The Most Productive 5am Morning Routine That Literally Changed My Life 

Waking up depressed. Feeling like crying every time I woke up. Exhausted throughout the day. Overwhelmed and irritated. Brain fog. Constantly stressed. Unable to work on my goals. Feeling lost and lacking a sense of purpose.  

This had been me since January 2023 until I reset my morning routine. I’m naturally a morning person, but I struggled with sleeping at night. Even if I had been awake for 48 hours, I could only fall asleep in the morning. A good night’s sleep—especially quality sleep—felt like a lost luxury that I couldn’t reclaim.

Every night, I would set my alarm for 5 am, only to end up falling asleep by that time, leading to another unproductive, dull day. I’d keep searching for things like “best 5am morning routine” and “how to wake up at 5 am,” but nothing would work.

I felt like I was stuck in a cycle, until one day when I was firm about resetting my routine and making my entire day productive.  

I aimed to create a healthy routine that worked for me. It wasn’t easy, but making it work was totally worth it. I became more productive, more organized, more focused, and happier. Brain fog and strained eyes became a thing of the past. I started taking care of myself and became more mindful in everything I did. And the best part? I gained plenty of “me” time—a true luxury for me. 

I know you’re here because you’re also struggling with a healthy morning routine. This post is all about my 5am morning routine that changed my life for the better. By the end of this post, you’ll have a clear understanding of how you, too, can become a 5 am person and boost your productivity. And if you’re a SAHM mom, this is probably going to be a part of your stay at home mom schedule, and you’ll feel a lot less overwhelmed.

How Did I Prepare Myself to Wake Up at 5 am 

Before I dive into my best 5am morning routine for success, your first question might be how to wake up at 5am. I’ve been there too! 

Waking up at 5 am can be challenging, especially when your sleep patterns are disrupted. This was my first struggle. Setting an alarm didn’t work; I would only sleep at 5 am on most days. Even if I managed to go to bed early and wake up at 5 am, I’d feel sleep-deprived, unmotivated, and lazy.

The key is to determine how you can achieve sound sleep to wake up early the next morning. If the alarm works, great! If not, you might need to put in a little more effort.

In my case, I had to take a few steps to reset my routine. 

First, I consulted a therapist who helped me understand why I couldn’t sleep at night and how to overcome it. Following her advice, I started meditating for 30 minutes every night before sleeping and 30 minutes every morning after waking up, regardless of what time I got up.

I also took herbal sleep aid supplements for a week, after which my schedule became more organized, and I was able to sleep without them. If you’re considering this option, I recommend consulting your physician first.

But that’s not all. Vitamin D deficiency was also a culprit behind my disturbed sleep patterns. Taking vitamin D supplements made a significant difference. With all these efforts combined, I was finally able to go to sleep early, around 9 or 10 pm, and wake up at 5 am.

So, the first thing is to figure out what your mind and body need. Once you do this, resetting your daily routine becomes much easier. 

My 5am Morning Routine that may Inspire You

Before starting, I want to share that this is my personal 5am morning routine. This is what works for me and will give you an idea of what an ideal 5 am morning routine looks like. Feel free to adjust it based on your lifestyle and priorities. The key is to make it as productive as possible.

With that said, here’s my 5 am best morning routine for success that’ll give you a clear idea of what to do early in the morning. It lists 10 things I do before 8am. 

1. Make the Bed and Hydrate 

The first thing I do after waking up is to make my bed to create a sense of order and pull the curtains to let the natural light in. I then drink a glass of warm water to start my day. I mix it with pink salt or lemon to rehydrate my body after a night’s rest. 

2. Pray

If you’re a spiritual person like me, praying will set a positive tone for your day. Starting my day with prayer fills me with positivity, calmness, and gratitude. Depending on your beliefs, taking time to pray or engage in a spiritual practice in the morning can help center your mind and heart, instilling a sense of calm and gratitude. 

3. Meditate and Manifest 

After praying, I allocate 15 to 20 minutes for guided meditation. I felt like my mind and body were in disarray, but morning medication brought a significant change to my health. It made me more focused, motivated, and channeled, and improved the quality of my sleep as well. 

I practice mindful meditation with manifestation as it allows me to visualize what I want in my life. I write down what I want to attract and visualize it as if it’s already happening.

For guided meditation, you can find inspiration on YouTube. I tried a few meditation practices before finally finding one (the one mentioned below) that resonated with my emotions and helped me manifest my dreams.  

Manifestation meditation for your 5am morning routine to set positive intentions and cultivate mindfulness for the day ahead.

4. Make Tea 

Since I’m not a fan of coffee, I make a warm cup of tea as it gives me a gentle boost of energy without jitters. You can totally skip it if you don’t like tea or coffee. 

5. Journaling 

With my warm cup of tea by my side, I journal each morning, as it helps me connect with my thoughts and emotions. I focus on two things: 

My vision and reflections: it’s an outline of my dream life and goals. Every morning, I write down my career aspirations, short-term and long-term goals, personal affirmations, strengths and weaknesses, and a guide for how I want to lead my life. It helps transform my mindset and motivates me to work towards my dreams to make them a reality. Early morning truly feels like a blessing for me to reflect on my dream life and meet my true self. 

