8 Things To Do Before 8 AM: How to Create a Morning Routine That Lasts

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Simplify your morning routine by skipping the time wasters. Try these 8 things to do before 8 am to make your day run smoothly and less stress-filled as you simplify your life.

Before having kids, I had an idea in my mind about what life would look like. I would fix breakfast every morning since it’s the most important meal of the day. We would take a quick walk in the morning or do morning workouts together. There would always be clean clothes. My kids would be polite and perfect. I thought if we set goals and were early risers, we’d start each day on the right foot and we’d become productive people.

Instead, I was drowning.

I couldn’t breathe. Life was overwhelming. I wasn’t creating good habits. My mental health was lacking and I was far from getting enough hours of sleep. My energy levels were waning. Morning time was anything but simple. There was no such thing as a productive day. Cereal was the go-to breakfast food, and I rarely sat down to eat.

I knew that I couldn’t keep up with what I was doing, but at the same time, I didn’t know how to put an end to the vicious cycle.

8 Things To Do Before 8 AM: How to Create a Morning Routine That Lasts 4

How do you stop the cycle of overwhelm and pivot to a positive outlook and better life?

I told myself that this was my life now. This is just what life looks like with four kids under eight.

Hindsight is 20/20. It didn’t have to be that way. We could have a simple morning routine that set the tone for the rest of the day. I didn’t have to be frazzled all the time and put our fires 24-7 until I collapsed in bed.

That is the lie I believed.

But how do you create a simple morning routine and makeover your mornings when you aren’t morning people?

It was going to take a HUGE shift in my way of thinking as a night owl who enjoyed those late nights. I was going to have to train myself to go to bed earlier and adopt those early hours as my own. This night owl was going to have to make over her mornings and get a healthy amount of sleep.

A plan was needed for the best way to start my morning. I needed a morning makeover. Our morning routine needed to begin with simple morning lists that were followed.

It took a couple of weeks but I realized that there were several things that I needed to get done every morning before the kids got up for a less chaotic day.

Overwhelmed? Stressed? Try starting your day with these eight tasks for a more productive and less hectic day. And notice what is NOT on the list.

The best morning routine starts at the end of the day. These ten things before 10 PM have made a huge difference in how my week goes.

I won’t say every day is perfect, but there was a lot less crazy. Even with four kids and working from home. Healthy habits aren’t always easy to start but they show me that there are better ways to create the perfect morning routine. Here is my 8 am morning routine.

8 Things to Do Before 8 am | Things To Do In The Morning

Here is a simple morning routine of 8 things you can do before 8 am to start your morning off right. With this morning schedule routine, you can establish a successful early morning routine and get these 8 things to do before 8 am done in no time. You don’t even have to wake up in the wee hours of the morning to get them done!

Important things first. This will be the key to starting daily routines for you and your family even if you aren’t a morning person. This is for all you night owls too.

What Should I Do Before 8 am? | Morning Routine Ideas

1. Start the Laundry

Every simple morning routine should start with laundry. A lot of people struggle with laundry. It’s a hated chore that gets pushed aside on a busy day. There are laundry chairs, laundry treadmills, and laundry that gets left in the washer for days.

It doesn’t end there, though. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve had to rewash loads of clothes multiple times right now though I’m washing a load of laundry but forgot to add the clothes. Oops!

Have a plan on when you will put it in the dryer.

For me, it’s washing a load after the kids are dressed for the day and putting it in the dryer when the littlest goes down for her nap or when she wakes up since the laundry room is on the second floor.

8 things to do before 8 am

2. Drink WATER

On my list of first things first, in the morning, water is a must. A glass of water should be the first thing you drink in the morning, then you can drink your much-needed cup of coffee.

morning routine drink water

Don’t like plain water? That’s okay. Infused water tastes great and helps you get in your daily water needs.

3. Empty the Dishwasher

It’s like a clean slate. When the dishwasher is empty, as dishes get dirty you can bypass the sink and put them straight in the dishwasher. That leaves you with a clean sink.

8 Things To Do Before 8 AM: How to Create a Morning Routine That Lasts 5

I don’t know about you, but a clean sink helps my sanity in hard times. This is a huge one if a sink full of dishes makes your anxiety level go up.

