10 Easy Steps to Create Your Perfect Slow Morning Routine

In a world that’s constantly pushing you to move faster, you have to make the conscious choice to slow down from the moment you wake up each day. Carving out time for the tradition of a slow morning is challenging at first. You will inevitably feel the weight of responsibility, deadlines, and daily goals before you even open your eyes.

But you can do it! Get into the routine of a slow morning for greater peace of mind, increased energy, and a sense of purpose to last throughout your day.

What Is a Slow Morning?

A slow morning is one that counteracts the chaos and commotion of your daily life. While some components of your day are more difficult to control, such as your professional itinerary or family obligations, it’s a game-changer when you make your mornings just for you.

It’s not that there are certain things you “should” be doing when you wake up in the morning, as I recognize that we all have our own unique flow. But if you find yourself mindlessly entering your day by scrolling social media, frantically catching up on yesterday’s tasks, or staring blankly at the ceiling while your mind is clouded by your endless to-do list, then you’re not alone!

Fast mornings are a problem for most people!

Now envision wiping all of that away with a slow morning ritual. Slow mornings are strategic, relaxed, and purposeful. They implement things to make you feel in control and prepared for what’s to come.

Slow mornings are a better way to kick off your day. Take a brisk walk, journal, or stretch to set the tone for yourself. Stay away from your screens (unless you’re checking in with your Calm or ThinkUp affirmation apps!) and be present in the newness of the day! Give yourself a moment to sit and actually enjoy your coffee and a glass of water before addressing your to-do list.

There are really so many ways to slow down your mornings and make them work for you.

Why Is a Slow Morning Important?

You might be so used to fast mornings that you don’t even realize there’s a better way to start the day! The truth is that a slow morning routine creates a lasting impact on your mindset that carries through to other parts of your life. Check out the major benefits of a slow morning.

It Reduces Your Stress

Even if you’re accustomed to frantic mornings, you probably agree they don’t feel very good (nor do they set you up for a very calm, focused day). When you start out in a hurried, disorganized state, it’s incredibly hard to recover later on.

Not to mention, fast and overly complicated mornings work against your body’s natural hormonal cycle. The stress hormone (cortisol) is already at its highest when you first wake up. Compounding that stress with multiple tasks and limited time to complete them is a recipe for disaster.

Slow down! Give yourself more time to complete fewer, simpler tasks to offset your body’s natural hormonal complexities.

Purposefully bringing your stress down in the beginning of the day has lasting effects on your well-being at the end of the day.

You’ll Be More Present Throughout the Day

Picture a terrible (fast) morning…

Maybe you woke up late, skipped the shower, and scrambled for coffee (but didn’t have time for breakfast). Your kitchen was a mess from the night before, but you darted back into your bedroom to put on the first clean set of clothes you could get your hands on. You spent a few minutes rummaging around for your favorite shoes before giving up and settling on an older pair.

Maybe you spent the rest of the day thinking about how dirty you felt since you skipped a much-needed shower. You were hungry and felt plagued by the thought of dirty dishes waiting in your sink. You weren’t looking your best (and therefore weren’t feeling your best). And you just couldn’t seem to stop fretting about where your favorite shoes went.

It’s no wonder why fast mornings are a recipe for disaster! Adopting a slow mindset in the morning allows you to be better set-up for an amazing day! Rather than walking around trying to piece together the fragments of your morning, you’ll be able to focus throughout the rest of your day.

It Actually Boosts Your Productivity!

Advocating for a slow morning might feel counterintuitive. If you have loads to accomplish (and don’t we all!), how can you possibly move slowly and expect to get it all done?

Well (and I hate to answer a question with another question, but) just ask yourself: Am I actually accomplishing anything in the morning when I go fast?

I’ve found that just because I’m moving fast in the morning doesn’t mean I’m getting anything done that’s worthwhile. A state of craziness can sometimes make it seem like I’m moving and grooving, when in actuality I’m moving fast, but not smartly or strategically.

Anytime that I take the time to start my morning slowly and intentionally, I find that I’m able to organize and prioritize my tasks and projects for the day more efficiently. I slow down long enough to make sure the day’s tasks are mapped to my larger weekly, monthly, and quarterly goals. This ensures I’m making progress, while still living a spacious and conscious life.

