Are you looking for the perfect minimalist morning routine? I would love to say ‘then look no further’, but in the spirit of being brutally honest, there is no such thing as the perfect minimalist morning routine.
That’s not to say there aren’t morning routines out there for you. It’s just that there’s isn’t one perfect minimalist morning routine that fits everyone out there.
With that in mind, I’ve put this post together with the idea of inviting you into my minimalist morning routine and showing you how it works for me and how I can embrace simple living by doing these simple things each morning.
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I haven’t always been a morning person. In fact, I used to go to bed dreading having to wake up early and dreading the multitude of things I had to each morning.
But since becoming minimalist, I’ve found that by starting my day with a simple morning routine, I am giving myself the best chance of a clear, focused, and productive day ahead.
Why create a minimalist morning routine
My minimalist morning routine is all about cutting out the BS and creating a simpler, more streamlined lifestyle. One of the best ways to do this is by having a morning routine that doesn’t make you feel overwhelmed or stressed.
Starting the morning off with one thing on your mind, whether it be a task at work, a phone call to make, or breakfast to prepare, can be overwhelming and cumbersome.
By starting your day with a simplified morning routine you are creating an intention for the rest of your day. You are setting yourself up to take on the world in the best way possible because it’s just about what you do in the mornings.
Even if you don’t consider yourself to be a morning person, with the right minimalist morning routine you can make it work for you. For me, I find that by starting my day with this simple routine, not only do I have more clarity of mind but I am ready to walk out the door on time every day!
My minimalist morning routine
Before I get into my own minimalist morning routine, I must stipulate – this is my routine. This is what I find sets me up for the day ahead.
Of course, it doesn’t have to be your morning routine, but perhaps you can gain some ideas from mine.
I don’t have kids or pets, I don’t drink coffee, I tend to leave exercise until I’m more awake and prefer to do it during my lunch break, as it breaks up my day from sitting at my laptop.
In saying that, I did use to do a lot more in the mornings. But over the years I’ve found that rushing about in the mornings only made me feel rushed for the entire day, with a constant sense of chasing my tail all day.
So let’s look at the minimalistic morning routine that I use.
My minimalist morning routine is broken up into five different steps:
- wake up
- bathroom essentials
- do some stretches and meditation
- get dressed and styled
- eat breakfast
I’m sure with this list in front of you, you may think that I’m a little crazy. You might be thinking, “I don’t have time for some of these” or “life’s too short to do all of these things every day”. And if you’re thinking those things right now, it makes total sense because there are days where I can totally identify with how you
However, on the days I don’t feel so harried and overwhelmed, I am reminded of how important these things are to my day. By creating a simplified morning routine and minimising decisions and tasks every morning, I am able to tackle my new day with clarity of purpose each time.
If you find that you spend your mornings rushing to get out the door, you can use my minimalist morning routine and adapt it to work for your own life and needs.
Minimalist Morning Routine: Wake Up Gently
The first step in my minimalistic morning routine is waking up early enough so that I have time to get everything done in my routine.
Deciding to wake up early enough to have a morning routine is the first step in creating a minimalist lifestyle, as it takes time and commitment.
In saying this, if you already have a habit of waking up early, count yourself lucky. For those who don’t however, I tend to wake at around 6:30 am every day so that I can enjoy a glass of water and a few minutes alone with my thoughts before getting up.
I didn’t always do this when I first set out on my journey to minimalism and intentional living. But waking up early enough in the morning has been one of the greatest changes I’ve made because it helps me to start my day feeling refreshed and ready for anything.
Another important step in my minimalistic morning routine is training myself to wake up without an alarm clock. While I still use an alarm clock as a backup, I do tend to wake up before it rings. Waking up naturally leaves me feeling much more relaxed and calm than waking up to an alarm – the name itself is alarming!
Once I get myself out of the bed, the next step is to make the bed. It’s a simple task that takes all of 30 seconds, but it helps me to mentally mark the end of one day and the start of another. It instantly gives me a feeling of accomplishment, having done the first task of the day.
Minimalist Morning Routine: Bathroom essentials
After waking up early enough so that I can start my day feeling refreshed, the next step in my minimalistic morning routine is to wash my face and brush my teeth.
First thing, I splash cold water on my face. If I wasn’t feeling awake and refreshed already, I sure do now!
Next is a quick shower. I tend to wash my hair in the evening time so that it can dry naturally (as I don’t own a hairdryer!). So in the morning I just like to quickly wash my body with a bar of soap and get on with brushing my teeth.
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Minimalist Morning Routine: Do Some Stretches or Meditation
I’ve already mentioned that waking up early is an extremely important part of my morning routine. But while this is important, the biggest part of my minimalistic morning routine is doing some stretches and meditation.
I start this process by going outside onto my balcony and looking at everything around me, the water, the buildings and the sky. I then take a few deep breaths of fresh air and begin my stretches, which include reaching for the sky and touching my toes.
When we sleep, our bodies become stiff and our muscles tighten up. By doing a few stretches in the morning time, we can increase both our flexibility and circulation to help us become more awake during the day.
I then sit on my swing chair, close my eyes and focus on my breathing for a couple of minutes.
Minimalist Morning Routine: Get Dressed & Styled
After completing my stretches and meditation, I go back inside to get ready for the day.
My minimalist skincare routine is incredibly minimalist. Here’s how it goes:
- Moisturise
If I’m headed to the office or a meeting or a special event, I will apply a small amount of makeup, but most days I enjoy the natural feeling of not wearing makeup. And my skin thanks me for it!
Next, it’s time to get dressed.
One of my favourite things about following a minimalist lifestyle is that I don’t have to dress up every day in heels and clothing that isn’t my style anymore. I used to feel the pressure of having to dress a certain way when working in a high-powered office setting.
After donating over 70% of my clothes, I now have a wardrobe full of clothing that is both stylish and comfortable. And I love and wear everything that remains in my wardrobe.
Minimalist Morning Routine: Have a Good Breakfast
The final step in my minimalistic morning routine is to have breakfast.
Breakfast for me changes pretty much every day, but the one thing that remains consistent is that I will have something.
If I’m not feeling really hungry, I’ll make sure to have a small probiotic drink, to keep me going until I have something proper a few hours later.
If you prefer something more filling like eggs and bacon, then go for it!
If you are someone who can’t start their day without a coffee, then enjoy it! Just don’t forget to drink plenty of water throughout the day.
When we are asleep, we become dehydrated, so it’s important to have a good supply of water throughout the day.
I prefer to sit outside and read while having breakfast so it doesn’t feel too rushed.
Read also: 20 Best Simple Living Books to Inspire Your Mind in 2022
But what about the rest?
I can already hear you ask, what about all the other things that need to be done in the morning, like making lunches for the day, writing my to-do list for the day, spending ages trying to find something to wear to work, etc.
These are all things I include in my evening routine!
Everyone has different routines, and many find that they are more productive late in the evening. For that reason, I tend to pack lunches, choose my outfit for the next day and clear the worktops before I go to bed each night.
That way, my minimalist morning routine can remain exactly that – minimalist.
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I hope that this has given you some inspiration for what you might want to include in your minimalistic morning routine. As I said at the beginning, I’ve tried many different things over time, but these are the steps that have stuck with me and which truly make me feel good and refreshed when I complete them.
So what would you like to include in your minimalist morning routine?
