We are all unique individuals with unique lifestyles. So, why would one morning routine work for everyone? Sure, we have some things in common, particularly as women over 50. Our bodies are changing, our family dynamics may seem to be in motion as we care for aging parents and grandchildren, and our daily life activities may have undergone some significant change, too!
Beyond those commonalities, though, we have so many little quirks, tweaks, preferences, health specifics, physical characteristics, possibly activity limitations, and other personality qualities, we need to ensure that a wakeup routine fits all of those needs, so a morning routine list just makes sense. It will help us identify and make sure to include those actions that will best benefit us individually.
Why a morning routine at all? What’s the big deal? Well, for most of us on this earth, a commitment to a healthy lifestyle will help us live longer, happier lives.
When we start our day with activities and mindsets that set us on a healthy path for that day, we are more likely to stay with that path. A morning routine can help us remain positive, motivated, less anxious, more confident, stronger, more committed to our goals and values…and that’s just for starters!
Most healthy morning routines include activities like these:
- Consistent wake up time
- Meditation, prayer, affirmations, devotions
- Planning
- Exercise
- Healthy breakfast
With that in mind, here are some examples of morning routines to help you create your own. Use the free printable worksheet, My Morning Routine, to write out your specific morning routine actions and activities. Remember that your morning routine should be specific and personal to YOU, and include the actions and activities that will be most helpful and encouraging to your healthy lifestyle.
As far as a morning routine list, I’ve included suggestions for a variety of morning routine components based on what is most important to you, as well as your particular personality. Oh, and if you are SO not a morning person, there’s a list of suggestions just for you! Who knows? Maybe you’ll actually start to enjoy the beginning of your day.
Be sure to grab the free printable so you’ll be able to thoughtfully take the time to create your own, personal morning routine. More about that below.
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1 | Morning Routine with Time-Based Actions
Do you function best when following a specific, time-based type of list? There is nothing wrong with that, my friend, if it helps you remain committed and consistent to a healthy lifestyle and morning routine. Here is a suggested morning routine list that offers some suggested (and always tweakable) time frames for each action.
→ Wake up earlier to give yourself the time to actually do the routine. Try going to bed and waking up 15 minutes
earlier, both ways. After a few days, adjust by another 15 minutes until you have the wake up time that you desire.
→ Stretch your body for 2 minutes immediately after waking up. You can lie in bed, stretch slowly and enjoy it.
→ After you’ve been up for about 10 minutes, spend 10 minutes preparing your mind with some meditation. If 10 minutes seems too long, start with 5 minutes at first and increase as you can.
→ 20 minutes after waking, exercise for 15 minutes as a follow up to your meditation. Choose the exercise that is best for you. Walking is always a great option!
→ 40 minutes after waking, set your goals for the day for 10 minutes. What do you want to accomplish on this day? Write it down and you’ll be more likely to see them through.
→ 50 minutes after waking, eat a healthy breakfast!
2 | Morning Routine for Women Over 50
As a woman in my 60s, I can relate to this morning routine. Oh wait…this IS my morning routine! I’ve written about it and offered it as a suggested healthy way for women in midlife to start their day. So this may be old news to some of you, but it is highly effective for me and I want to share it with readers.
→ Stretch before getting out of bed – be kind to your body
This is something I’ve added to my wakeup ritual, and it’s so beneficial, it feels so good, you might want to add it to your morning routine list. I don’t do anything fancy, just some stretches with my arms and legs before I roll out of bed. Stretching in the morning has so many benefits!
→ Quiet Time – to get your head, and your heart, right.
The first thing I do after the usual morning stuff when getting out of bed is to spend a few minutes in devotions and prayer. What better way to start the day than to put spiritual thoughts in my mind, quiet my heart, focus on my family and loved ones in prayer and get my priorities in order. I use this app on my phone and subscribe to the daily devotional story.
For you it might be meditation, yoga, affirmations or some other type of quiet relaxation. It is amazing what those few minutes at the very start of the day will do for my mind and heart.
→ Coffee & Emails/Social Media – to check in & fuel up
Enjoy some quiet moments while sipping on your coffee, tea, or beverage of choice.
I find it to be the perfect time to scan emails and check social media as I wake up and prepare for the day’s activities.
If your social media time is strictly personal, that’s cool. You might consider giving yourself a block of time while you sip on your morning beverage to scroll through your feeds. Then, put it down for awhile. Don’t let social media
become too much of a focus in your day. Just sayin’
→ Workout – it’s not an option!
Staying fit and healthy is important at any age, but particularly as we enter our 50’s and beyond.
We need to make sure that a balance of aerobic and strength training is part of our overall workout schedule. And you know what? It requires commitment. No doubt about it.
Putting off the workout is too easy to rationalize sometimes. So, I find that if it’s part of my healthy morning routine and I do it consistently, I (and my body) will definitely notice something is up if I skip a day or two.
My morning workout usually consists of anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise. I find that strength training is better for me later in the day. The point is…do something…even if it is 15 minutes of stretching. Your body will not only thank you for it, you might even live longer. And, your metabolism will thank you for it!
My morning routine also includes about 15 minutes of facial exercises every other day as part of my ongoing natural face lift. The results are so beneficial I have to make it a priority!
→ Skin Care in the morning
The other, very critical item on my simple morning routine is effective skin care. I don’t have to tell you what happens to our skin as we age. It’s a fact of life and is going to happen, but we can take a proactive role in minimizing the effects.