So why not allow yourself a slow morning to calmly set up for a productive day? Slow techniques may just be the key that unlocks a world of creativity and productivity for you!

You aren’t achieving less on the days you have a slow morning. You’re just lacing up to hit the pavement harder later on.

How To Create Your Perfect Slow Morning Routine

Even if you’re still feeling perplexed by the paradox of a slow morning, you have to try it out to actually understand the vast, permanent benefits that slowing down will have on your health and mind. It might feel awkward or unnatural at first, but creating an optimal slow morning ritual is totally within your reach!

And I know… because I was new to slow mornings once upon a time, too. There were many mornings when I would wake up feeling anxious, with feelings of dread flooding my body as I contemplated the laundry list of things I had to get done (and all with no real direction or plan of attack).

I would have every intention of giving myself space in the morning to exercise, meditate, journal, and do all the things I thought I *should* be doing, but instead, I’d jump straight onto my phone. Before I knew it, my morning had been eaten up by mindless scrolling and responding to emails! I’d always feel like there just wasn’t enough time to have a morning ritual and get all my work done.

Finally, after one too many mornings of my racing mind and jittery nerves, I decided that I was done with being frantic and made a commitment to slowness. And everything changed.

Here are ten strategies I recommend trying! They have been game-changers in allowing me to slow down and start my day with presence, purpose and intention!

Set Up Your Space the Night Before

Nailing a slow morning really starts the night before. You may feel exhausted at the end of your days, so squeezing in more responsibility seems impossible!

But part of my exhaustion stemmed from imbalance (like still working at 8:00 PM) and a lack of routine. And maybe yours is too!

Make a few slight accommodations at night in order to help evenly distribute your energy throughout the next day. That way, establishing a new nighttime routine won’t feel so bad in the long run!

There are a few simple things you can do the night before to set up for a slow morning:

Lay out your clothes
Pack your bags (I pack my gym bag!)
Make sure your kitchen and bathroom are clean and tidy
Prepare food and fill water bottles (I sleep with my water bottle by my bed)
Put your shoes and hat by the front door
Lay out your coffee or tea ingredients (or soak some oats for brekky!)
Write your top 3 tasks for the next day in your planner (I love Michael Hyatt’s Full Focus Planner for keeping me on track!)

Instead of waking up and making a bee-line for chores, you’ll be able to move slowly and breathe in the fresh air. Imagine being able to journal a few words of affirmation, meditate, or read from a feel-good book before the hustle and bustle of life truly begins.

Wake Up Early and Skip the Snooze

There’s something so special about early mornings when the rest of the world (and maybe the rest of your house) is still fast asleep and there’s little out there to distract you. I’ve found such pleasure in waking up a few minutes before the sun rises just to take in the quietness of the morning! And living in Miami Beach, the mornings are particularly glorious!

I know that for you, getting up early may not feel natural and may require some willpower, especially if you’re so accustomed to sleeping in. But I invite you to try getting up a little earlier, so you can make space for slowness, even if it’s only an extra 30 minutes at first.

Waking up earlier leaves ample time for a slow morning routine.You’ll likely come to find that they are a beautiful and sacred time of your day. As you start to develop the slow morning habit of waking up early and begin implementing your slow morning routine, you may find that you naturally start going to bed earlier just so you can stay committed to your mornings.

Remember, slow mornings don’t happen accidentally! They require that you be intentional.

Depending on the obstacles you’re dealing with, you might even have to plan for your slow morning before your children or spouse wakes up. You might have to factor in a few pets or other early-bird commitments.

No matter what time you have to wake up to fit in your slow morning, think of your alarm clock as a gift, not a punishment! Once you get into the swing of slow mornings, it will get easier to wake up on time knowing you have calm things to look forward to.

Don’t Reach for Your Phone

Your goal should be to wake up to your own thoughts and feelings, not have your phone dictate your thoughts and feelings for you. As benign as it may seem to browse through your phone as soon as you get out of bed (or even before), it’s actually preventing you from being present in your life.

