Productive Morning Routine Ideas for 2022

Mornings are tough, whether it’s because of dark winter hours or a late night the evening before, getting up and going can be tough. If you’re trying to make the transition to a more productive morning routine, you will probably discover various obstacles and setbacks. But these can be overcome! 


Habits are formed over a period of 28 days and making gradual changes over time is more sustainable than doing it all in one go - don’t lose motivation! Here are some morning routine ideas for you to introduce to help make your mornings more productive.


1. Make a Plan

One of the best ways to ensure your day starts off on the right side of the bed is to make a plan for the following morning. Before you go to bed, prepare for the following day by looking over your schedule and making a plan for how you want the morning to pan out. Doing so will ensure that you have a good structure for your morning and will help to keep you on track.  


Everyone’s morning looks different to them but where possible, try to incorporate something you like into your routine. You might want to make extra time for some morning yoga or meditation, stop off at your favourite coffee shop on your way to work (with your Greens Steel tumbler in hand), or make sure to eat your favourite breakfast. Adding something you enjoy to your morning routine is a reward for your efforts and will give you an added boost of motivation to hop out of bed and jumpstart your day.

2. Get some natural light

Natural daylight is important for your body’s circadium rhythm - the internal process that regulates your sleep-wake cycle. As the sun sets, your body is told to start winding down and get ready for sleep whereas when the sun rises, your body begins to wake up. 


Allowing the daylight to wake you up naturally is significantly less jarring than a loud, sudden alarm and is thought to help you feel more refreshed and well-rested. Leave a curtain open to allow natural light to stream into your room as the sun rises or make an effort to venture outside to soak up some rays before starting with your day. 

Alternatively, you could invest in a daylight alarm clock - a clock designed to wake you up with light instead of (or as well as) a traditional alarm.

3. Get your blood pumping

Getting your blood flowing early in the morning is another way to physically tell your body it’s time to wake up. Incorporating physical activity into your morning routine will help you feel alert and ready for the day more quickly.  

For some, a morning commute will probably do the trick - try biking to work, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. These simple changes will get your day started and give you an early morning boost of energy.

If you work from home and your commute is 20 steps to your desk, try some jumping jacks before setting up at your computer, or take a walk to your local coffee shop to grab your favourite coffee before settling in for a day of work.

4. Log off

Blue light is detrimental to your ability to sleep well and unfortunately, our phones, laptops and TVs give off a lot of blue light. To get the most restful night’s sleep possible, turn off your devices for at least an hour before heading to bed. You might want to invest in a pair of blue light blocking glasses to wear while you use screens but it’s still best to switch off to let your mind wind down before sleeping. 

Instead of using screens right before you go to sleep, try reading a book, listening to music or a podcast, or doing some meditation and you might find yourself feeling sleepy pretty quickly and resting more peacefully.

5. Don’t sleep in

Many of us look forward to weekends or days off and the ability to sleep in a bit longer than normal. However, if you’re trying to establish a more productive morning routine, it’s actually better to continue getting up at the same time each day, even during weekends and time off. Doing so will help to regulate that all-important circadium rhythm and help you feel more alert in the mornings, ensuring better productivity.

Instead of sleeping in on your day off, set your alarm and get up as usual to avoid feeling so tired during the day. Our circadian rhythm thrives off of consistency, so try to stay on track with your sleep schedule even on the weekends.

6. Hydrate

The first instinct upon waking up tired might be to grab a cup of coffee, but actually, drinking water will help to ensure you feel more alert. We often wake up dehydrated due to going 8+ hours without drinking any water and, if you snore or breathe through your mouth, this can cause dehydration as well.  

Before you eat or drink anything in the morning, drink a glass or water to help kick start your metabolism and ensure your brain and bodily functions work properly. You might find it beneficial to keep a bottle of water by your bed too, but instead of plastic or open cups that can get dutsy, grab a Greens Steel reusable stainless steel water bottle instead to keep your water cool and refreshing all night.  

Establishing a new routine can take some work but it doesn’t need to be gruelling. We hope this morning routine checklist has helped you establish some new habits. Looking for more? Browse the Greens Steel blog for plenty of inspiration and information into being more eco-friendly with your bottle and coffee cup choices.


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