Do you need motivation to get you started in the morning?
Morning motivators can help! These are habits that can make your morning routine a little easier so you can start your day on the right foot.
Healthy habits provide you clarity of mind, enthusiasm for the day ahead, and a boost of confidence to tackle your biggest tasks.
Want to be more prepared, organized, and excited to take on the day? Keep reading for some fun and doable morning routine motivators for moms who want successful mornings.
1.Remind yourself of your wins
If your day begins with dread and worry that you’re behind or that you’re not getting enough done this week. Stop.
Already you’ve entered a negative mindset and that is not a productive way to start your day.
Instead of focusing on the negative, review all the things you accomplished recently. Take the time to appreciate it and use it to recognize how much you get done (more than you give yourself credit for).
Start your morning by reviewing your latest wins for a motivational boost. This will reaffirm your ability to accomplish your goals for the week.
Anytime you feel you’re not accomplishing enough, focus on your latest wins big or small.
2.Prioritize & Plan
If you didn’t plan the night before, don’t worry you can still plan in the morning.
When planning, stick to your top three priorities. These are things that will have the most impact in your day. It’s always best to plan with a clear and specific agenda.
A great way to figure out what your top priorities are is to use a Priority Matrix.
Grab your planner, notebook, or get my free worksheet here and create a matrix like the example shown below.
By prioritizing you are not overstretching yourself. When you don’t overstretch yourself, you are calm and in control.
The Priority Matrix is great for any mom who struggles to decide which tasks are important, has a hard time focusing and is easily distracted throughout the day.
A huge benefit of prioritizing is that you don’t fall into the trap of the long to-do list.
Short and focused beats long and impossible.
Maintain your priority planning ritual so your days never feel overwhelming.
Want to discover what your best prioritized planning method? Check out Ditch the To-Do List: 3 Simple Methods To Help You Be More Productive for easy and effective ways to plan.
3.Let Technology make your mornings better
As a mom I can have a lot of things on my mind, things to remember and to do. I don’t have a nanny, babysitter, or a personal assistant to help me out. But I do have technology and so do you!
What am I talking about? Smart devices.
You are probably holding a smart device in your hand right now – a smartphone, tablet or maybe a smartwatch.
Why you should use smart devices
I’m going to take a guess that you don’t enjoy dealing with a bunch of mundane tasks in the morning.
Smart devices like your smart phone can save you minutes everyday which can add up. It will save you energy because mundane tasks are boring, but you still have to do them. So, why not delegate it to your devices?
How it will motivate you in the morning
Every minute counts and it can make a difference at the end of the day. Having access to technology for tasks you have to do anyway is liberating, especially for moms.
If you’re using your smartphone or tablet to only check emails and surf the web, you’re not taking full advantage.
You don’t need the latest expensive high-tech gadgets either, your smart phone alone can already do a lot for you.
Save time with Google Assistant
It’s easy to use and doesn’t cost anything. Google assistant is awesome because you can use voice control, hands-free!
Make your morning a little less chaotic, let Google Assistant help. Ask for weather, traffic, or directions. Play music, audio books, or podcasts. Set reminders, alarms, turn off/on your TV or your lights, or make a call to someone using only your voice.
You can also use everyday home appliances to automate your morning. Coffee pots, pressure cookers, and other smart appliances can help you be more efficient as well.
Seek to automate your routine as much as you can. Using a smart device doesn’t make you lazy. It makes you a clever and productive mom.
4.Indulge a little
Every mom deserves to indulge from time to time.
A small treat to enjoy in the morning can put you in a better mood.
You can indulge in simple and inexpensive ways. Savor a café mocha or green tea for a change from your usual caffeinated drink. Prepare a smoothie, smoothie bowl or fruit salad for breakfast. Save more time by preparing it the night before.
You could add an extra five minutes to your skincare and beauty routine.
It’s not about being selfish and I’m not suggesting anything extravagant. I do think it’s important to value yourself enough to enjoy something just for you.
Take the time to indulge yourself a little bit. Ditch the guilt because you deserve it. It’s okay to treat yourself once in a while!
5.Mind dump for a clear mind
You know that feeling you get after you released a load of worries or bottled-up emotion?
It feels like a huge weight off your shoulders, right? You feel lighter, calmer, and clearer.
This is the reason writing in morning is a such a good habit to get into.
Five minutes is all you need to unload nagging thoughts from your head and onto paper. Free writing or mind dumping can help calm your scattered mind and leave space to focus.
It can help organize your thoughts and prevent you from forgetting some great ideas too.
How many times have you had a great idea or tried to take a mental note only to forget soon after? Not fun.
When your mind is at ease, it’s easier to focus and your mood will be better too.
It’s never good let too many thoughts cloud your mind. If a productive morning is what you’re looking for, get into the habit of writing your thoughts down in the morning.
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6.Express gratitude
Being thankful for what you have, the people who lift you up and your ability to do the things you want are all an important part of your daily routine.
