What’s the Best Morning Routine for ADHD? | ADHD Morning Routine Tips
It’s been roughly 7 years since I had a coach recommend that I wake up earlier to achieve the goals I set as a mom and business. And I did follow her advice and started waking up earlier.
But the thing is, in those 7 years since I’ve been crafting and editing my wake up routine, I realized it isn’t about what time you wake up, it’s about what you do.
My morning routine shifted from a productivity focus and to a preparation for juggling all the things that come from being a mom and entrepreneur.
Because, as I discussed in my post about ADHD energy management, most of the population is not genetically wired to wake before the sun comes up.
But everyone can benefit from a morning routine that isn’t roll out of bed, brush your teeth, and run out the door. Especially those of us with ADHD.
That’s why I wanted to discuss the benefits of an ADHD morning routine, tips for creating your morning routine, and I’ll share my morning routine and why I do what I do.
ADHD Morning Routine Benefits
I like to think of a morning routine like a warm up routine for your brain and body.
A way to start your day your way and create awareness around what you have on your agenda.
A morning routine provides a structure to start your day. And believe me, I know about the love/hate relationship us ADHDers have with “structure” and boring routines.
But a morning routine helps you make fewer decisions first thing in the day, which means you save that all important dopamine and executive function for decisions that actually need it.
And when you can find time to do the things you love first thing in the day, it’s easier to stay consistent with them.
Morning routines give us a chance to review what’s ahead and see where we may need to use our energy throughout the day.
Finally, morning routines give you a chance to practice self care or something for yourself before you have to start being a mom or building your business for the day.
I know before I started my morning routine, I was constantly complaining that everything I did was either for my work or my kids.
But not anymore…because I make sure that I start nearly every day with something that is just for me.
ADHD Morning Routine Tips
So how should you go about crafting your ADHD morning routine? Well, let me start by saying that a morning routine doesn’t have to start at the crack of dawn. It’s about the ritual of starting your day, not necessarily the time of day that you start.
And the great thing is, along with the start time, you get to choose what works best for you.
While there are all kinds of videos and blog posts out there saying “you should do this” or “you need to do that”, when it comes to us ADHDers, it’s about choosing activities to suit our needs.
Your morning routine might include reading or pet care or eating or drinking water or sky diving.
Your routine may start off with just a few things to fill your cup and slowly morph into something involved.
I love the approach Amy Landino suggests in her book, Good Morning, Good Life*. And full disclosure, she’s a friend of mine and the coach I mentioned in the intro who encouraged me to start waking up earlier.
Amy’s key components to a morning routine, are…
Movement – How can you get your body ready for the day?
Mindfulness - How can you get your mind ready for the day?
Mastery - What can you learn or improve?
I love the flexibility these categories give me because we all know that ADHD loves options.
I also keep my routine flexible by changing up the type of workout or the order I do things in.
In fact, I made a huge shift to my routine when my youngest son asked if he could start working out with me. I flip flopped my routine to work out with him around 630am rather than first thing after I wake up. It has definitely energized my routine.
One other area of flexibility is in the expectations I have for completing my routine. You may have previously heard me mention the “Good, Better, Best” method of creating expectations.
And I think it is really important to have varying levels of what a successful morning routine looks like so it doesn’t feel overwhelming and cause you to throw in the towel.
A good version of your routine would include your non-negotiables for the mornings where you just need to get your day going.
A better version might be your non-negotiables plus a few of your added tasks on the mornings your don’t have time for your full routine but you have time for more than the good version.
And the best version would be all things. When you sit down and chart out the things you would like to do in order to set up your day your way, these are all of the things that you would like to include.
Since your energy levels vary from day to day based on your sleep, your dopamine levels, your stress, and so much more, having tiered expectations can go a long way in helping you stick with your routine.
My ADHD Morning Routine
I want to finish by sharing with you what I do in the mornings and why I’ve chosen to do it.
