The Ultimate Realistic 3-Step Morning Routine Checklist

If you are looking for a realistic morning routine checklist that you will actually enjoy doing and that will set you up for a productive day in the process, this blog post is for you.

I’m about to share my simple 3-step morning routine checklist and how you can adapt this morning checklist template to your goals and lifestyle. Beyond that, we will also cover in what order you should do your morning routine, what makes good morning routines, and a printable morning routine checklist to help you turn these tips into actionable steps. So get ready to unleash the early bird that lives inside of you!

Also, make sure to pin this for later so you can always refer back to it!

Here's a 3-step morning routine checklist, with a printable morning routine checklist template!

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What should be routine in the morning?

Any morning routine focused on mental health and productivity should include these three things: hydration and nourishment, mindfulness, a mix of intention setting, and some sort of prioritization system (no worries—we will cover all three of them in depth!).

To put these into context, think about waking up and drinking a big glass of water–our bodies get dehydrated during the night! Hydrating first thing in the morning can help flush your lymphatic system, which builds a stronger immune system and ensures you will be up to any challenge your day offers. It’s all connected.

Then, eat something. A nutritious breakfast (think about the hunger-crushing combo of Dietitian Abbey Sharp: protein, carbs, and fat) would be ideal, but we are keeping our expectations low as we start stacking the building blocks of your morning checklist, so any food will do. This will help deal with that awful morning brain fog by boosting your energy levels and alertness.

After that, let’s dive into mindful practices. And before you feel like “you just can’t do mindfulness,” I am almost sure that you kinda already do some mindfulness practice in your day.

Things like praying, walking, showering, listening to music, and even cleaning can be mindfulness practices if this is the intention you put behind it. Mindfulness is about being fully present in the moment, and adding something like this to your morning routine checklist is a powerful way to start your day feeling more grounded and focused.

To finish up, take some time to set your intentions and goals for the day. You can do this simply by writing a to-do list in your planner or notes app. This action is super simple, but it will help your brain eliminate distractions and focus on the things that matter, cultivating a sense of purpose and productivity.

What are good morning routines?

A great morning routine typically includes elements that nurture physical well-being, emotional balance, and mental clarity.

When you cover the bases we just talked about (hydration & nourishment, mindfulness, and a mix of intention-setting & prioritizing tasks), you can take care of all those elements simultaneously.

Your body and brain will have enough fuel, leading to mood stability.
Cultivating present-moment awareness lowers stress levels and sets a positive tone for the day.
Getting clear about your priorities brings not only productivity but also a wonderful sense of purpose.

Incorporating these elements into a morning routine builds a strong mental health and productivity foundation, setting the stage for you to go out there and conquer the day!

How do I make a morning checklist?

Now that you know the reason behind each of the three elements of our realistic morning routine checklist, it’s time to create your own! To do that, you can follow these steps:

One: Establish your pillars

Look at the key elements we talked about earlier in this blog post. They are going to be your morning routine building blocks–hydration & nutrition, mindfulness, and intention setting.

Two: Make it your own

Now, it’s time to make it actionable and figure out how you can incorporate these pillars into your life routine with things you will actually want to do. A great way to do this is by grabbing a piece of paper and dividing it into three columns, one for each of these pillars.

After that, start brainstorming some things under each pillar that you enjoy doing and can see yourself doing in the morning.

Here are some morning routine ideas to get you started:

Hydration & Nutrition

Have a big cup of water at your bedside table and drink it first thing in the morning
Fill up your water bottle and take at least one or two sips as soon as you do it
Have a simple ready-to-eat, like overnight oats
Make yourself a fresh cup of coffee and grab a small snack like toast or fruit to accompany

Mindfulness

Prayer
Guided meditation (there are some great ones on YouTube!)
Go for a walk
Listen to your favorite songs as you do a quick around-the-house-pick-up before starting the day

Intention Setting

Write down three things you are grateful for and three things you wanna accomplish today
Do something like The Gratitude Journal (it only takes 5 minutes)
Write down your “one thing” for the day (that one thing that, if you get that done, you’d feel like you won the day)
Close your eyes and visualize how you want your day to go and how you wanna feel throughout

Three: Make the actual morning routine checklist (here’s a free printable morning routine checklist to help you out)

If you work better when visualizing the system, write down your checklist. You can do that digitally or with pen and paper.

If you want a cute design to get you motivated, I made a free morning checklist printable just for this blog post. Click here so you can get the high-resolution version!

Morning routine checklist free printable

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE MORNING CHECKLIST PRINTABLE ♡

Printables Designed by Isabelle Dias Exclusively for isabelledias.com

After you have your checklist, make sure to make it visible! For example, if you print it, put it in your home where you can see it daily as a gentle reminder until it sticks and becomes second nature.

Four: Review & adjust

Every time you feel like the spark and excitement of your morning routine is slipping away, use it as a reminder to review your morning routine checklist and see what is working and what needs some adjustment. It’s ok to have different routines for different seasons!

Life routines are supposed to support you through the flow of… well, life! Different seasons call for different routines! So, make changes based on new schedules, priorities, or interests.

And you are done! By following these steps, you will be able to create a routine that is perfect and personalized for YOU. Something aligned with your current moment and life and packed with things you like. This way, you’ll be excited to jump out of bed and start the day instead of hitting snooze 100 times.

What order should I do my morning routine?

Studies have shown that the ideal order for a morning routine is hydration, nourishment, mindfulness practice, and setting intentions for the day.

That said, the order of a morning routine is ultimately an extremely personal choice. Feel free to mix and match the order of your morning routine activities to better suit your current goals, personality, and the rhythm you want your mornings to have.

In this case, it’s way more important to find an order that helps you stay consistent than to follow the ultimate best practice.

How long should your morning routine be?

Also, this is not a step, but I thought it was important to include because many people ask: “How long should a morning routine be?”.

It depends on your time and your overall day. Some people like to spend more time on mindfulness, while others want to focus on nourishment. The effectiveness of a morning routine is not in how long it takes but in how much intention is behind each step.

You can easily make this routine work in 10 minutes or stretch it to 40 minutes. It all depends on what you need, your available time, and what feels good.

Now, it’s your turn!

Having a morning routine checklist can help you not only make the most of your mornings but also consistently set your mind and body to productive days. Take your time testing different versions of your morning routine until you find the perfect fit, and know it’s ok to adjust as you go and grow!

Do you already have a morning routine? What is your favorite part of it? And if you don’t have a morning routine yet, why are you interested in starting one?

Let me know in the comments!