Start as you mean to go on.”
It means you set the tone for your day from the get-go.
Think about the last time you rolled out of bed, groggily got ready, and grabbed some coffee on the way out the door. Not a great start to the day!
Now imagine you were able to wake up with plenty of time to set an intention for the day, get in a workout, and eat a healthy breakfast. You’d be bouncing into work smiling!
To give you an idea of what you can do to jump-start your day, we looked at the morning routines of 10 of the most successful women in the public eye. What does Oprah do to start her day? How about Arianna Huffington or Jennifer Aniston?
It’s time to find out!
Program Your Morning for Success
Here’s how NOT to create a morning routine:
Wake up hours early and incorporate EVERYTHING you’re about to read.
Morning routines are highly personal. What works for one person may not work for you.
Take these celebrity tips as inspiration. Test them out. Make one small change in your morning routine and see how it affects your entire day.
Then feel like a celebrity all day long!
1. Drink a Glass of Lemon Water
The first thing I do is have hot water with lemon and probiotics.”
– Naomi Campbell
The benefits of drinking lemon water are well documented. Not only does lemon water give you a boost of vitamins and antioxidants,[1] but the flavonoids can also help health issues like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.[2]
All you need to do is cut some lemons ahead of time or infuse some water with lemons and then pour yourself a glass to drink as soon as you get up.
2. Stretch or Practice Yoga
Gotta do yoga, not for my body but for my mind! DO YOGA or GO CRAZY!”
– Miley Cyrus
Stretching and yoga aren’t just nice ways to calm down. They’re fantastic health-boosters, improving muscle tone and mental health. As Miley Cyrus has discovered, yoga has an antidepressant effect.[3] Those who practice yoga regularly have lower cortisol levels, which helps them to manage stress throughout their day.[4]
If you don’t have time to attend a yoga class or do a full practice on your own, incorporate some simple stretching into your morning routine.[5]
3. Work Out
I live in a gated community with lots of horse trails, so I run on those or on the treadmill in our home gym. My workouts are usually about an hour, maybe an hour and 15 minutes total, but I like to mix them up.”
– Kim Kardashian
Working out in the morning not only curbs your appetite for the rest of the day and prevents you from overeating,[6] but it also has tons of other benefits. Studies show that people who work out in the morning burn more fat throughout the day,[7] have reduced blood pressure,[8] and sleep better at night.[9]
If you’re not the type to get into a full-on sweat session, you can do a short 10-15 minute routine in the mornings and build from there. You’ll feel so good afterward, you might decide to keep upping the intensity!
4. Practice Meditation and Mindfulness
I do some form of walking or sitting meditation. I like to sit in a window seat in my house or outside on the balcony. If I am in a hotel, I will just sit in a chair. If I have the time, I’ll do 20 minutes; if I am in a rush, I’ll do at least 10 to 12 minutes.”
– Oprah Winfrey
Incorporating some quiet time into your morning for reflection and meditation can help you energize. Studies show meditation activates your parasympathetic nervous system,[10] which leads to a boost of endorphins.
Setting time for meditation can also help combat stress[11] and even increase your ability to multitask![12] Try an app to get started meditating.[13]
5. Have Coffee
I’m not a breakfast person. I love breakfast foods at lunch or dinner. I love my morning coffee. Right now, I’m loving my Bulletproof Coffee.”
– Arianna Huffington
You gotta have your coffee. Luckily, science is on your side. Drinking coffee can support your health in many ways, like a reduced risk of diabetes[14] and lowering the risk of liver cancer.[15]
Drinking coffee in moderation can also protect against heart failure[16] and a host of other health risks.[17] So don’t feel bad when you’re brewing your morning cup of delicious coffee — it’s good for you!
6. Take a Cold Shower
I’ll admit, cold showers take some getting used to, but I started doing it a couple of years ago and love it. It really improves circulation, and afterwards I feel so warm because the blood is really circulating and my heart is beating faster.”
