Try It For 1 Day：Do This Every Morning to Boost Motivation & Focus
Here are the top 10 takeaways from Mel Robbins' podcast that can transform your mornings from sluggish to supercharged, setting you up for a day of focus, motivation, and accomplishment.
1. Everyone has a morning routine by default
Everyone already has a morning routine, whether they realize it or not. Hitting the snooze button repeatedly, scrolling through social media for 45 minutes, or putting a pillow over your head - these are all morning routines. The question isn't whether you have one, but whether it's working for you.
Your current morning habits might be sabotaging your day rather than setting you up for success. Recognizing that whatever you're doing first thing in the morning constitutes your routine is the first step toward making positive changes. This awareness allows you to evaluate whether your default routine aligns with your goals and desired feelings for the day.
2. Multiple factors affect morning energy levels
Morning difficulties can stem from various factors, not character flaws. Research shows that genetics play a significant role - there are 351 genetic markers linked to being a morning person. Other factors include circadian rhythm variations, past trauma activating freeze responses, and changing life circumstances like retirement.
Anxiety and depression also contribute substantially to morning struggles. For those with depression, 75% have difficulty getting out of bed. Morning anxiety is common due to naturally elevated cortisol levels, blood sugar fluctuations, and alcohol consumption the night before. Understanding these factors removes self-blame and provides clarity about what you're working against.
This knowledge is empowering because it shifts the narrative from personal deficiency to physiological and psychological factors that can be addressed. For people who spring out of bed easily, this information promotes compassion toward those who struggle in the mornings.
3. A morning routine is your only guaranteed control time
The morning represents the only time of day you're fully in control. Once you check your phone, enter your workplace, or start responding to others' needs, your day becomes reactive. Your morning routine is time you can protect for yourself before turning your energy over to everyone else.
This protected time is especially valuable during chaotic periods. Even when life feels overwhelming, you can always return to your morning routine. Each new day offers a fresh start and an opportunity to reclaim control by following your system of self-care.
The empowerment that comes from this controlled time ripples throughout your day. By prioritizing yourself first thing in the morning, you're establishing boundaries and practicing self-respect that can influence how you approach the rest of your day's challenges.
4. Get up immediately when the alarm rings
When your alarm sounds, get up right away rather than lying in bed. Research confirms that staying in bed increases rumination and worsens depression and anxiety. Mel recommends using her "5-Second Rule" – counting backward 5-4-3-2-1, then immediately moving.
This immediate action prevents the motivation-killing hesitation that occurs when you contemplate getting up. It also helps you avoid marinating in morning cortisol, which is naturally high upon waking. Moving your body interrupts the cycle of mental spinning and self-doubt that often occurs when lying in bed.
Placing your alarm across the room can be helpful since it forces you to get up to turn it off. Avoid looking at your phone immediately, as this introduces outside influences and steals your personal morning time. The simple act of getting up creates momentum that carries you into the next steps of your routine.
5. Make your bed every morning
Making your bed is a simple act of discipline that prevents you from climbing back in and starts your day with accomplishment. Research shows that visual clutter increases anxiety and can worsen depression. Creating an orderly environment positively influences your cognition and emotions.
This small habit demonstrates self-care and builds the skill of doing what needs to be done regardless of how you feel. It's a gift to your future self – when you return to your bedroom later, seeing the made bed provides a sense of order and calm. The contrast between starting your day by procrastinating versus taking action and showing discipline is significant.
Making your bed transforms you from someone whose first decision is to delay responsibility into someone who takes immediate action. This mental shift extends beyond the physical task itself, creating a foundation for how you approach other responsibilities throughout your day.
6. High five yourself in the mirror
High-fiving your reflection after brushing your teeth creates new neural pathways supporting self-belief. This practice combines a routine activity (brushing teeth) with something unexpected (the high five), activating what neuroscientist Dr. Lawrence Katz calls "neurobics" – essentially brain fertilizer that encodes new habits faster.
A high five symbolizes encouragement, belief, and support. When directed at yourself, it programs a mindset of self-encouragement. UC Berkeley researchers found that NBA teams giving the most high fives at the beginning of the season were most likely to reach championships, demonstrating the power of this simple gesture to build trust and resilience.
This practice may feel awkward initially, but the science behind it is compelling. The physical action bypasses mental resistance and directly influences how you relate to yourself. It's a quick, easy way to become your own best teammate and supporter right at the start of your day.
7. Drink water before caffeine
Starting your day with water rather than caffeine significantly impacts your energy and brain function. Water makes up 45-75% of your body weight and 80% of your brain composition. It's essential for transporting nutrients, regulating temperature, lubricating joints, and supporting organ function. Drinking water before caffeine helps combat brain fog, exhaustion, headaches, and mood swings.
Consuming caffeine immediately upon waking traps adenosine (a sleepy chemical) in your brain. When you drink coffee first thing, it prevents your brain from naturally clearing this chemical, creating a cycle where you need increasingly more caffeine throughout the day. Waiting at least an hour after waking before having caffeine allows your brain to properly flush adenosine.
People who implement this change often report dramatically reduced caffeine dependence. Many find they no longer crave multiple cups of coffee and experience more stable energy levels throughout the day. This simple adjustment works with your body's natural chemistry rather than against it.
8. Get morning light exposure
Exposure to morning light is crucial for resetting your body's internal clock. Dr. Rebecca Robbins from Harvard Medical School explains that morning sunlight helps transition your body into the awake phase and starts the internal timer that will eventually trigger sleep at night. This light exposure is one of the most important factors for quality sleep.
Even on cloudy or rainy days, getting outside provides beneficial light exposure. The "5-10-20 rule" offers a simple guideline: 5 minutes of exposure on sunny days, 10 minutes on cloudy days, and 20 minutes of bright artificial light if you can't go outside. This light exposure stops the production of melatonin (the sleep hormone) and signals to your body that it's time to be alert.
Regular morning light exposure helps maintain a healthy circadian rhythm, which impacts not just sleep but overall health, mood, and cognitive function. This step in your routine requires minimal time but offers substantial benefits for your entire day and night.
9. Take a 10-minute morning walk
A 10-minute morning walk delivers remarkable benefits with minimal time investment. Research shows this simple habit can add years to your life while immediately improving your mood and mental clarity. The activity creates what researchers call "forward ambulation," generating a flow state that naturally reduces anxiety and overthinking.
As you walk, your brain processes new visual and auditory input, which shifts your focus away from rumination. This optic and auditory flow has a documented effect on your nervous system, changing how your brain works even for those with vision impairments. The 10-minute recommendation comes directly from scientific literature on the minimum effective dose for these benefits.
This walk can be combined with getting morning light exposure, efficiently addressing two routine elements simultaneously. Taking a quiet walk without phone distractions maximizes the mental benefits, creating a stronger, more relaxed, and confident mindset to start your day.
10. Morning habits build momentum for larger goals
A morning routine serves as the foundation for achieving broader life goals. As James Clear states, "You don't rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your system." When your morning routine becomes a reliable system, it supports your larger aspirations by establishing consistency, discipline, and focus.
The six-step morning routine Mel outlines takes approximately 14 minutes total, making it accessible regardless of schedule demands. This accessibility ensures you can maintain your routine anywhere, whether at home, traveling, or during busy periods. The routine's simplicity removes excuses and increases the likelihood of consistent implementation.
Mel recommends adding a 15-minute focused work period on a meaningful project after completing the routine. This "hot 15" capitalizes on the mental clarity and motivation generated by the previous steps, allowing you to make progress on important goals before external demands take over. This system-based approach to mornings shifts control from fluctuating moods and circumstances to intentional actions that compound over time.