Definitely add it to your list of 8 things to do before 8 am simple morning routine.

4. Read your Bible

In some seasons this can seem daunting. So impossible that we make excuse after excuse on why we can’t sit down long enough to read and meditate on God’s Word. Let us not give up.

Write down Scripture verses and post them throughout your house. Read one Proverb a day until it becomes a habit and you crave that time to delve into the Word. It’s not impossible.

5. Plan Your Meals

Mom with Toddler Son

Do you like to meal plan? I don’t. That’s how I knew I needed to add this to my simple morning routine.

Know what you are having for dinner.

Make a simple list of meals your family loves to eat. Meal planning is so important in sticking to your budget and maintaining a lower stress level at home.

When you know what you’re having for dinner in the morning, you can prep the ingredients early in the day and won’t be standing in front of the pantry and fridge while your children are tugging on your pants and legs begging for food.

Don’t forget to have a healthy breakfast! But even if it’s just coffee, add this to your 8 things to do before 8 am.

6. Get Dressed

Did you know that getting dressed is an important part of a simple morning routine?

This sounds silly, I know. The difference between the flow of the day when I am dressed and ready to tackle the day when the kids wake up and the days when the opposite is true is amazing.

Is your closet overwhelming? There is a solution. First things first, streamline your wardrobe.

7. Brain Dump

Doing a brain dump will help in your morning makeover. Make two columns on a piece of paper, or purchase these brain dump sheets on Etsy. On one side write down what you are thankful for. On the other write down all the things weighing on you.

Your to-do list, everything that you know you need to get done, future events, things that you want to do, and every thought that comes to mind, write it down.

8 things to do before 8 am for a productive day

You don’t have to write it in any kind of order, just write down everything. It’s amazing how much brain capacity we take up just trying to remember everything. Once it’s written down, you can visualize what needs to happen and make your to-do list.

Maybe you want to add this to your 8 things to do before 8 am but want a different approach. That’s okay!

Amiyrah Martin has a great way to organize your to-do lists with her Long List Short List that will help you organize your week!

8. Simple Morning Lists

Make a simple morning list of things you need to get done. After you write it down, prioritize those items.

What has to happen?

What could be done tomorrow if life happens and disrupts your list?

Pick three things. If you get to more, awesome! If not, no worries. There is always tomorrow.

Notice What Is NOT On The List of 8 Things To Do Before 8 AM

Did you notice what wasn’t part of this simple morning routine?

Checking social media. Checking email. Catching up on the daily gossip. While tempting, those are total time wasters.

If you want to streamline your day and get more accomplished, skip those and start with the non-negotiables.

Don’t worry if you hit the snooze button too many times and wake up feeling behind. Commit to not wait until the next day. Start when you can and complete your important tasks. The perfect time to start is now.

Your Simple Morning Routine Makeover

Do you need a morning makeover? What is your morning routine to start the day out right?

Do you follow my list of 8 things to do before 8 am during your morning routine, or do you have a different plan each morning?

Do you try to do these 10 things before 10 PM to improve your productivity?

Consider making your simple morning lists the night before so you know exactly what you need to tackle when you wake up in the morning.

8 Things To Do Before 8 AM

Try simplifying your life by starting your day off on the right foot. These eight actions, while simple, make a huge difference in how we organize the rest of our day.

Need more morning routine examples? Here is an early morning routine for students for summer example.

8 things to do before 8 am for a better day

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100 Comments

  1. Great tips! I need to up my water intake, and starting the day with a glass is a good way to start. Tossing in laundry in the morning is something I do try to do — the laundry never ends does it? but, I admit, I am bad at checking in on social media in the morning, and it does suck up the time.

    1. Laundry NEVER ends. I think it multiples in the hamper. Ha! Social media sucks me in too. I get so much more done in the morning though when I don’t check it first thing.

      1. I’m sure you have too many active little angels running around to be able to do this… but in the mornings I like to have a quiet cuppabefore everyone else is up. I do my social media checking then… at the same time I catch up on the news with the tv on… but then i am older, my angel is grown, and the most demanding small thing in our family is the cat right now.

    2. Studies have shown that drinking 1 glass of cold water , first thing once you get out of bed jump starts your metabolism and sets you up for a productive day

      1. I make sure that I keep water by my bed so that I can drink throughout the night and have water in the morning to get me started then coffee later.