– Rens Kroes
While taking a cold shower first thing in the morning sounds daunting, it can make you feel great. Not only is it good for your skin and nails,[18] but a cold shower can also improve circulation,[19] stimulate weight loss,[20] and speed up muscle recovery.[21]
If the cold is too much of a shock, try starting off with warm water and ending your shower with a cold rinse.
7. Look After Your Skin
I’m very diligent about my skin-care routine. Every morning I use a Clinical Cleansing Complex, an active serum and a hydra-cool serum. Once that’s settled, I’ll apply a control corrective sunscreen.”
– Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
You’ve got to take care of your skin. Even if it’s just slathering on the moisturizer and sunscreen. Healthy skin helps you stay healthy by providing a protective barrier against bacteria and toxins.[22]
Plus, your skincare ritual makes you feel good inside and out. When you take the time in the morning to concentrate on self-care, it can help you focus for the day ahead.
8. Shake It Up for Breakfast
Usually I’ll have a shake, with some sort of pure protein, then bananas, blueberries, frozen cherries, stevia, a vegetable mix of dynamic greens that goes in there, maca powder and a little cacao.”
– Jennifer Aniston
Making time for breakfast can help control your appetite, balance your hormones and set you up for a great day. A high protein breakfast can help you feel satisfied throughout the day and improve your diet overall.[23]
Jennifer Aniston makes sure to throw in lots of superfoods to nourish her body all day long. See if you can add fruit and vegetables to your morning meal!
9. Count Your Blessings
The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning … is sit up and think of five things I’m grateful for that have either happened to me already or that I want to do that day that will, in turn, make me grateful.”
– Julianne Hough
Being thankful can make you happier. Studies show that those who practice gratitude on a regular basis (rather than concentrating on things that annoyed them) felt better about their lives and were more optimistic.[24]
A University of Pennsylvania study found that writing a letter of gratitude to someone increases happiness levels for as long as a month. Cultivate gratitude by keeping a gratitude journal, reciting the things you’re grateful for daily, or thanking people mentally for things you are grateful for.
10. Smell Some Essential Oils
I tried [Emmis Lime essential oil] once and it became a ritual for a long time. It has an enlivening quality to it … and a cleanliness that inspires the deepest of breaths. I often put this oil just at the base of my nose.”
– Alanis Morissette
A nice scent makes any morning routine more enjoyable. So incorporate essential oils into your morning routine. Choose ones that energize and inspire you. Studies show that certain scents, like lavender, reduce anxiety and make you feel happier.[25]
Try scents like jasmine and citrus to energize the body, improve mood, and increase alertness.
Which of these celebrity morning routines resonates with you most? Let us know which ones you’d like to try in the comments!
[1] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318662.php
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23254473
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16740317
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4784068/
[5] https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-13881/5-yoga-poses-to-practice-first-thing-in-the-morning.html
[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22617393
[7] https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/div-classtitlebreakfast-and-exercise-contingently-affect-postprandial-metabolism-and-energy-balance-in-physically-active-malesdiv/9DAC8DE59DEEF7926E81FF2BB2C5B7EB
[8] http://newsarchive.appstate.edu/2011/06/13/early-morning-exercise/
[9] https://www.sleep.org/articles/exercise-time-of-day/
[10] https://eocinstitute.org/meditation/meditation-relaxes-your-nervous-system/
[11] https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858
[12] http://faculty.washington.edu/wobbrock/pubs/gi-12.02.pdf
[13] https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/top-meditation-iphone-android-apps#sattva
[14] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14706966%20
[15] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/267825.php
[16] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/247109.php
[17] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/270202.php
[18] https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-to-wash-face-tips-healthy-skin_n_2134381?guccounter=1
[19] https://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2012/04/27/cold-water-immersion-benefits.aspx
[20] https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa0810780
[21] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19357407
[22] https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/kids/healthy-skin
[23] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3718776/
[24] https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier
[25] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16095639
I can almost never remember dreams. Whenever I do, it’s either a fuzzy repeat, directly connected to my life in a direct way, or very short just as I wake up. When I sleep I pretty much black out! Love sleep!!
I am grateful for this website!!