--- title: 10 Changes to Make to Your Morning Routine description: Most take a just a few minutes, and they'll help you feel prepared, relaxed, and ready for whatever's to come. canonical: https://time.com/4936277/morning-routine-changes/ author: Business Insider article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-09-11T17:35:13.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:45:08.238Z og:title: 10 Changes to Your Morning Routine That Will Transform Your Entire Day og:description: Most take just a few minutes og:url: https://time.com/4936277/morning-routine-changes/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 10 Changes to Your Morning Routine That Will Transform Your Entire Day twitter:description: Most take just a few minutes twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # 10 Changes to Your Morning Routine That Will Transform Your Entire Day > Sponsored content. 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Worth Your Time is TIME's culture recommendation newsletter, edited by culture editor Eliza Berman. Each week it surfaces the books, shows, films and ideas TIME's editors think are worth your attention, and explains why. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Does TIME have a culture newsletter? Yes. Worth Your Time is TIME's culture newsletter, published weekly. #### Who writes TIME's culture recommendations? Culture editor Eliza Berman writes Worth Your Time, drawing on TIME's critics and culture desk. #### Is Worth Your Time free? Yes. It is a free newsletter available at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-worth-2026q3/newsletters?i=0c4a696e-d787-49c9-9af4-f1e18fd90291&cr=time-nl-worth-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Here's How To Have More Energy at Work [Watch (HLS stream): Here's How To Have More Energy at Work](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/WAhMOQg3.m3u8) (1:43)  _Published 2017-05-08. According to a new study, 10 minutes of stair-walking is better for energy levels and work motivation than the amount of caffeine in a can of soda_ by [Caroline Praderio / Business Insider](https://time.com/author/business-insider/) ## Caroline Praderio / Business Insider Sep 11, 2017 5:35 PM UTC by [Caroline Praderio / Business Insider](https://time.com/author/business-insider/) ## Caroline Praderio / Business Insider Sep 11, 2017 5:35 PM UTC Some people [dread mornings](http://www.thisisinsider.com/benefits-of-being-a-night-owl-2017-6), and other people [relish them](http://www.thisisinsider.com/benefits-of-being-a-morning-person-2017-6). No matter which type you are, there’s still a good chance that you can tweak your [morning routine](http://www.thisisinsider.com/amazon-echo-tips-tricks-and-hacks-2017-5) for the better. Next time you wake up, try a few of these 10 tips. Most take a just a few minutes, and they’ll help you feel prepared, relaxed, and ready for whatever’s to come. ## 1\. Go for a quick walk. Going outside and exposing yourself to natural light prompts your body to reset its internal [circadian rhythm](http://www.thisisinsider.com/chronotype-biological-clock-circadian-rhythm-morning-person-2017-4) for a new day, giving you an energy boost, [according to the National Sleep Foundation](https://sleep.org/articles/circadian-rhythm-body-clock/). Plus, a wealth of evidence shows that walking keeps you healthy. One [study of about 72,000 women](https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter%5Farticle/walking-your-steps-to-health) found that three hours of walking per week cut the risk of heart attack and stroke by about 35%. The best part is that it’s totally free and only requires a pair of shoes. **_Read more:_** [_7 science-backed reasons it’s better to be a morning person_](http://www.thisisinsider.com/benefits-of-being-a-morning-person-2017-6) ## 2\. Make your bed. You don’t need to do a heart-pounding workout to feel accomplished in the morning. Instead, bestselling author and four-star admiral William McRaven suggests something simpler: making your bed. “It’s not just about kind of throwing the covers over the pillow,” he said in [an interview with Business Insider](http://www.businessinsider.com/navy-seal-commander-explains-why-you-should-make-your-bed-2017-4) this April. “It’s about making your bed right and walking away and going, ‘OK, that’s good. That looks good. I’m \[…\] proud of this little task I did.’ And that is really what I think sets the tone for the rest of the day,” he said. “It doesn’t take an hour to do, and yet you get this sense of accomplishment.” ## 3\. Drink water. We constantly [lose fluid when we breathe and sweat](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001187.htm)— two things that happen while we’re sleeping. This loss of fluids can lead to dehydration, which can make you feel dizzy, faint, or (in serious cases) confused. That’s no way to kick off your day. Drinking a big glass of water in the morning ensures that your body stays hydrated and your mind stays sharp for whatever’s ahead. And, to help you stay hydrated all day, there is a way to [figure out the exact amount of water you should drink](http://www.thisisinsider.com/how-water-you-need-to-drink-2017-6) every day. ## 4\. Read a book. Some research suggests that [reading may reduce stress](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/5070874/Reading-can-help-reduce-stress.html) and [boost empathy,](http://science.sciencemag.org/content/342/6156/377) a quality that’s critical for your interactions with friends, family, and coworkers all day long. Science aside, it’s just nice to start the day with an activity that’s calm and quiet before the torrent of texts and work emails rushes in. And, for what it’s worth, many of the world’s most successful people [report voracious reading habits](http://www.businessinsider.com/what-successful-people-read-every-morning-2015-5). Bill Gates [reads about a book a