    3. I’d make one addition….exercise. For me, if I don’t do it in the morning it doesn’t get done.

      1. Yep exercise! I started jump rope for 10 mins every morning, you can’t imagine how much it helps and how much body fat percentage it gets rid of!

    4. Don’t think you can say reading the bible is an essential every morning. Save yourself time by not bothering and fill that time saved with an extra 5 mins in bed or a short morning exercise.

      1. Kink, you could absolutely exercise or do yoga during that time if reading the Bible isn’t for you.

  2. This was a great read. I appreciate you sharing these tips, especially reading God’s word daily. It truly does make a difference in the direction of our day, would you agree? We get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that we tend to forget that without Him, our lives would be a mess. Nonetheless, well noted and I look forward to more of your reads. Keep up the great work!
    – Sarah

    1. Thank you. Spending time in the Word makes a HUGE difference. It helps me keep my focus in the right place.

      1. Whitney!
        Great suggestions. ALL of them!
        We have purpose and it ain’t being a consumer 100%, we must maintain and tend to our lives. Social media will steal that time – if we let it. May I share this video on my blog?

    2. Yes, I agree. Reading GOD’s words must be our priority in the morning as this gives us the courage to LIVE the life meaningfully.

  3. I am a single mom of four, they are 17, 16, 13 & 9. I can’t tell you that it’ll “get easier” when they are older, but with these tips…you really are going to streamline.

    I love the fact that you have a “trigger” to put your clothes from the washer to the dryer (naptime). I too love having the washer and dishwasher running because I feel so productive when I know both are being done.

    Have you found Flylady? She too suggests that you meal plan before 9am (so meat can thaw or if you need an ingredient, you can either get it or change your meal 😉 )

    And you are so right, no one writes down “check ” or “check email” (although with work, sometimes I have “call so-and-so” or “email contract to…” so there is that 😉

    Fabulous post. Not only is this being shifted to my Simple Living (secret) board on Pinterest, but The Blogs I Follow board too 🙂 Thanks so much! 🙂

    1. *check social media (guess my “greater than & less than signs” looked like html code to the comment box 😉

      Also, in response to Christina, my suggestion is to assign a day of the week to each family member/bedroom. In my house (5 girls, with me included) I do my laundry on Monday, my eldest’ son Tuesday, the older middle on Wednesday, the younger middle on Thursday, the “baby” on Friday, and pet stuff followed by towels on Saturday. Sunday is when the machine should be quiet.

      I encouraged my older ones to do their own laundry. (And I cut down their clothes to about a week’s worth so they had to wash laundry every week in order to have underwear…) If they forgot, they had to wait until the child whose day it was had a chance to go first…then they could start theirs.

      After two loads of laundry over six years were killed by red crayon, I had to change things, so I separated laundry by child. Now they check their pockets, my clothes are no longer in danger, and all four of my girls know how to run both our washer & dryer (including checking the lint trap) and fold their clothes. (We only have 2 laundry baskets to dump the dryer into 😉 ) Oh! And bedding is run with laundry…well, separately, but at least twice a month they are washing comforters, etc. I’m eyeing a clothes line now because the weather is getting nice and we moved into a HOA that allows them behind 6′ privacy fences 😉

      1. I LOVE the idea of having one day per child for laundry. Teaching my kids to do laundry at a young age is definitely on my to do list. Sometimes our 7 year old helps, but I need to be more diligent in having her help/watch so she can do it herself. Before we moved I purged our closets. That made a HUGE difference. HUGE. The weather is so much different here though I had to pull out Fall/Winter clothes in addition to our Spring/Summer clothes, so I need to do that again. A clothes line would be amazing. We’re renting right now so that’s a no go for now, but in a year, maybe!

      2. you can buy a portable clothes line… look for one shaped like an upside down umbrella. at hardware stores and sometimes big box stores… you open it up, place it outdoors in the garden and hang your clothes from the center out… I honestly used to put our underwear on ours, in the center, and move outwards with larger items… everything gets lovely sunshine and fresh air… this way you can be hanging clothes outdoors in good weather, and don’t have to worry about damaging anything or changing anything in a rental property.
        using more sunshine and less dryer not only saves money, but the smell of Sunshine and fresh air is wonderful!

