Whether you’re looking to create personal change, or build your business, a morning routine can be the perfect space for growth and productivity.

Many individuals credit their personal and financial success to committing to a consistent morning routine.

It’s great for long and short-term goals, and the benefits of having one include such perks as:

• Improved confidence
• Reduced Stress
• Increased productivity throughout the day

Yes, getting up early at first sucks, but once you master it, the habit that you thought you would never be able to start, will become impossible for you to break.

Photo by Allie Smith on Unsplash

I started a 4 a.m. routine because I wanted to work on my writing. I needed a time and space during the day where I had 100% of my energy available, with little to no distractions.

In the beginning, I thought it would be easy.  I figured I would just wake up a little earlier, churn out a few blog posts, and be on my way, but the reality of it was much harder.

I struggled for several months trying to commit to a consistent routine. I experienced weeks where I where I would wake up early, only to be followed by several more weeks of not getting up at all. Some mornings, I would force myself out of bed, only to make it to the couch and fall right back asleep.

I felt terrible about my string of recent morning flops.

I wanted to be there for myself, and for my goals, but day after day, I didn’t even bother to show up.

Why couldn’t I commit?

A Morning Routine is a Lifestyle

What I failed to realize in the beginning is that building a consistent morning routine not only takes practice, but it’s also a bit of a lifestyle change. I wanted all the benefits of waking up early, but I didn’t want to make any changes to my current routine.

I put forward more excuses than effort, and I let my fear of what I couldn’t do, stop me from what I could do.

Quite honestly, my life had been at a bit of standstill for several years, and I was use to not getting things done. Breaking that pattern was going to take more than a few motivational blog posts, and inspirational quotes.

Sticking to a morning routine is more than just about developing good habits. You’ll have to take a deep look at what is going on inside of you, to figure out what’s holding you back from reaching your goals.

If you’re thinking of starting a morning routine, here are 10 tips to help you prepare, get started, and keep going.

1. Prepare

Deciding you’re going to start waking up earlier is probably something you shouldn’t start the very next morning. Take a few days to prepare and figure out what you need to do, change, and perhaps even buy (like a journal to track your progress).

You’ll have a much better chance of being successful at your morning routine if you do a little bit of prep and planning.

2. Develop A Night Routine

A good morning routine starts at night. Set the coffee maker, pick your clothes out, make your lunch for the next day, do whatever you need to do and do it consistently every night.

The more you do at night, the more time you’ll have to do what you actually got up early to do in the first place.

3. Alcohol Probably Isn’t Your Friend

To have an effective morning routine, that night cap of whiskey, glass of wine, or beer before bed, is probably doing more harm than good.

Even if you’re a casual drinker, you may have to give up drinking for a while until you get firmly footed in your new routine. Believe me, I know it’s hard, but your dreams are worth it, so save the beer and the shots of tequila for the celebration after you’ve reached your goals.

4. Don’t Try to Make Someone Else’s Routine Your Own

Some people wake up at 3 a.m. to write, 4 a.m. to run, and 5 a.m. just to get a quiet hour to themselves. Think about what you are trying to accomplish, and how much time you want to allot for it.

Someone else’s routine might not be a good fit for you, so take your time in selecting a time that works best for you and your goals.

5. Just Like You Have a Set Wake Up Time, Have a Set Bed Time

When the clock hits 8 p.m. that’s my cue that I need to stop what I’m doing and start making my way toward the bedroom. Your bed time is just as important as your wake-up time.

You know your body best and how many hours of sleep you need to feel reasonably refreshed in the morning, so pick a hard stop at night, and stick to it.

6. If You Don’t Get Enough Sleep the Night Before, Then Skip It

Sometimes things come up, and you’re not able to get a good night’s sleep. Whether it’s a family engagement that ran late, a snoring spouse next you, or stress that keeps you tossing and turning, things will sporadically pop up and interfere with your sleep schedule.

Assess how you are feeling in the morning. If you feel like you didn’t get a good night’s rest, don’t beat yourself up about it. Give your body a break, sleep in, and start fresh the next day.

7. What’s Your Why?

I started waking up early because I had writing goals. My ultimate dream was to improve my writing and build my confidence enough to start a blog.

You need to be able to answer why are you getting up early to begin with. Whether it’s to lose weight, start a side hustle, or develop a meditation routine, your why is your motivation.

Other than your alarm, it’s the most important thing that will get you out bed each morning, especially on the days you don’t want to.

8. Be Honest with Yourself About What’s Really Holding You Back from Getting Up

Maybe you work a demanding job, have kids, or maybe like me, you’ve dealt with so many life setbacks, that you don’t want to take a chance and disappoint yourself again.

This is the personal part of the journey only you can answer. You have to look deep within yourself to figure out what’s really holding you back, and if it’s worth it to overcome those obstacles with persistence, patience, and a belief in your capabilities.

9. Use Your Morning for Mindfulness

Your morning routine is more than just for your goals, it’s also a mindful space you can use to reflect on the other things in your life.

Believe me, I know while you are working hard on your dreams at five in the morning, there are still other things happening in your life that require your attention. Use this space to dissipate worry, and also work through any other personal and private challenges you may be having.

10. Encourage Yourself Throughout the Day

Whether it’s for personal or professional growth, once you hit that afternoon slump, it’s easy to get discouraged, and convince yourself that getting up early just isn’t worth it.

Make it a point to acknowledge your little wins throughout the day. Allow yourself to feel good about the fact that you are accomplishing things while everyone else is still asleep.

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If you have dream you are working toward, a morning routine is one of the best things you can do.

With a little persistence, practice, and determination, you’ll find yourself hitting milestones, and reaching goals each and every morning.