week](http://www.businessinsider.com/why-bill-gates-reads-50-books-a-year-2015-11), according to Business Insider. **_Read more:_** [_Your body burns calories while you sleep — here’s how to burn the most_](http://www.thisisinsider.com/how-the-body-burns-calories-during-sleep-2017-3) ## 5\. Write down “three good things.” The [“three good things” exercise](http://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/three-good-things#data-tab-how) is simple: Once a day, write down three things that went well for you that day and explain why they went well. It only takes 10 minutes, and it can have a big impact. The psychologist who developed the exercise found that practicing it for just one week [reduced depressive symptoms](http://www.positiveinsights.co.uk/articles/EMPIRICAL%5FRESULT%5FOF%5FINTERVENTIONS.pdf) and increased happiness for the next six months. Some [people complete the exercise at night](http://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/three-good-things#data-tab-how), but you could try it in the morning as a way to reflect on the previous day. It just might give you a sunnier outlook on everything that’s ahead. ## 6\. Get some caffeine. Yes, you already know that caffeine can make you more alert. (Or, if you’re a caffeine addict, you know that it’s required for basic functioning.) But did you know that its effects extend throughout the day? It takes about 5 to [6 hours for just half the caffeine you’ve ingested to wear off](http://www.businessinsider.com/how-caffeine-affects-the-body-2016-10). Just make sure you’re not taking in more than [400 milligrams of caffeine](http://www.businessinsider.com/how-caffeine-affects-the-body-2016-10) a day. [Here’s what that looks like in terms of actual drinks](http://www.thisisinsider.com/caffeine-daily-serving-2017-6). ## 7\. Do a tiny task that you would otherwise dread all day. There’s no real science behind this one, but it’s easy to see how it works. Imagine coming home to clean kitchen, or a bedroom with all the clothes folded, hung, and put away. It sets the stage for a relaxed evening. ## 8\. Clear your mind. Plenty of health fads aren’t backed by solid science, but meditation is. A growing body of evidence shows that [meditation’s benefits are real and plentiful](http://www.businessinsider.com/meditation-effects-benefits-science-2017-3/). Studies have found [mediation can improve focus](http://www.businessinsider.com/meditation-effects-benefits-science-2017-3/), reduce feelings of anxiety, and decrease blood pressure. [Regular meditators also appear to fatigue less](http://www.businessinsider.com/meditation-effects-benefits-science-2017-3/) easily and get sick less often. Want to finally try it out? One popular (and [doctor-recommended](http://www.thisisinsider.com/health-effects-of-stress-2017-8)) app is called [Headspace](https://www.headspace.com/headspace-meditation-app). It guides you through the basics of meditation so you don’t have to go it alone. ## 9\. Plan out your goals for the day. Instead of just reviewing your schedule for the day, psychologist Travis Bradberry recommends [creating a super-specific list of goals](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/schulzs-early-am-routine-feeds-starbucks-recent-dr-travis-bradberry/?trk=eml-b2%5Fcontent%5Fecosystem%5Fdigest-recommended%5Farticles-85-null&midToken=AQHjymPjY-ltRw&fromEmail=fromEmail&ut=1lnVUFXkSXpT81) that you want to accomplish. Don’t just say you’re going to finish a task — write down how you’re going to do it and how long it’ll take. “When you plan out your day as carefully as possible, your chances of successfully accomplishing your goals skyrocket,” he once [wrote on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/schulzs-early-am-routine-feeds-starbucks-recent-dr-travis-bradberry/?trk=eml-b2%5Fcontent%5Fecosystem%5Fdigest-recommended%5Farticles-85-null&midToken=AQHjymPjY-ltRw&fromEmail=fromEmail&ut=1lnVUFXkSXpT81). But make sure the goals you set are realistic. Otherwise, when you don’t complete them, you’ll only feel dejected. Also, try to knock out the most difficult goals early in your day. “When you complete difficult tasks first, you carry positive energy and a feeling of accomplishment into the rest of your day,” Bradberry wrote. **_Read more:_** [_Poor sleep can ramp up our insecurities — here’s how treating insomnia can help with mental health_](http://www.businessinsider.com/treating-insomnia-could-help-reduce-mental-health-problems-2017-9) ## 10\. Talk to someone you love. That good feeling you get after chatting with a loved one isn’t just a nice way to start the day — it’s actually good for your body. More scientific evidence is showing that [social interaction is crucial to our wellbeing](https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/streams-of-consciousness/the-importance-of-being-social/). People with more [social connections live longer](http://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316) than those who are more isolated, according to a review of existing studies done in 2010\. Additionally, people who are lonelier are more likely to have [elevated stress levels.](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/12/well/live/having-friends-is-good-for-you.html?mcubz=3&%5Fr=0) Spend a few minutes talking in person with a partner or roommate, or make a call to a friend or family member who doesn’t live with you. _This_ [_article_](http://www.thisisinsider.com/things-to-do-in-the-morning-to-make-your-day-better-2017-9) _originally appeared on_ [_BusinessInsider.com_](http://www.businessinsider.com) ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] Researchers tested 18 sleep- deprived female college students on three separate days. On two of the days, the participants were given either a can of cola's amount of caffeine or a placebo. The other day, they spent 10 minutes walking up and down stairs at a low- intensity pace. 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