Make Over Your Morning Routine in 3 Easy Steps

This post is sponsored by General Mills, but all opinions are my own.

The New Year is here and it brought a new decade with it. There is no better time than RIGHT NOW to makeover your morning routine. Feeling blah? Overwhelmed? Tired? No time for breakfast? Maybe it is time to reset your schedule. In this post we will talk about 3 easy ways you can make the most of your mornings.

By the way, I'm all in!

Morning Makeover - Now is the Time!

Mornings are about to have a moment for me.

I used to be a morning person. No, really, I was. Bright-eyed and bushy tailed, I was always one to jump out of bed ready to face the day. No snooze button for me, Susan. 

But of late (let’s say 4 years, lol) I’ve fallen into a morning “funk”. I want to sleep late. The snooze-button is my BFF. I skip breakfast. Honestly, I feel like I am missing out on my day because of my morning routine.

All of this is about to change. So if you are like me and want to take charge of your routine and make your mornings meaningful, here are 3 simple and actionable steps.

Listen, I’m not talking about crazy unobtainable resolutions that we will all forget by February. These are little things that add up to create a re-energized morning routine.

How to Make Your Mornings Better in 3 Simple Steps

1. Make breakfast a priority.
2. Organize and simplify your routine.
3. Change your relationship with your phone.

Take Charge of your Morning Routine

Step 1: Make breakfast a priority.

If you are skipping breakfast, STOP it. I'm yelling at myself, too. You have heard it over and over for a reason, but breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day.

It doesn’t have to be a full, gourmet meal, but breakfast should be tasty and nutritious. So kick the vending machine honey bun to the curb and plan your breakfasts ahead of time.

Simple morning meals like fruit, yogurt, and NEW Cheerios ™ Oat Crunch Oats ‘N Honey. We are so excited about a new addition to the Cheerios™ family. Made with whole grain oats and real honey, this is a great way to start your day.

You can find them in the breakfast cereal aisle of your local Walmart. Or add them to your online Walmart shopping cart.

Everyone has time for a delicious bowl of Cheerios ™ Oat Crunch Oats ‘N Honey.

To get you off to a great start, download this Free Printable Breakfast Meal Plan. We've simplified our mornings with this plan. It is so easy to stick to and helps us prepare for busy mornings.

Step 2: Organize and simplify your routine.

That's right, send in the troops and clear that schedule. Are you flying around by the seat of your pants? Always running behind? Forgetting things? Never prepared for the day ahead?

Find a way to organize your schedule. Even if you are "old school" and write it down in a planner. (Me. I'm talking about me.)

Take a few minutes at night to plan your next day. Make sure the kids have those soccer bags packed. All the school forms are signed and sitting on the counter ready to go.

While you are at it, go ahead and decide what you are going to wear tomorrow. Young kids? Decide for them, too. You could even go so far as to plan this for the whole week.

Whaaaaaaaat!? Crazy talk, I know.

I think you get my point. This isn't rocket science. You are awake, probably playing on your phone or binge watching your favorite show. Take a break and take the time to make tomorrow easier.

Step 3: Change your relationship with your phone.

Speaking of playing with your phone...if you struggle in the mornings, you may want to change your relationship with your phone. Yes, the phone is not only your phone. It is also your calendar, your workspace, your puzzles, your window to the world, your book, your news source...and so much more.

Too much time on your phone can have a negative impact on your morning routine. And this starts at night.

If you spend too much time on your phone at night, you typically stay up later, making mornings more difficult.

But then, what is the first thing you do in the morning? You reach for your phone and start the cycle all over again.

Try this two-part phone challenge to make your morning routine better.

1. Turn your phone off 1 hour before you go to bed. (Or even earlier than that if you can.)
2. Don't turn your phone on until you get to work. I'm being totally serious.

Wake up. Start your day. Have a delicious bowl of Cheerios ™ , get the kids ready and out the door. You might even have time to sneak in a quick workout. Resist the urge to turn on your phone. It can wait.

Declare your morning space a "No Phone Zone" and stick to it.

It sounds crazy, but limiting your phone time can completely rejuvenate your morning and help you get back on track. You will fall asleep easier, wake up more refreshed, and have more time to get things done.

You may even enjoy your mornings for a change!