5 AM Productive Morning Routine 2024: 10 Ways To Increase Productivity In The New Year
If one of your goals is to be more productive and establish a good morning routine, then this is the blog post for you. One way we can get ourselves productive is by having a morning routine and, more importantly, a productive morning routine.
In this article
- How to start a morning routine
- How to create a morning routine that works for you
- 8 simple, healthy, easy and quick breakfast ideas
How to start a productive morning routine?
1. Prepare the night before
A good morning routine begins the night before. This is the time to tackle all the prep needed for the next day so you can have a stress and hassle-free morning. Begin by asking yourself what can you do tonight that will make your morning a lot easier. Depending on your routine this can be:
- Writing a to-do list
- Checking your calendar
- Laying your workout clothes
- Prepping breakfast
- Prepping your lunch if you going to work or will be out of the house for the day
- Packing kids lunches
- Laying out your outfit of the day
- Packing any bag needed
- Ironing clothes
- Setting your journal and/or book on the table so they are ready for you in the morning
- Setting your alarm
Next is to figure out your goals for tomorrow. What is it that you want to do, what you want to accomplish or how you want to feel? This could be:
- You want to complete a morning workout
- You want to eat a healthy breakfast to fuel your day because you get hungry in the early day
- You want to complete a big task you have been putting off
- You just want to spend 10 minutes to yourself just to pour in your cup and make you happy. This could be doing a meditation, reading a book, listening to a podcast, or journaling
- You want to take a walk and be with nature before your day begins
Whatever this could be, knowing this information helps by figuring out which morning routine ideas you can incorporate into your morning. This will tackle your needs and boost productivity.
2. Get a good night’s rest
Next is to get a good night’s rest. A good night’s rest sets the tone for a good morning routine. When you get the full required hours of sleep, you wake up energized, more likely to wake up early, and ready to take on the day. After you have completed your nighttime routine, wind down by dissociating yourself from your phone and other electronics, 30 minutes before bedtime. If you struggle to go to bed, I recommend you do a bedtime meditation to help you relax. Reading a book also helps.
3. Wake up at 5 AM.
To say the obvious – to have a successful 5 AM productive morning routine, wake at 5 AM. Setting a specific time to wake up every day establishes a rhythm with your body, which makes it easier to wake up in the morning. This plus getting a good night’s rest will set you up for success if performed consistently.
Waking up at 5 AM gives you more time to be productive, and complete tasks.
4. Set a system
Something I have learnt recently that will boost productivity is having a system. Having a system and automating creates consistency and consistency is the key to productivity. A system is a process of getting things done without chaos, confusion or procrastination. Practicing it more consistently becomes a habit and eventually comes naturally to you. this is where the automation comes in.
How do you do this exactly? Firstly, I believe creating a morning routine and putting it into action is a system. Performing these morning routine ideas will help you get into the flow of things and eventually into the goal of increased productivity. This is the reason why you are here and reading this blog post, and I am here to help.
Related: Top 5 Productivity Methods to Create Your Productivity System
5. Hydrate
Delay the coffee and begin your morning with a glass of water. I go into more detail in my blog post 5 benefits of drinking water first thing in the morning. Staying hydrated first thing in the morning is essential after hours of sleep and no drinking of water. Your body is most likely dehydrated and needs to hydrate to properly function.
6. Set your intention for the day
Setting your intention for the day is simply an aim or purpose, something you plan to do or achieve. It lets you focus on exactly what you want out of your day. This is highly productive. Set out 3 intentions for the day so you cannot overwhelm yourself and make sure it gets done.
7. Look at the calendar
Check your calendar for what tasks need to be done today, any meetings that need to be attended and errands that need to be completed. Doing so increases your productivity because it lets you stay on top of things, and doesn’t let you miss anything.
S.P Richards said it best: “A calendar comes to the rescue by providing structure and organization. It helps you create a routine and set specific goals for each day, week, or month. By visualizing your objectives and breaking them down into actionable steps, you can maintain focus, stay motivated, and track your progress.”
8. Do the biggest task first
The big task you have been dreading of doing. Yeah, the one you thinking about right now. Do it first thing in the morning. It should be your priority on your to-do list. Leaving it for another time creates procrastination. Procrastination creates stress which leaves you unproductive, and that’s not your goal.
Write down two big tasks you need to tackle for the day. Keep it to two tasks so you don’t overwhelm yourself.
9. Perform a morning workout
Exercising makes us happier, more energetic and smarter. All three of these points are linked to productivity. Exercising also improves concentration and lower stress levels. You don’t need a gym membership to get all these benefits. If you do then great! You can perform home workouts from YouTube.
5 YouTube fitness channels to check for home workouts that I love:
- Sarah’s Day
- Growingannanas
- Caroline Given
- PopFitness
- Madfit
10. Spend time with your loved ones
I feel like this is one most people tend to forget and leave off the list but I thought I should put it in because it’s one of the most important. I know we all chasing money and success but time with your loved ones is something that can never be traded. This is especially true if you are someone who values love, connections and family. Spending time with your loved ones is also an energy booster. Time with our true love and connection makes us happier, reduces stress and boosts our energy. We know this helps with productivity. There are various ways of how you can do this:
- Petting your pet and taking them out on a morning walk
- Calling your parents and checking up on them
- Sending a good morning text to a loved one
- Hug and kiss your partner
- Morning chats with your kids
- Sending something funny on the family group chat
- Taking a morning walk with your partner or exercising together
- We meet up for coffee at a local café and just chat
When doing these make sure you are fully present and actively listen. Put down your phone and switch it off if you can. This goes a long way if you want to bond and spend quality time.
11. Perform a 10-minute meditation
Practising at least 10 minutes of mindfulness in the morning can increase productivity. How? Well, firstly mindfulness is the practice of being present in the current moment without judgement or distractions. Doing 10 minutes of this in your morning routine will help us reduce stress and burnout which increases productivity.
Practice this in a quiet space to avoid noise and distractions. I would also recommend not doing it on top of your bed as this practice is so peaceful and relaxing that you will want to go back to bed. Rather lay a yoga mat on the floor.
12. Journaling
Starting your day by journaling will let you anchor your focus and prioritize tasks. What I love about journaling as helping you be productive lets you define goals and tracks your progress.
Answer these journal prompts for productivity:
- What are my top 3 goals for 2024?
- What steps can I take to reach my goals?
- Where is most of my time going?
- What new skills do I need to develop?
- What are my top 3 areas for improvement?
Related: journal prompts for productivity
14. Eat a healthy breakfast
Don’t underestimate the power of a good healthy breakfast. Fuel your body with a nutritious breakfast to energise your body and brain to give it all it needs to perform to its highest potential.