Find a skin care regime that works for you and stay true to it. We need to pay particular attention to the skin around our eyes, our entire face, and our neck/decolletage area.
→ Eat a Healthy Breakfast!
Not to be ignored, we need to nourish our body with a healthy meal. It doesn’t have to be a large breakfast, and in fact is probably a good idea to be mindful of the amount of food you’re consuming. Now…you’re ready to have a wonderful day!
It can be difficult to remain motivated, encouraged, and feel supported when you’re trying to establish a healthy habits and lose weight. Did you know that your smart phone can be a very effective tool for accomplishing your goals to live a healthier life? Learn more about MIGHTY HEALTH, the healthy lifestyle app created for women and men over 50
3 | Morning Routine for Someone Who Hates Mornings
You know who you are…mornings are not your friend. Never have been; never will be. But it doesn’t mean that a morning routine list doesn’t exist for you, my friend. Here are some practical tips for you to incorporate into your personal wake up routine.
→ Plan out your morning the night before. Think about what parts of your morning are most stressful and plan for them in the evening. For example, select your outfit for the next day and lay it out. Make sure you have the breakfast foods you need available. Whatever causes you stress or delays in the morning, deal with them the night before.
→ Set an alarm, not your phone. It can be distracting as well as tempt you to lie in bed and start scrolling if you immediately pick up your phone upon waking.
→ Start your morning with a glass of water. We wake up slightly dehydrated, and a glass of water will help jumpstart energy and mental capacity.
→ Make your bed. It will a) set you up to be more productive, b) creates the perception of a clean room and may lower stress levels, and c) help you get a good night’s sleep.
→ Keep the day’s goals in mind. Remind yourself of your goals and what you hope to accomplish that day. It will help motivate you to keep moving and get through a rough morning.
Grab Your Free Printable, My Morning Routine, from the Resource Library!
You’ll find it in the “Healthy Living & Wellness” Section
4 | Morning Routine to Ease Anxiety
Some of us have a tendency toward anxiety, whether we are wired that way or it has been acquired after experiences in our life. Regardless of the ‘how’ or ‘why’, anxiety is very real and can affect just about everything that we do.
Here are some helpful tips from an author who lives with anxiety every day. You can read the full post here: My Anti-Anxiety Morning Routine
→ Meditate right when you wake up, even if you’re a bit groggy, for 10 minutes. Make sure you’re up and out of bed so you don’t fall back asleep.
→ Balance your blood glucose levels. You can do this by avoiding processed carbohydrates, sugar or a high carb diet.
Why? This will help get rid of those anxious feelings.
On a related note, get rid of sugar from your first meal. Stick to healthy fats and a moderate level of protein to keep blood glucose levels stable and anxiety low.
→ Get outside, and take your shoes off. Yes, walk barefoot on the ground, weather permitting. It helps to decrease cortisol (stress levels) which in turn helps to decrease anxiety.
→ Plan Your Day. You’ll be more organized, feel less stressed, and have more headspace to focus on the day ahead.
→ Savor the Moment. Take a few minutes to enjoy your coffee or tea, some breakfast, sitting and enjoying it. Be mindful, focusing on chewing and tasting your food, sipping on your drink of choice. Brush your teeth gently and relax into the day ahead.
→ Meditate for about 10 minutes. Or, do some yoga or stretching. It will help ease your stress and calm your nerves.
Do you have a pet? Spend some time with them. Studies have shown that spending time with animals can actually decrease stress.
→ Set your intention for the day. Will it be average and stressful, or joyful and productive? You’re making a conscious decision about what your day will look like and how it will play out.
→ Listen to a relaxing, uplifting playlist. It’s one of the best ways to banish anxiety and give yourself some self-care.
→ After doing all of the above, natural anxiety remedies can help your body handle stressors more easily and not be as reactive.
More Suggestions for Your Morning Routine List
At this point you may have a pretty good idea of what your morning routine will look like, and that’s great!
If you want to tweak it a bit or update and refresh your daily wakeup pattern, here are a few more suggestions to consider:
→ Begin each day, literally, with a smile and a positive thought:
- When you smile your body releases the feel-good neurotransmitters dopamine and endorphins, so you’ll start the day in a better mood.
- Smiling strengthens the immune system, so by smiling first thing in the morning and remembering to do it throughout the day you’ll be warding off disease.
- If it seems unnatural to smile, do it anyway. Force yourself at first, and then it will become a habit.
- Think a positive thought…name something you are grateful for, quote a Bible verse, ponder a positive quote. Keep a flip calendar of quotes by your bedside and read each one daily (as you smile!)
→ Drink a glass of warm water with lemon – it has lots of vitamin C, plus it cleanses and stimulates the liver and kidneys. Plus, the antioxidant properties of lemons help combat free radical damage, which keeps your skin looking young and healthy
→ Take your daily supplements – make this simple action part of your morning routine list
→ Let the natural light, the sunshine, in! Take a minute to just stand and let the sun warm your body, and your heart, whether you are inside or out.
A morning routine list is not just any old list. It can be a step toward a renewed, healthy lifestyle!
End your day on a positive, healthy note with an evening routine. Yes, an evening routine. You’ll find helpful tips, suggestions, and a free printable, too. Learn more about the benefits of a healthy evening routine.
Additional resources:
- https://www.businessinsider.com/morning-routine-for-someone-who-hates-mornings-2018-5
- https://reflectionsfromaredhead.com/simple-morning-routines/
- https://positiveroutines.com/healthy-morning-routine/
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