Remember, it’s not about following me or creating a perfect routine. It’s about creating an ADHD morning routine for yourself that sets up your day for success.
And to my earlier point about expectations, this is the “BEST” version of my routine, meaning when I have the energy, this is what I aim to do most days.
Get to Bed – They say the best morning routine starts the night before, and they aren’t wrong. I aim for 6-8 hours of sleep but it took me time to respect my need for sleep. I remember bragging to an Instagram friend one time that I only need 4-5 hours of sleep to function. Well, no. I definitely did need more. Which is why I was always on edge and exhausted.
Wake up with Sunrise Alarm Clock - I started using a sunrise alarm clock* so I wouldn’t go straight to my phone and get sucked in first thing. I’ve even taken the additional step to use an app blocker to prevent myself from using all but the most important apps until 7am.
Meditation - I know how resistant many ADHDers are to meditation because I used to totally be in the same boat. And that was because I was trying to “clear my mind”. But back in 2020, a coach blew my mind when he said “Meditation is not about clearing your mind, it’s about training your brain to come back to what I was focusing on.” And my brain needs all the refocusing training it can get. This is the mindfulness component of my morning along with my…
Gratitude practice - I like to use the 5 minute journal app. My gratitude practice is another habit I started in early 2020 and I’m glad I did. My gratitude practice played a big role in keeping me positive during lockdowns and my cancer treatment in 2022. I’m a big believer in abundance attracting more abundance and scarcity attracting more scarcity. And that’s why I try to find gratitude on a daily basis.
Practice French on DuoLingo - When I wrote this blog post, I had 608 day streak. I’ve been trying to learn French since my first trip to France in 2000. Can I speak and understand French? Je peux parler et comprendre un peu le français. But this is something I do on a daily basis that is just for me. It also is a mastery component.
Check/Schedule Client Check Ins for the Day - Next, I spend time reviewing or scheduling follow ups/reminders for my clients for the day. And if I have time before I wake my son up to work out with me I…
Review/create workflow - I’ve created a weekly form that I fill out with my schedule and reminders on Sundays or Mondays, then I check it and create a daily list to see what I’m doing or working on today.
Workout with my son - Round about 630 am, I wake up my son and we do a 15-30 minutes workout on YouTube that’s usually some type of weight lifting, HIIT or yoga. This fulfills the movement component of my morning.
Watch the Colbert Report/Late Night from previous night - Then while we stretch post-workout, I like to watch the monologues from Stephen Colbert or Seth Myers because laughing is a much less stressful way for me to consume news. 🤣
Make breakfast/lunches for my kids - From there I move to making breakfast and lunches for my kiddos.
Dishes (if time) - And if I have time before school drop off, I’ll tackle the dishes from the night before. If you watched last week, you may remember that since I am a morning person, it’s often hard to motivate myself to do dishes in the evening. But it is much easier for me to do in the morning. So I’ve given myself the grace to let them sit without guilt. Cleaning is another movement component to my morning routine.
Take my kids to school - Next, I take the kids to school and when I get back home I’ll…
Do or Finish Dishes (if not done yet) - And make myself some…
Make breakfast - Which always includes protein. I’m currently on an “avocado toast with an egg” kick.
Review/create my daily workflow (If I haven’t yet) - While I’m eating breakfast, I’ll review and create my workflow if I haven’t yet then, if I have time before my first call, I’ll…
Shower - And get ready.
So that’s my morning routine and some insight about why I do what I do to set my day up. If the thought of a putting together or follow through on a morning routine seems completely overwhelming, I’d love to help you out. Part of my work as an ADHD coach includes helping you create a solidify routines and a structure to your day so you can make the most out of your time. Because let’s face it…us mom business owners can’t waste any time!
To learn more about my programs and how I could support you, please click the button below to sign up for a free, no-obligation call with me to discuss how I can help.
*This is an Amazon affiliate link, meaning if you purchase this book through this link, I will receive a small commission.
