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There’s something lovely about a slow morning. Waking up without immediately reaching for your phone, enjoying a proper breakfast, letting some fresh air into the house and taking a few moments to yourself before the day begins.
The trouble is that a relaxed morning can feel like a bit of a pipe dream when you’re waking up to a messy kitchen, a to-do list as long as your arm and a phone full of notifications demanding your attention.
The secret? A calmer morning starts the night before.
You don’t need to overhaul your entire routine or start waking up at 5am to squeeze more into your day. Instead, a few small, intentional habits can help you create a gentler start to the morning, giving you time to wake up properly before the demands of the day kick in.
Here’s how to create a relaxed morning routine that feels a little less rushed and a lot more enjoyable.
1. Reset your home before bed
Nobody wants to start the day surrounded by yesterday’s mess. Waking up to a cluttered kitchen, laundry on the floor and a living room that needs tidying can make your mental to-do list feel longer before you’ve even got out of bed.
Spend ten minutes resetting your home before you turn in for the night. Wash up or load the dishwasher, wipe down the kitchen counters, put stray items back where they belong and give your living space a quick tidy.
You don’t need to deep-clean the entire house. The aim is simply to make your environment feel calm and ready for a fresh start.
Think of it as a little favour to your future self. You’ll thank yourself in the morning.
2. Keep your phone out of the bedroom
If the first thing you do when you wake up is reach for your phone, you’re not alone. It’s an easy habit to fall into, particularly when checking messages and scrolling through social media feels like the simplest way to ease yourself into consciousness.
But starting the day with a screen means inviting everyone else’s priorities into your morning before you’ve had a chance to consider your own.
Try charging your phone in another room overnight. If you use it as an alarm, an inexpensive alarm clock is a worthwhile investment.
I use my Amazon Echo Dot device paired with a simple smart lamp which starts to turn on and gradually gets brighter around 15 minutes before I want to wake up. It’s like a budget version of the Lumie Alarm Clock.
You don’t have to go completely off-grid. You’re simply creating a little breathing room between waking up and reconnecting with the outside world.
Give yourself the chance to decide how you want to spend your morning before your notifications decide for you.
3. Create An Analogue bedside table
If you’re used to reaching for your phone as soon as you wake up, it helps to give yourself something else to reach for.
Create a little bedside setup with everything you need for a comfortable start to the day. Think a glass of water, a book, a journal, a notebook for jotting down thoughts and perhaps a lamp for some gentle lighting.
The idea is to make your bedside table a place that encourages you to wake up slowly rather than immediately switch into scrolling mode.
You could even keep a pen and notebook handy to capture any thoughts that pop into your head overnight or first thing in the morning. That way, you can get them out of your head and onto paper without reaching for a screen.
Make the habits you want to build the easiest ones to follow.
4. Drink a glass of water
Before you make your coffee or put the kettle on, have a glass of water.
It’s a simple habit, but one that gives you an easy first win of the day. After several hours of sleep without drinking, water is a sensible way to rehydrate, and keeping a glass beside your bed means you don’t have to think about it.
No elaborate wellness ritual required. No special powders or expensive supplements. Just a glass of water, ready and waiting. If you need a fancy glass and carafe to make this feel more special and intentional, go for it! I’m currently eyeing up this cute little vintage style carafe and tumbler.
Sometimes the smallest habits are the easiest to stick with, and those are often the ones worth building into your routine.
5. Open the windows and let the fresh air in
Once you’re up, open the curtains and windows (weather permitting) and let some natural light and fresh air into your home. Actually, I do this one even when the weather isn’t permitting.
It’s a lovely way to signal the start of a new day, especially if you’ve spent the previous evening tucked away indoors. Natural light also helps regulate your body clock, supporting your natural sleep-wake rhythm.
You don’t need to do anything particularly productive while you’re at it. Make your bed, straighten the duvet, water the plants or simply stand by the window for a moment while you wake up.
If you can, spend a little time outside, too. Even a short walk around the block can help you feel more awake and connected to the day ahead.
6. Start with a little gentle movement
You don’t have to launch straight into a full workout to get your body moving in the morning.
A few gentle stretches can be enough to help you ease out of sleep and shake off that stiff, sluggish feeling. Touch your toes if that feels comfortable, roll your shoulders, stretch your arms overhead and gently move your neck. You can even do this part while you’re still in bed. I like to start the day by stretching my hips with a little child’s pose.
Put on a favourite song and have a little shake around the kitchen if that’s more your style. Take the dog for a walk if you have one. Or simply spend a couple of minutes moving in whatever way feels good.
The point isn’t to burn calories, hit a fitness target or tick another task off your list. It’s to reconnect with your body and give yourself a moment to wake up before you dive into the day.
7. Make breakfast something to look forward to
Breakfast can easily become another thing to rush through. You grab whatever’s available, eat while checking emails or skip it altogether because you’re already running late.
Instead, give yourself a little time to prepare something you genuinely enjoy.
It could be porridge with your favourite toppings, eggs on toast, yoghurt and fruit or whatever makes you feel good. If mornings are particularly busy, prepare a few things the night before so that breakfast feels effortless when you wake up.
Overnight oats are incredible for this exact purpose. It feels like a fancy breakfast, but all you did was throw some bits in a Tupperware and leave it in the fridge overnight. My current combination is oats, chocolate protein powder, almond milk, chia seeds, cherry kefir and frozen cherries.
Then, whenever possible, sit down to eat it properly. Put your phone away, make a cup of tea or coffee and take the time to enjoy what’s in front of you.
There’s no need to turn breakfast into an elaborate affair. The aim is to make it a pleasant part of your morning rather than another task to get through.
I like to use this time to journal or to use my gratitude journal.
8. Make space for a screen-free activity
Before you open your inbox, check social media or start working through your to-do list, make a little time for an activity that belongs entirely to you.
This might be ten minutes of meditation, a few pages of a book, some journaling or simply sitting quietly with your morning coffee.
If you enjoy journaling but never seem to find the time, try keeping a notebook beside your bed. You could write down a few thoughts, note what you’re grateful for or set an intention for the day ahead.
If meditation feels more your thing, start with just five minutes. And if reading is how you prefer to spend your time, leave your current book somewhere visible so it’s easy to pick up.
There’s no right or wrong activity here. Choose something that helps you feel grounded, gives your mind a little space and reminds you that your time is your own.
Most importantly, resist the temptation to turn this into another elaborate self-improvement project. You don’t need to meditate for half an hour, journal three pages and finish a chapter before breakfast. A few minutes is a perfectly good place to start.
Create a morning that works for you
A relaxed morning doesn’t have to look like a perfectly curated wellness routine. You don’t need a sunrise alarm clock, a matching linen pyjama set or an hour of uninterrupted free time before the rest of the world wakes up.
You just need to create a little space between waking up and getting on with everything else.
Start by resetting your home before bed. Keep your phone out of reach. Drink some water, open the windows, move your body and make time for something you enjoy before the day’s demands begin.
And remember, you don’t have to adopt every habit at once. Pick one or two that appeal to you and see how they feel. Once they become part of your routine, you can build from there.
A slow morning isn’t about doing more. It’s about being a little more intentional with the time you already have.
Your morning sets the tone for your day. Give yourself permission to start it gently.