    2. Meal planning in the morning is so key for me. Evenings are less stressful and we already have a plan. Plus I don’t have to answer the question “What’s for dinner?” 20 million times. Everyone already knows! HA!

      Thank you for stopping by and for your words of encouragement!!

  4. I think you didn’t finish this sentece on # 7. “Brain dump. Make two columns on a piece of paper. On one side write down what you are thankful for. On the other write down all the things.” Write down all the things… what?

  5. Wow, too many things in here just hit right on target for it to be a coincidence!
    I already read 1 Proverbs a day,
    I recently changed my “description” on Facebook to say “beautiful mess”,
    I just put a note up in my hallway that says, “What are my (daily) non-negotiables?”
    I’m already planning to do a capsule wardrobe for my kids and myself,
    And I just browsed through about 10 different meal plans and gave up because it was too complicated to avoid both gluten and dairy!!

    I saved a link to this page on my homescreen, thanks so much for posting this! ?

    Oh! One question….is there a grocery store list somewhere on there??

    1. Hi Katie, I was just scrolling through these comments and noticed you need dairy and gluten free recipes. Have you heard of the blog “My darling lemon thyme”? It’s amazing and might be just what you’re looking for ?

    2. I love all these ideas unfortunately I am not a morning person so I do all of this before bed and I sleep like a dream knowing I already know what my day will look like the next day. And I take out my frozen meat before I go to bed so it is thawed by dinner. Speaking of dinner…

      Gluten and dairy can be avoided. I have a few key meals as my daughter is both and add in beef!

      Mexican rice with ground turkey and gluten free taco seasoning with vegetables is tasty and you can add cheese for those who can have it at the table and salsa for the ones who like it. Add beans for more protein.

      Another good one is any cream sauces can be replaced with coconut milk. Butter chicken made with coconut milk is great and tasty. I make a shepherds pie with ground pork and gluten free gravy mix and mashed potatoes.

      There is a lot out there you just have to look at paleo diet and go from there.

    3. hi,
      you might find it easier to make a meal plan for a week?
      That way you might be able to do the gluten/dairy free meals on a regular basis, and know ahead of time what you will be making each day. Look for meals that are more centered on protein and veg, with the addition of gluten/dairy free options as sides?
      If you can find at least 5 options, you could repeat them, and add until you can develop a monthly meal plan in the end? I like to tell my daughter… “how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time…”

  6. I thought this was lovely. Getting ready to have my kiddos home for the summer and as I transition, I’m trying to find some ways to integrate new routine. I love the brain dump alongside gratitude and then turning THAT into a to-do list. Thanks for sharing!

  7. I really like the brain dump part. I never heard or read of that one before. I will definitely use that tip.

  8. What a great post and a great reminder. I have that same series and need to sit down and do it myself. The laundry is NEVER ending. We are a family of 8 and I think it multiplies while I sleep. My time is vital to not only my existence, but every one around me. I can’t serve anyone else if I’m drained. Getting up early and doing these things are amazing. If you haven’t read The Miracle Morning, I’d really recommend it. It goes along the same lines from a different perspective.

  9. I have 3 kids 5, 7, 11 and we have systems going in the morning as they all have to leave for school at 8:40am Here’s how our morning goes:
    7:30 I wake up. Kids may or may not be awake. All of them will be woken up by 7:45 if they aren’t awake. My coffeemaker turns on at 7:45.
    7:45-8:00 I make breakfast (only 3 options-same thing every weekday morning) while the kids unload the dishwasher-usually one takes top rack, one takes bottom rack, little one takes silverware-mornings where the dishes don’t need to be unloaded (usually Mondays, we eat dinner at my MIL’s Sunday nights so there’s not enough to load) they have to put their folded clothes away, each kid has a bin.
    8:00: all have to get dressed and brush teeth.
    If the kid has eaten breakfast, gotten dressed (pjs back in the drawer or hamper), brushed teeth, they can play computer or ipad.
    8:30-5 minute warning. I rush any kids falling behind, electronic games are wrapped up and saved.
    8:35-shoes on (we do 8;30 in the winter-we’re in Canada and everyone needs snow gear on)
    8:40-out the door, sunscreen is on our porch and I sunscreen everyone in the summer.

