter, I do all my exercises indoors, while in summer, I can go outside.

Hydrate

After whichever exercise I was doing that day, I fill up my water bottle with water. At this point, I am dehydrated from the workout. I just like sitting down and sipping my water slowly.

With or without workouts in the morning, our bodies wake up dehydrated, so you should make it a habit every morning to help hydrate your body and flush out toxins.

This small shift made a huge difference. If you’re wondering what else might be silently ruining your mornings, check out this post on bad morning habits. I had to unlearn a few myself

I like plain water, but some days, I mix it with lemon, honey, or chia seeds to help with digestion. Starting your day with proper hydration helps you focus, boosts your energy, and overall well-being. By now it’s already 6.00 am.

Morning Shower and Skin Care

At this point, I am sweaty from the workout, and the only thing on my mind is to jump in the shower. I like taking my time in the shower, from my face to my feet. Opt for lukewarm water to avoid drying out your skin. I start by washing with soap, then rinse myself with a shower gel. It just feels so good—I’m all fresh now.

After showering, I follow a simple skincare routine:

1. Cleanse – I wash my face with a gentle cleanser to remove overnight oil and excess sweat.

2. Tone – I apply a toner to balance my skin’s pH.

3. Moisturize –I use a lightweight moisturizer suited to my skin type.

4. Sunscreen – Finally, I apply  SPF even indoors to protect my skin from UV rays.

Taking care of your skin in the morning leaves you feeling fresh, confident, and ready to take on the day.

This little skincare ritual is part of my broader self-care practice. If you’re looking for more ideas to prioritize yourself, here are simple self-care habits you’ll love.

I then dress up for the day, even if I work from home, it boosts my morale.

By the time I am done, the time is around 6.30. 

JOURNALING

I love this part of my routine. Does journaling excite you? I sit down, take my journaling book, and just reflect on my life. It takes about 25 minutes. I write down these things in my journal:

1. I write down 3 things I am grateful for that day to shift my mind to positivity. You can check out this gratitude journal that I really love.
2. Daily Intentions – I set 3 key goals to guide my day with purpose.
3. Self-Reflection – I track progress on habits, mood, or personal growth.
4. Self-Reflection – Track progress on habits, mood, or personal growth.

Lately, I’ve also started adding positive affirmations to my journal. Speaking life over yourself is powerful. You can grab some beautiful inspiration from these morning affirmations that I use too.

Even just 5–10 minutes of journaling can make a big difference in how you approach the rest of your day. I like to light a morning candle and sip tea from my go-to mug while journaling.

After journaling, I take out my bible and read some verses that will guide me throughout the day. I love the verse in Jeremiah 29:11, which reminds me of God’s plan for my life. Reading the Bible in the morning can bring peace and motivate you. You can choose a verse every day to meditate on.

Sometimes, I also include a few minutes of mindful meditation right after journaling. It’s helped me clear my mind and stay present instead of rushing through the day.

By the time I’m done journaling, it’s already 7.

Plan My Workday

Before you start your day or any work, it’s good to plan your day ahead to know exactly what you’re supposed to do throughout the day. This helps you stay focused and productive at the same time.

You can do this by:

1. Review Your Tasks – Look at your to-do list or planner to see what needs to be done.
2. Prioritize the Top 3 – Identify the three most important tasks for the day.
3. Set Time Blocks – Allocate time for each task to avoid distractions.
4. Organize Your Workspace – A clean and clutter-free space boosts focus, that is, if you work from home like I do.
5. Check for Meetings or Deadlines – Make sure you’re prepared for scheduled work to avoid missing important deadlines

By setting clear goals, you’ll feel more in control and ready to start your workday with confidence. I do this for 30 minutes just to relax, cause I still have time before starting work.

Do my most Important Task

I always prioritize this early in the morning because that is the time my brain is most active. Given that I work from home, I check my client’s email to see the work I am supposed to do for the day, which is usually a small task that takes less than 30 minutes.

It mostly involves posting on social media pages. I then check my Pinterest account to see the progress. After that, I review my blog, publish any pending posts, and write a new one, just like I am doing today. And that’s all.

By completing your most important task early, you build momentum and set yourself up for a productive day. Also, I get to relax in the evening, watch a movie maybe, or just go for a walk.

By the time I’m done with my most important task, it’s already 8.30, and I start preparing my breakfast for the rest of the day.

Conclusion: Morning Routine

That’s my morning routine. It is not always the same, but I try to be consistent. Some days, you may feel like you don’t want to do it, but you have to push yourself.

To be honest, I started noticing changes in my life when I committed to following this morning routine. I’m lucky that I work from home and have all these hours to myself. 

I know some of you have to report to work early in the morning, around 5:30, and don’t get as much time to yourself. But guess what? Even 10 minutes can make a difference. You can plan and wake up a little earlier. Even just 2 minutes of stretching or journaling is enough.

You can try my morning routine and see how it works for you, or create one that aligns with your goals. Give yourself time in the morning before giving it to others—you deserve it.

Wishing you all the best in life! Have a great day.

If you found this helpful, don’t forget to share it with someone who wants to improve their mornings.