When you pick up your phone you are thrust into news updates, social media posts, work emails, and the temptation of online shopping. Once you go down those avenues it’s extremely hard to turn around!

In order to achieve a slow morning, the best thing to do is avoid screen time altogether (especially on your all-powerful smartphone or tablet). Replace the urge to grab your phone with an interesting book, magazine, newspaper!

It Helps To Schedule Time for Your Phone Later

It’s easier to discipline yourself on cell phone use when you tell yourself a specific time that it will be allowed. You can tell yourself, “It’s not forever! I’ll get to check my phone at 10:00 AM!”

There are a few other points in the day when scrolling through your phone is less of a setback. For example, you can take strategic breaks to scroll through your phone during the workday. Or allow yourself some phone time while you’re making dinner.

The bottom line about screens is they’re a total time-suck. You think that you’ll only be scrolling for a few minutes and before you know it, an hour’s gone by!

Don’t waste your valuable mornings on your phone! You might actually be surprised by how much you love starting your day with other (slower) things.

Make Your Bed

I’ve got to admit—I didn’t make my bed from 2017 to about 2019. I was experiencing an extremely frantic and challenging time in my life. Every day, I constantly felt rushed and like I was behind.

I would go to bed at 11pm, then wake up at 4am and get straight back in front of my laptop, desperate to make things work in my life and business. My business suffered, my health suffered, and my bed suffered. The state of my mind was reflected in the state of my bed sheets!

One day, I woke up and I realized that I had to approach the first activity of my day with care and intention, otherwise I would continue to approach my entire day mindlessly. By this simple act of making my bed, my mindset towards my day began to change.

Plus, the look of a messy bed feels truly chaotic! At all costs, stay away from anything that causes you to feel unsettled (including a crumpled comforter) when creating a slow morning routine. Making your bed first thing in the morning can help set the tone for a calm, controlled day.

It doesn’t have to take long! If a million throw pillows don’t bring you joy, then don’t use them. Just take a few minutes to tighten and straighten your sheets. Pull your covers up and fluff the pillows you actually sleep with.

It helps to think about making your bed as a crucial part of a productive and beautiful day. You’re not really adding more to your day by creating these new habits… just reorganizing for better peace of mind.

Let the Sunlight and Fresh Air In

One of the first things I do every single morning is walk outside. Getting fresh air, seeing the trees, hearing the birds, and taking in the morning light. All of it nourishes my soul and is one of my non-negotiables for a slow morning.

Living in the tropics I feel so grateful for my balmy mornings. But even if you find yourself in less comfortable weather (I lived in Chicago for 6 years, so I know the deal!), there are always ways to be connected to the outdoors.

Instead of hopping out of bed and bolting to the light switch, sit on the side of your bed for a minute then saunter over to the window. Actually look outside at the new day. Crack the window and take a deep breath in!

Sunlight affects your body and mind differently than artificial light. It might feel easier to flip a switch (or maybe those are just old habits talking). But pulling back a curtain isn’t exactly rocket science, right?

When you’re consumed by a fast-paced lifestyle, it’s common to go through an entire day without ever stepping foot outside to enjoy the outdoors. While transitioning to a slower lifestyle, be sure to make room for just a second of nature. A single deep breath of outside air can do wonders for the soul!

Practice Self-Care with Skincare

How often do you glance down at your skin and feel frustrated or embarrassed by the state of it? Ugh! I can so relate to not feeling good in your skin…literally!

Cracks, ash, acne, and dryness are not exactly the most feel-good qualities you can possess! The morning is a perfect time to address those minor mood-killers.

Bear in mind that your self-care should never come second to a busy schedule. A great way to kickoff a slow morning routine is with a gentle face wash and some good-for-you lotions.

You can actually be like the people in those luxe-feeling skincare commercials and take fifteen minutes to enjoy a moisturizing mask or foot scrub! The effects of those simple self-care strategies last well into the day.

And if you’re feeling intimidated or just not excited by the prospect of skincare, choose something (big or small) that peaks your interest:

Wash with a cleanser
Try an eye-roller
Apply a moisturizing mask
Use a scrub
Exfoliate with a new gadget
Try a serum
Wash your face outside the shower and be sure to take your time!

