Mornings set the tone for the rest of your day. Yet, so many of us roll out of bed, immediately reach for our phones, and dive straight into the chaos of texts, emails, and social media (#guilty). Before we even have a sip of coffee, our minds are already overwhelmed. Sound familiar?

A mindful morning routine isn’t about having a picture-perfect, two-hour ritual filled with journaling, yoga, and matcha lattes (unless that’s your thing, of course). It’s about being intentional with how you start your day—creating space to check in with yourself before the world demands your attention.

If you’re looking to shift from rushed and reactive to calm and intentional, here are some simple yet powerful ways to build a mindful morning routine that actually works for you.

1. Wake up without your phone

Let’s be real: scrolling first thing in the morning is a hard habit to break. But when you wake up and instantly check notifications, you’re putting yourself in reaction mode—letting external things dictate your mood. Instead, try keeping your phone on airplane mode or in another room overnight. If you use it as an alarm (as do I), keep it on Do Not Disturb and resist the urge to check messages first thing. Instead, do something intentional—stretch, take a deep breath, or open a meditation app (which leads me to my next point…).

2. Meditate (even for a minute or two)

For me, starting my day with a short meditation has been a game-changer. I usually do a five-minute session using Headspace, and my favorite is the Own Your Morning meditation. It gently guides you through a few mindful stretches, encourages you to look out the window and take in your surroundings, and ends with a positive mantra to start the day with intention. Don’t have Headspace? No worries! Free meditations that make me feel just as good are the ones from Boho Beautiful.

Even a single deep breath before getting out of bed can create a moment of mindfulness in your morning.

3. Hydrate before anything else

Your body just went hours without water—before reaching for that first cup of coffee, try drinking a glass of water first. I like to add lemon for an extra vitamin C boost.

Hydrating first thing helps wake up your metabolism, flush out toxins, and rehydrate your cells. If you love coffee (I get it, I used to be a caffeine addict myself), try waiting at least an hour before drinking it. Why? Caffeine first thing in the morning can spike your cortisol levels, leading to a crash later. If you need an alternative, green tea or matcha gives you a smoother energy boost without the dreaded mid-morning slump.

4. Journal

I know, I know—you’ve probably heard this one a million times. But hear me out. Journaling is a simple yet powerful way to clear your mind in the morning. You don’t have to write a novel—even a few sentences can be enough to shift your mindset for the day. Whether it’s writing down your thoughts, setting intentions, or listing things you’re grateful for, getting words onto paper can bring clarity and a sense of calm. I was inspired by Sanne Vloet’s journaling method (answering 3 questions every day), and it’s become a habit I actually look forward to.