    Dishwasher & clothes washer are loaded after dinner and run after 7:30 (our power is cheaper after that time of night). Then I try to remember to flip to the dryer before I go to bed that if I have extra time in the morning I can fold a load.

    Hope that helps someone!

  10. So wise. Those are things I did when I had 8 small children had to really planned to function at all. As an older person with no children at home I had forgotten the sweet blessings of those important details. Thank you for the reminder.

  11. I’d love to see gym time or sone fitness activity on the list. The energy boost you receive from working out in the morning is unbelievable.

    Personally, I was glad to see reading the bible made the list. Meditation and quite time is another one I like.

  12. Great ideas. Especially the list suggestion. Taking time to be thankful can really make or break my day!

    Also, I suggest reading your Bible in the first twenty minutes after waking up. Experts say you’re brain waves are operating at a higher level than any other time of day.

    Thanks!

  13. Years ago I read a bio on Susanna Wesley & she was fond of saying “you must have a method. ” I tell my kids that to this day. If you don’t have in mind what you need to accomplish and how well it probably won’t get d6. Love the brain dump! It really does help to make lists and prioritize. Carry it around and check off as you go for a sense of “it’s done”

  14. I start my day with scripture and daily meditation from Forward Day by Day. I refuel each day with this time with God. I only have my 3 y/o granddaughter that requires care and supervision, which I find more of a delight than a chore. Days that I don’t give the first part of my day to God seem most hectic.

  15. I love this! It is something I’ve began thinking about lately, because if I actually wake up before my daughter, I can get so much done! I have even been working on some of these already, like 1 laundry load/ morning and menu planning… But I needed a better game plan that covered more, This sounds like what I am looking for, and very do-able! Thank you for sharing this- I think it will really improve our household- and my stress! lol

  16. Great suggestions, kids are grown and I’m back in online class and working. I’m going to use these to help me be productive ( and hydrated) while sitting at computer for hours! I have used a timer for breaks and this will improve my routine even better.

  17. Great post!
    Just a little editing note- you’ve forgotten to delete “(affiliate link)” under the advertisement in your intro section 🙂

  18. I’m 24 years old and I have three kids.

    I dont like to wake up early in the morning but I will try do it.

    Thank you

  19. This really is an amazing list. It’s so simple, yet so hard to do! I give you so much respect for having it together with 4 under 8 — I only have a 7 month old, but still can’t get back into any sort of routine for myself. I think this will help a lot.

  20. I can totally relate to the working on going to bed earlier…I really struggle with that! Loved the whole list!

    1. I’m so glad you love the list! I really need to work on going to bed earlier. Tonight will not be one of those nights though, unfortunately.

  21. The brain dump is great! I don’t just do it in the morning, I carry a notepad and pen in my pocket everywhere so I can brain dump as soon as something pops into my head. Then when I get home, I transfer the brain dump notepad items to the correct place in my planner – does it go on the grocery list, to do list, general shopping/town list, into the calendar? This very very simple system has saved me some headaches, stress and means I am HEAPS less forgetful!

  22. Whitney, I completely agree with your list! An 8-ounce glass of water first thing in the morning really helps my energy level. I add a splash of lemon juice to mine. I also can’t survive without my morning prayer time. The rest of the day just doesn’t work without it. I am not married and don’t have children, but I also do most of the things you recommend. They make a huge difference in the day.

  23. I absolutely love this post. I am always trying to find ways for my clients reduce stress. My favorite suggestion was brain dump. I was so inspired. I saw a cute index card notebook that would be perfect for brain dump so I am doing a giveaway on my blog for a notebook and it was all inspired by your post. Thank you so much.

  24. Wow! What a great post! I started the Make Over Your Mornings course, and needed the encouragement to finish. I have worked on making my mornings look better, but often succumb to distraction (esp. on my computer, where I have my Bible reading plan), so more discipline is required. I love and agree with your top eight items, even if mine may look a bit different. I never thought of doing a “brain dump” in the morning before, but it sounds like a good idea. I also need to curb my “night-owl” tendencies, which is increasingly difficult as my sons get older and stay up later. Thanks for the sound advice and encouragement. Here’s to making our mornings work for us!

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