Feeling good about yourself is worth a little experimentation. In no time at all, you could find yourself enjoying a new product or fragrance every month.

You’re bound to like the boost in confidence and feelings of accomplishment that come with taking care of your skin on a slow morning!

Enjoy a Healthy Breakfast

I used to dart out of my house with barely enough time to take a sip of water, let alone eat an entire breakfast. Even a boxed pastry or bowl of cereal felt like it would set me behind the clock. But with a slow morning mindset, there is actually plenty of time and brain-space to nourish your body.

Blending a healthy smoothie, peeling a hard-boiled egg, or heating up a bowl of oats are all fairly simple breakfast tasks that you can pull off any day of the week. If you choose to make breakfast even more of a highlight, you can totally take your time and light up the burners or start the stove for something truly divine!

I love to soak nuts overnight to make delicious nut milks and creams. I also love berry compotes, grain free porridges, and all types of delicious toasts and organic protein shakes!

Whatever you do, enjoy your first meal of the day.

You may find that a healthy breakfast will lead to more healthy decisions as the hours tick by. Plus, hydrating and boosting your blood sugar are great ways to foster focus and ignite higher energy levels for the things you need to get done.

Take a Walk Outside

It doesn’t matter where you live or what the weather is like (as long as it’s not dangerous)! Taking a walk on a slow morning is the best. Even if you only get out for fifteen minutes, it gives you a chance to get your blood flowing and refresh your mind.

Going outside and getting yourself moving is especially important if your profession keeps you sitting or trapped indoors for long stretches of the day. Going for a walk is like gifting yourself a morning memory that you can look back on when the stress of the workday starts to get to you.

Plus, being outside lets you experience a different set of stimulants than being inside. Think of the breeze, the birds chirping, and the sun rising…even a gentle rain has its appeal! Work with the circumstances you have, dress appropriately, and get out for as many slow mornings as you can.

Do Small, Simple Tasks

Advocating for a slow morning doesn’t mean that you can’t weave in a chore or two. You just can’t overburden or overextend yourself right off the bat! Choose tasks that are smaller and easier on the brain.

One of my favorite go-to morning chores is prepping food! There is something about kicking off the day by preparing nourishing food for my family that really puts me at ease.

I try to decide on recipes the night before I head to bed. That way I’m ready to go the next day and it may only take me 30 minutes to prepare food for the entire day.

If prepping food doesn’t get you excited to wake up, here are some other quick, repetitive chores that might work well for your slow morning ritual:

Fold the washing
Wipe down surfaces
Swap laundry
Fold or hang clean clothes
Put away small (stress-free) items from the day before
Brush your dog
Sweep the front porch
Straighten up your shoe closet

Little chores do play a role in setting your positive mindset for the rest of the day. Just be sure they’re not too big, too complex, or too time-consuming. You don’t want your morning chores to cast a shadow over the remainder of your slow morning agenda.

Incorporate Mindfulness Through Meditation or Journaling

Start your morning by setting an intention for the day. And don’t just stumble on the idea as you’re making breakfast or completing a chore. Actually set aside a few minutes to sit down and think about it.

When I started practicing mindfulness in my slow morning routine, I needed a pen and journal to organize my thoughts. There was something easier and more automatic about picking up a pen and forcing the words in my head onto paper.

Next, I was able to transition to meditation. Meditation—clearing my mind and sitting in silence—definitely took some practice, but invited a whole other level of calmness.

You can leverage online meditation strategies (like with my favorite app, Calm!) or read articles about meditation to learn more about how it works. But let me tell you, it definitely does work!

Now I use journaling and meditation interchangeably. Sometimes I enjoy a slow morning just sitting and focusing on my breath. It’s definitely a soothing way to start the day.

Designing your own slow morning routine will have a lasting impact on your life. Good mornings will turn into good days. And good days will turn into good weeks, and so on! It might be hard to adjust your schedule in favor of a slow morning. But you can do it by using the tools in this article!

Keep in mind that adopting any components of a slow lifestyle is a wonderful thing! You might not be able (willing or ready) to slow down completely, but tackling your morning routine is a perfect first step.

10 Easy Steps to Create Your Perfect Slow Morning Routine | The Slow Year

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