Guide to Building a Morning Routine

First, prep your skin for the day

Second for your morning routine, you'll want to apply a moisturizer. This is key for keeping your skin feeling soft and supple all day long. The same goes for sunscreen, which will protect your face from damaging UV rays. Sunscreen should always be applied last as it's less effective when layered beneath other products. You should also never skip it! Sun damage can lead to wrinkles and dark spots, among other things.

Our favorite moisturizer and sunscreen are here:

Third, use a primer. It's formulated with special ingredients that help your foundation go on smoothly and stay put all day—great if you have oily skin or if you tend to touch your face a lot throughout the day (like when you're scrolling through Instagram).

After trying so many expensive primers, I'm happy with this primer under $10

Fourth, use a toner. Toners not only remove any remaining dirt left on the skin after cleansing but they also clear pores and balance pH levels of the skin to prevent breakouts (if that's an issue for you). There are different kinds of toners so make sure you're using one that suits your specific needs: Some brighten dull skin while others hydrate dry patches or exfoliate dead cells off the surface of the skin (for example: those with AHAs or BHAs). Try using an oil-free option if your complexion tends toward being more oily than not!

“These daily facial wipes have changed my skin for the best! Worth the investment” – Randi

Fifth—and this is so important—use a facial mask once in a while! Whether it's once every week or month depends entirely on how often you're willing to commit time out of your busy schedule just for yourself; however we do recommend using masks regularly because they provide benefits like brightening dullness restoring moisture where needed most reducing blemishes soothing redness clearing pores etc.

“I love a good facial mask, it's a great time to do a little self care as well” – Randi

Take time for a morning beverage (and hydrate)

by Randi

We’re already off to a great start, but what about that morning beverage? This Ember mug keeps my coffee hot to warm with it's smart base, I can pick there perfect temp I want my coffee or tea!

For many of us, this is coffee. It’s the first thing we look forward to throughout our sleep and wakefulness. For others, it may be tea. If you love coffee but want an alternative every now and then, try black or green tea instead. It will still give you the caffeine boost you crave without the acidity of coffee beans and added sugars that come with flavored lattes. I choose to drink both because I enjoy them both and they have different benefits—coffee in the morning because caffeine helps me focus while green tea keeps me hydrated throughout the day (and has health benefits).

Drinking water is also crucial for your mental focus as well as physical energy levels. So make sure you put down your coffee cup from time to time to drink some water!

Grab a cute of funny mug to start your day off with a smile… like one below.

Gather your supplies

• Gather your supplies. Start by making a list of the things you need to bring with you for the day ahead. While this may seem like an obvious thing to do, it can actually be quite challenging when we get into the habit of forgetting our things, as I did before building a morning routine.
• Decide where to store these things in advance. Figure out which items need to be packed the night before, and which ones you’ll pack in the morning. This is important if you are someone who regularly forgets essentials like your wallet or laptop charger (guilty).
• Make gathering your supplies part of your routine! This is a crucial step that will ensure you don't forget anything and have everything ready for the day ahead. Pack whatever needs to be packed the night before and place it in a designated spot at home so that all you have to do is grab it on your way out the door

Some of my favorite things to help me prep for my week: (also all are under $10 can't beat that!)

Price at time of post – can change at any time.

Give yourself time

by Randi

You will need more time than you think. You might only be going to the gym a mile away, but traffic is unpredictable and parking can be unexpectedly difficult. Instead of waking up at 6:45am, get up an hour earlier—you'll still have time to read the news or meditate before going to work. If you give yourself a solid buffer zone in the morning, you'll feel less stressed and more in control of your day when things don't go as planned (and they never do).

Since you already have that extra time built into your morning routine, use it! If there are any tasks that are important to you but not related directly to your job, this is the perfect opportunity. Check social media. Make calls or send emails from home before heading off for work. Whatever it is that matters most to you—as long as it doesn't take too much energy—do it first thing in the morning, before your days starts getting busy and someone else's agenda takes over yours.

Spend a few minutes journaling

Journaling can be a great way to start your day. It may even become one of your favorite morning routine activities!

When you take time each morning to write about your thoughts, feelings and the things that are going on in your life, it allows you to clear your mind. Writing about something helps you figure out how you feel about it. It also lets you work through any worries or fears that are holding you back from achieving what you want from life.

Writing can help you focus on goals. It can help make plans for the day ahead, as well as reflect on what has happened in the past few days, weeks or months. If there are some negative thoughts floating around in your brain, writing them down will help clarify what they mean for you and give them less power over how you feel or act during the rest of your day.

We've created a FREE daily gratitude journal you can download HERE!

Plan out breakfast

After the morning shower and exercise comes the important matter of feeding yourself a healthy breakfast. Some people skip breakfast, but this is really not recommended, as it can have a negative impact on your mood and your energy levels. If you dread eating in the morning, or if you don’t feel hungry right away, consider something that’s easily digestible such as oatmeal with fruit or yogurt with granola.

Sometimes you may be tempted to grab something quick and unhealthy for breakfast: maybe a doughnut from the coffee shop or some bacon and eggs from the diner. These options might sound delicious, but try to avoid them as much as possible: they can make you feel bloated and sleepy later in the day. Instead, opt for more nutritious fare like whole grain cereal with low-fat milk and fresh fruit; eggs scrambled with vegetables; or homemade pancakes using whole wheat flour instead of white flour (whole wheat flours are higher in fiber).

Pick an affirmation

• What's an affirmation?
• Affirmations are simple phrases you can say to yourself to train your brain to think positively. The more often you repeat them, the more likely you are to believe them and experience a positive change in how you feel about yourself, others and the world around you.

For example, if you want to stop comparing yourself negatively with others, an affirmation could be “I am enough” or “I am worthy of love and respect.”

If you're constantly worried about money, try saying “I am a magnet for money” or “Wealth flows into my life easily.”

Here are some other examples:

‘Today is going to be amazing.' ‘I am grateful for my body.' ‘I trust the process of life.' ‘I am open and receptive to all the prosperity the universe has in store for me.' ‘Each day I grow stronger, wiser and happier.'

Download this FREE Affirmations post to print out and keep somewhere you can see it daily!

Get moving

Now that your mind is sharp and ready for action, it's time to wake up the rest of your body. Any kind of movement is great, especially if you tend to be one of those people who gets a second wind in the afternoon and finds yourself with reduced energy in the morning.

Try taking a walk around the block or doing some yoga or stretching before anything else. If you're more of an energizer bunny type, go for a run or do a few pushups! Whatever it is, get moving so that when you sit down to work, your body will be awake and ready as well.

Establishing a healthy morning routine is one of the best things you can do to set yourself up for success.

• It reduces stress.
• It increases productivity.
• It can improve your physical and mental health.
• It can help you be more successful.
• It helps you maintain a healthy balance between work and personal life.