Gratitude: With the daily routine’s stress and negativity, I had forgotten to appreciate the blessings in my life. But writing down gratitude every morning helps me stay positive throughout the day. It also pushes me at times when I feel low. It’s like a daily reminder of how far I’ve come and how I should appreciate my blessings rather than focusing on what I don’t have. 

6. Exercise 

After fighting with chronic stress and depression for nearly a year, meditating and exercising was like a magic pill that made me more focused, energized, and ready to take on the day. Moving your body in the morning brings a clear difference in both your physical and mental health. 

If you aren’t working out already, start slow. I started with 20 minutes of walking daily, gradually increased it to 30 minutes, then 40 minutes, and finally to an hour. I often combine walking and yoga, dedicating 30 minutes to walking and another 30 minutes to yoga. 

7. Shower and Self-Care 

After exercising, I take a refreshing shower. I then do my skincare, apply perfume, brush my hair, and pick an outfit for the day from my SAHM capsule wardrobe. This mindful self-care routine boosts my mood and makes me love myself even more. 

8. Preparing and Time-Blocking My To-Do List 

After exercise, I prepare a to-do list to plan my day. I note everything down in order of importance. When necessary, I label the energy required for each task as low, medium, or high, as well as the type (mental or physical). Based on this, I time-block my tasks, which gives me more control over time management. It also helps my mind be well-prepared for the day ahead. I usually tackle the more energy-consuming tasks first in the morning when my willpower is highest.

9. Eat Breakfast

I usually eat light in the morning, but I make sure to eat a healthy breakfast. I soak 7 almonds every night and eat them in the morning before breakfast. My go-to options for breakfast are a half-fried egg with a slice or two of bread, protein, fruit salad, or a cup of oatmeal. On alternate days, I also enjoy a delicious omelet or banana protein shake.

10. Starting My Day

After breakfast, I start the rest of my day. Since I work from home, I start the day with the most important and energy-consuming projects. Then, I check my emails and social media to respond to important messages before proceeding with the rest of the day. 

This is my productive morning routine from 5 am to 8 am, and I must say, becoming a morning person changed my life. I feel proud of myself for maintaining it. It gives me more control over my day, allows for quality quiet ‘Me’ time, and makes me love myself even more. 🙂

Use a Time-block Calendar to Organize Your 5am Morning Routine 

In the early days of my 5am morning routine, I often felt chaotic and overwhelmed. This was mainly due to my lack of organization as I rushed through tasks without a clear plan. But time-blocking my morning routine helped me create a structured and manageable routine. 

Below is my time-block calendar for my 5 am routine:

• 5:00 – 5:10 am: Wake up, make the bed, and hydrate
• 5:10 – 5:20 am: Pray 
• 5:20 – 5:40 am: Meditate and manifest 
• 5:40 – 5:50 am: Make tea 
• 5:50 – 6:10 am: Journaling 
• 6:10 – 6:20 am: Exercise 
• 6:20 – 7:20 am: Shower and skincare
• 7:20 – 7:40 am: Preparing to-do list
• 7:40 – 8:00 am: Breakfast

This is my personal time-block calendar. You can adjust it to fit your schedule. 

7 Essential Lessons I Learned from The 5 Am Club Rules and Made Them a Part of My Morning Routine 

“The 5 AM Club” book by Robin Sharma had a big role in my 5 am morning routine. This book taught me how to make my mornings more productive and optimized. Here are seven important lessons I learned from the book: 

1. 20/20/20 Rule for Mornings 

One key lesson from the book is the 20/20/20 rule, which teaches dividing the first hours of the day into three 20-minute segments. I dedicate 20 minutes to refreshing and grounding myself, the next 20 minutes to meditation, and then to self-reflection. This structure helps me feel energized and focused. 

2. Consistency is Key

The 5 AM Club taught me that establishing a morning routine is easy, but the real challenge is sticking to it. It motivated me to follow my routine consistently to lead a more productive day ahead. No doubt, staying committed makes a big difference in my life. 

3. Mastery of Your Mind

I learned that controlling our thoughts and emotions is important for success. I practice mindfulness to manage my feelings and stay positive. A strong mindset allows me to face challenges better and work towards achieving my goals.

4. The Importance of Sleep

Sharma highlights the importance of quality sleep for personal development. I’ve started prioritizing sleep so I can wake up refreshed and ready to tackle my day. Getting enough rest helps me think clearly and stay focused on what matters.

5. Gratitude Practice

This book taught me how to practice gratitude and what difference it can make in your life. Each morning, I take a moment to mindfully reflect on what I’m thankful for. This helps me cultivate a positive mindset and appreciate the good things in my life.

6. Limit Distractions

The book advises avoiding technology and social media during the first hour of the day. I’ve made it a habit to keep my phone away so I can create a peaceful environment for reflection and deep work. This simple change has made my mornings much more productive.

7. Setting Intentions

Finally, I learned to use my quiet morning time to set intentions for the day. Being clear about what I want to achieve helps me stay focused and purposeful throughout my activities. 

And that’s all about my 5am morning routine and the difference it made in my life. I hope this inspires you to structure your mornings more mindfully. Did I already help you join the 5 am club? Share your thoughts with me in the comments below. 😀

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