swipe file: morning routine
one that you'll actually stick with
These swipe files are the practices and documents I use regularly to be the leader and caregiver I want to be, and to stay well. I keep the majority of swipe files are behind the paywall (in an effort to protect them from generative AI tools (which essentially steals these and shares it with no attribution), but am lifting it on this one. I’ve priced my Substack as low as the platform will let me, and I hope to earn your upgraded subscription (and am incredibly grateful to the hundreds of you who support this work).
I’m one of those people who wakes up at 5:30 in the morning. But not like “I must do this to be successful, this is the only way!”
I do it because I’m selfish. I need to take my thyroid medication 30 minutes before I can have anything else, and my husband will make me coffee before his 6 a.m. workout and bring it to me.
See? Selfish.
Like everything else in life, a solid morning is rooted in your intention:
how do I want to feel in the morning?
what’s one thing I can do to feel this way?
It took time to build my current morning routine. This is what it looks like:
5:15 a.m: my alarm goes off (I have the Hatch, and not being able to snooze it and leaving my phone charging in another room really forces me to wake up immediately) and I take my thyroid medication immediately. I also get my feet on the ground as soon as possible so I resist the urge to curl back into bed. I do my bathroom routine, change into workout clothes, and make my bed.
5:30 a.m: I settle on the couch and meditate (sometimes I’ll do one of Neeti’s guided meditations, but I’ve been practicing silently lately). I jump straight into journaling (1 page of manifestations/affirmation, 1 page of whatever comes into my mind) and then plan my day.
6:00 a.m: my husband hands me my steaming latte, and I savor it. Sometimes I’ll listen to my book, and sometimes I’ll just sit in silence while I sip it.
6:10 a.m: I jump into writing or tackle my highest priority item at work. This is a fairly new addition to my routine, and one I added once meditation and journaling became as natural as breathing (which took about 14 months).
My goal this month is to write 1,000 words a day, and I’m able to write at least 500 words during this block. This practice has been a catalyst for my productivity and focus. I’m also aware that I would’ve fallen off this habit had I not established the meditation and journaling practice first.
7:15 a.m: jump into mom mode. My husband preps the backpacks and makes breakfast, I make sure the kids actually eat and do the school run.
If I were starting fresh today, this is how I would create my morning routine.
Be Realistic + Know Your Non-Negotiable
If you’re currently waking up at 7 am and rushing into your day, try 6:45. Waking up 5-15 minutes earlier than you normally do is a healthy way of training your body to wake up earlier (just be sure to go to sleep a bit earlier as well).
For my husband, his 6 am workout is non-negotiable (and one of the first things he established in his own morning routine), and I make sure that block of time is uninterrupted. That early coffee for me is my non-negotiable (and the reason I actually get out of bed), and he makes it happen.
Start with 1
A fact I live by is that your brain can only handle two changes at a time, which I learned from Dr. Aditi Nerurkar, MD (her book, The 5 Resets, changed my life).
You’ve already made one change with your wakeup time. Start your routine with one ritual you can do on your most tired mornings to anchor your morning routine. I established mine with these two:
10 slow, deep breaths, counting up (inhale on 1, exhale on 2)
Writing in The Five Minute Journal
My meditation and journaling practice were established in an on-off relationship with these two mini rituals. I can’t tell you how long it’ll take for them to feel natural, but I will tell you to not add on until one of them is as instinctive as breathing.
Try > Ditch > Try Again > Ditch (for now)
Despite my deep and frequent efforts, the early morning workouts are not for me.
I’ve tried them all—a simple yoga flow, a walk or Peloton ride, my strength workout for the day. At best, I can go two days in a row, but I can’t sustain the routine much more than that. And I’ve made my peace with it.
In this phase of life, my kids are early risers who want to hang out with me shortly after they wake up. Most of the times, they give me until 7 a.m. to finish my routine, but there are mornings when they want to chat and I want to be present for it.
Build Upon The Ritual
Once you’ve established a specific ritual (and know it’s the right one for you), build upon it.
Add more breaths to your morning practice, or try a guided meditation (I love The Container by Neeti Narula’s). Try a plain notebook once you’ve finished a Five Minute Journal. If movement is important to you first thing in the morning, start with a quick cozy sculpt workout on the TSS app (use code HITHA25 for 25% off), or do a few sun salutations while you’re in your pajamas.
Keep It Minimal
You should be able to do a minimal version your morning routine when you’re completely exhausted. When I’ve slept in or the kids need me, I’ll get in 10 deep breaths and we’ll write a gratitude list together (this is my weekend version of my morning routine, and I do love practicing it with them).
I show up daily and imperfectly, instead of failing to hit a high standard all the time.
Other Tips
Accountability is one of the best tools to build a habit or accomplish a goal. My husband is my accountability partner for my morning routine, and our quiet morning next to each other acts as my check-in. If you’re just starting, ask a friend if they’d like to join you and send a quick text to each other after you’ve finished your routine.
Track your individual practices in your routine. The first two items on my daily to-do list are “meditate” and “journal”, and I love ticking them off first thing in the morning. You can print out a habit tracker or use an app like Do Habits to track these habits as well.