Expressing gratitude can bring happiness and optimism setting the tone for your day as well as contributing to a highly productive morning.
Too often we focus on the negative, what we don’t have or what we can’t do.
Write in your journal at least one thing you are grateful for. Just one or two sentences is all you need. Unless you want to, you don’t have to write pages worth, one sentence is enough.
At the end of the week, look back at what you were grateful for. It’s a great reminder of all the positives in your life and a valuable asset to your wellbeing.
As said by VeryWellMind, “Just like a muscle, when you exercise your thankfulness more often, you’re more likely to see beneficial effects.”
I couldn’t agree more! Take a moment in the morning to be thankful. Begin your morning routine with purpose and optimism.
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7.Visualize for motivation
Visualization can be a great morning motivator. Visualize what you want in your life or simply how you want your day to unfold. There are a few ways you can use visualization to achieve your goals.
You can visualize using a vision board with photographs, quotes, or other impactful words/phrases. You can also visualize using flash cards or audio messages/clips.
All can be effective; you just need to find out what works best for you.
Using visualization techniques can help you mentally prepare for any challenges you might face in your day.
This technique has been around for ages and is still used today by highly successful people. Keep in mind that you don’t have to be a celebrity or entrepreneur to visualize for success.
Start visualizing what you want. Whether it be your goals for the day, week, month, or year.
The key is to keep it simple and be consistent. An overwhelming vision board with too much going on can make it difficult to focus on your important goals.
Start with a minimalist vision board, let it inspire you and believe it will work for you.
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8. Engage your auditory senses
When you wake up, what do you do? Watch TV? Check your emails? Scroll social media?
If your morning routine involves lots of screen time like above, try something different. Engage in a good audio book, podcast, TedTalk, or uplifting music.
When you engage your auditory senses, you are giving yourself a break from excess screen time like watching too much TV or social media.
Making changes your routine can help you break bad habits like too much screen time. It can include other benefits too. It can improve your attention span, attitude and listening skills.
I challenge you to listen first when you start your morning routine. Try it for a week, take note of how you feel afterwards and if it’s making your mornings better, stick with it!
9. Energize with quick bursts of exercise
Five minutes for more energy and productivity? Yes, please!
Short bursts of exercise can send feel-good chemicals in your body and increase blood flow which can keep your mind sharp and alert.
There is also evidence that it can boost brainpower at a cellular level. More benefits include less stress, increased energy, focus, and confidence.
Just a handful of minutes for big impact on your productivity.
Simple exercises you can do in five minutes
- Jumping jacks
- High knees
- Jump rope
- Squats
- Lunges
These exercises require no equipment and can be done almost anywhere. Set a timer and get moving!
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10. Flip your mindset
You can set the tone for your day either with a negative attitude or a positive one.
An easy way to create a positive frame of mind is to ask yourself, what are you excited to accomplish today?
Think about one exciting thing you get to do today. Figure out what needs to get done first so you can do the thing that you’ve been looking forward to doing.
Positive thinking is a choice. You can choose to view your day negatively or positively. I think the following quote is an excellent example to this point.
“Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right.” – Henry Ford
If you’ve thought about it and don’t have anything exciting planned, create one. Use it to help you get through the less desirable tasks.
A positive mindset takes practice and patience.
Be aware of your mindset and ask yourself ” What do I get to do today?” or “What am I excited to accomplish today?” These types of questions shifts your thinking in a positive direction.
Practice a positive mindset daily for a good morning routine and a better outcome.
11.Practice positive self-talk
Feeling a bit uneasy about the day to come? Is your inner critic taking over?
Build up your internal motivation and squash negativity with a pep talk.
Sometimes journaling or tight deadlines is not enough to motivate you. A pep talk or positive self-talk is something you can do when you’re still feeling anxious.
You might think self-affirmation is silly, but it can help snap you out of a negative mindset.
A pep talk is not sitting in front of a mirror and having a conversation with yourself. Its purpose is to help you separate yourself from your emotions, so you can take on the day with confidence.
How to give yourself a quick pep talk
- Take some deep breaths.
- Talk in the third person. Use “You” or use your name. There are studies that show when you talk in the third person, it’s more effective.
- Acknowledge how you’re feeling and affirm yourself with a positive statement like “You are in control, and You can do this!”
Don’t start the day worrying. Build your confidence, practice positive self-talk regularly.
If you want better a morning routine, change it!
Drastic changes aren’t necessary. Sometimes all it takes is one small change to make a big difference.
It’s not only about making your morning better but it’s also about setting you up for success that goes beyond mornings. Give these five-minute motivators a try to make your mornings better.
How do you motivate yourself in the morning? Share your best tips in the comments.
Hi, I’m Melanie. I’m the woman behind Mommy Life Strategies. Here you will discover ways to manage your time more efficiently, how to create positive daily habits that stick, mindset exercises that energize, and health & wellness tips that work even for the busiest moms.