The Best Productive 5 am Morning Routine

Do you feel like your mornings are always chaos or that you end up wasting your time online even though you want to put your mornings to good use? In that case, you need a morning routine. Having a solid plan of what you will do in the morning will help you start your day off right. Follow my 5 am morning routine to get more structure in your days and to reach your goals faster!

Before we get to the actual morning routine, I just want to say that you always have to know what exactly you want to achieve and what would benefit you and your growth the most. Feel free to adjust this morning routine to your needs and make changes whenever you feel like you might benefit from something new or if something isn’t working.

And now, without further ado, let’s get to my productive 5 am morning routine!

1. Drink something

Science doesn’t really back up the claims about the importance of drinking water right when you wake up. However, even if it doesn’t make a difference in staying hydrated or losing weight, drinking something can help you wake up faster and feel more ready for the day.

My drink of choice is lemon water, since it both tastes amazing and makes me feel more energized. I recommend you give it a try or drink something else that works for you.

2. Go for a walk

Going for a walk early in the morning can be a magical experience and it’s an easy way to organize your thoughts and pump yourself for the day. Not to mention that walking is a good form of exercise.

Start going on short walks right after you wake up. If you have any problem or idea to think about, this is a good time to come up with some new solutions.

3. Say affirmations

Affirmations are an excellent way to start your day and set your mind in the right mood. Whether you’re feeling lazy or discouraged, they can help you start believing in yourself and feel motivated to get started on your work.

Use one or a couple of affirmations that feel powerful to you and align with your goals and values. If you are looking to find new affirmations, you can find them here: 42 Energizing Morning Affirmations for Women.

4. Productive time

At this point, you are finally ready to actually do something productive. Whether you want to work on your side hustle or you’re planning on writing a bestseller, this is the best time of the day to focus on something difficult. It’s still quiet and you’re full of energy.

It’s important that you don’t give in to any distractions. Don’t check your phone or multitask. Just work on whatever you need to work on for as long as you have time.

Related article: 16 Effective Tips on How to Start Your Day Productively

5. Journaling

After working for at least an hour or so, you might be in need of a bit of a break. One beneficial thing to do every morning is to journal. Take 10 or 15 minutes to write freely in your journal.

This will help you to figure things out if you have some problems to solve or if you’re not sure what action you should take. It will also help you to empty your mind so that you can focus on your work.

6. Light exercise

You already went for a walk, but adding some more light exercise to your day doesn’t hurt. You can do some yoga or simply a couple of sets of jumping jacks or pushups.

It’s important to take some time to move your body throughout the day. If your work includes a lot of sitting or you’re a student, taking a few minutes here and there to take care of your body will be both beneficial and refreshing.

7. Breakfast

There is no such thing as the most important meal of the day, but eating a good breakfast before you go to work or start tackling your to-do list can make a big difference.

People often only drink a cup of coffee or eat something like cereal or a slice of bread for breakfast. This can work for some, but I encourage you to eat more than that to make sure that you have enough energy till lunch.

You could even try to eat something that you usually have for lunch. This can make a big difference in how you feel in the morning and how easy it is for you to focus on your work.

8. Get ready for work

Finally, it’s time to get ready for work. If you want to get ready fast and spend as little time on this part of your day as possible, prioritize what matters and make sure that you prepare everything you can the night before.

Setting work clothes aside and preparing your lunch (or even breakfast) beforehand can save you precious time when you are heading to work.

If you still have time…

After doing all of this, you might still have some time to spare. Maybe you don’t even have to go to work or you work from home. If you have time to add a few more things to your morning routine, I suggest you pick something from this list:

Write a to-do list for the day

I love to-do lists, they make life so much easier. If you don’t normally do this, I suggest you start writing a daily to-do list every morning to make it easier to get everything done.

Study session

If there is anything you want to learn, whether it’s coding or calligraphy, try to fit a study session into your morning. This way you’ll make faster progress and you’ll feel more accomplished.

Read self-help books

There is a lot to learn about yourself and how to improve your life. Reading a chapter or two in a self-help book every morning can help you change your life, but it will also make you more motivated to tackle the day’s challenges.

Meditation

If you are stressed or you have a lot in your mind, meditation can help. Try fitting even a 5-minute session into your busy morning and see how much it changes. If meditation isn’t your thing, even a short moment where you just sit or lay down and relax can help a lot.

Make a smoothie

Smoothies are awesome! Make one a couple of hours after breakfast and you’ll get your daily vitamins in and an energy boost.

Clean your desk

It’s easier to be productive and focus on the thing at hand when your workspace is clean and tidy. Make it a habit to clean your desk every morning before you start working.

Final thoughts on 5 am morning routine

What do your mornings look like? Have you already started to get up at 5 am? What are your thoughts? Share your experiences in the comments and don’t forget to share this post!

And in case you’d like some more ideas on how to make your mornings more productive, I’ve got a good list here!

After you’ve got your morning routine covered, why not create a productive night routine as well?