Learn the benefits of an early morning routine, how to create your own, and how to troubleshoot resistance when beginning your early morning routine.
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place where he prayed.”
Mark 1:35 NIV
For many years, getting up early in the morning was not part of my routine. My children were always my alarm clock, and I never got used to jumping straight into the demands of motherhood each day.
I remember hearing somewhere that getting up early before the kids to be with Jesus was a mom’s secret weapon to a good day. However, I doubted that statement for a long time because I was still waking up all throughout the night. I needed every precious minute of sleep I could get! But learning that Jesus would rise while it was still dark to be alone and pray, and realizing my current morning routine really wasn’t working, I decided to give it a try.
I started really small…like 5 minutes earlier small. I would enjoy a sip or two of coffee before my son woke up, and I quickly found that 5 minutes alone to get my bearings in the morning was really helpful. Instead of feeling reactive from the moment I woke up, it helped me feel at peace and a little more in control of my morning.
The benefits of my new early morning routine were so noticeable that, soon, a simple 5 minutes to sit in quiet with God and some coffee evolved into 10 minutes, then 15, and so on. Today, my early morning routine spans over an hour, incorporating things beyond prayer. It’s become such an important part of my day that I find myself scattered, distracted, and unproductive when I miss it.
The Benefits of an Early Morning Routine
There are many benefits to an early morning routine. When I started waking up early to be with Christ, I noticed positive changes rather quickly. You may notice them as well. Some benefits include:
- Physical and emotional benefits from a reduction of stress
- Greater peace – less stress means more peace
- Relational benefits because you aren’t carrying stress and taking your frustrations out on your loved ones
- Increased productivity – time alone allows you to focus your intentions for the day
Perhaps the greatest benefit, though, has been growing in my relationship with Christ. Among many things, this time has allowed me to learn his word, learn the promises I have through Christ, how to enjoy just being in his presence, and how to hear his voice.
This time alone has built my faith, encouraged me in times of uncertainty, comforted me in times of sadness, and lifted me even higher in times of celebration.
If the only benefit you gain from waking up early to be with Christ is a stronger relationship, then it is worth it. But leave it to Him to pile a multitude of other blessings that help satisfy our needs when we seek him first.
Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.
Matthew 6:33
How to Create Your Own Early Morning Routine
Building up to over an hour long early morning routine didn’t happen over night. It was also not always smooth sailing settling into a new routine with young children. So if this is new to you and something you’re thinking about starting, do not feel like you have to have this long elaborate routine with “all the things.” Start exactly where you are with what you have. For me, it was sitting with God for 5 minutes in quiet.
Below, I outline some tips to help you start your own early morning routine, and also share some of the pitfalls I fell into when trying to establish a consistent early morning routine.
How long should my early morning routine be?
This is totally up to you! If you’re just starting, or you have babies who aren’t sleeping through the night yet, I would start small like I did. Waking up 5-10 minutes earlier isn’t going to make a huge impact on your hours slept, but it can have a huge impact on your mental state in the morning, reducing your stress levels.
What do I do during my early morning routine?
Again, this is totally up to you. My early morning routine has evolved throughout the different seasons of motherhood, but the two constants I’ve always had is being without my cell phone and spending time with God. Spending time with God can look different from day to day. Some options include…
- sitting in stillness
- thanking him for all the blessings in your life
- giving him your prayer requests
- reading the Bible
- meditating on and visualizing a specific scripture
- processing what’s going on in your life with Him by journaling
- doing a bible study
- listening to worship music
Maybe you’re super artistic and want to sketch images that remind you of Him and your relationship, or write poetry or music. It doesn’t matter what you do, just as long as you are seeking to connect with Him in some way.
Is this time only for reading my bible and meeting with God?
That’s definitely the first priority, but as you begin to lengthen your early morning routine, certainly add more things to invest in yourself. I’d recommend:
- exercise
- setting and reviewing personal goals
- affirmations
- reading a personal growth book
This is your time to pour into you so you can pour into your family and others as the day unfolds.
The challenges of an Early Morning Routine…
I’m way too tired to wake up.
I’m going to be honest, I have been doing this for a couple years now, and I struggle every. single. day. to wake up. It is not easy for me! I long for the day when my alarm goes off and I spring out of bed. But until then, I rely on the commitment I’ve made to regularly meet with Christ.
Think of it as a scheduled morning appointment. Christ is waiting for you and me each day to show up and meet with him. He is longing for it, and because I love him so much, I want to make sure I honor the commitment I’ve made to be with him.
Are there still days when I’ve been up all night with a sick child and decide to cancel my appointment for some much needed sleep. Yes. And that’s okay because God loves me just the same if I meet with Him in the morning or don’t.
It’s so important you know that God will not love you more if you start implementing an early morning routine. He also will not love you any less if you don’t. This is for your benefit–to grow in your relationship with Christ. He already knows everything about us, but we have much to learn about Him. He reveals Himself to us when we take the time to be with Him and get to know Him more intimately.
If you are incorporating an early morning routine because you feel it’s what you “should” be doing, you will most likely find yourself miserable and miss the benefits. But if you are doing it because you “want” to, then you’ll find your strength and motivation to get out of bed in the morning.
My kids keep waking up and interrupting my early morning routine!
Is it just me, or do you find that when you try to make a change, resistance strikes? The interruptions are inevitable. Here are some tips to handle them…
1. Be open to interruptions!
How often do things ever go our way…especially as a mom? In the beginning, I was so rigid in what my early morning routine had to look like that I wasn’t a pleasant person when it didn’t unfold the way I planned. God had to show me some things, one of which was how my early morning routine had turned into a law-like ritual.
When you become rigid in what things have to look like in order to be considered a success, you start living under the law of rules that Jesus died to free us from. I was doing all the things I “should be doing” in my early morning routine, but I was not treating my kids with love when I expressed my annoyance when they woke up too early. I was doing all the things on the outside, but my heart was wrong.
Jesus is just happy I made the effort to meet with him. Whether it’s 1 minute, 5 minutes, or an hour, he looks at the heart, not at what’s done in that time. More importantly, he looks at how I treat those he’s entrusted me to care for. Am I modeling the love of Jesus when I express my annoyance to my children for waking up too early? NO! And I was sending the message to my children that Jesus makes mommy mean. Yikes!
So my best advice is to go in knowing the interruptions will come and that’s okay. Embrace them with love, and watch God be faithful to bless the moment.
2. okay-to-wake clocks
While I think okay-to-wake clocks are a brilliant idea, and many people have much success with them, I found the training needed when my kids were really little to be more than I cared to commit to. That said, when my 5 and 7 year old began to understand time, they responded really well when they were told they had to stay in bed until a set time in the morning.
3. Tell your kids you’re having mommy/Jesus time.
Explain to your kids that you are having quiet time with Jesus. I set aside time to spend with each of my kids individually, so they get the concept of one-on-one time. The first couple times my 5 and 7 year old came down early, I reminded them how just as they like having alone time with me, I like to have alone time with Jesus. It clicked, they got it, and went back to bed.
4. Use early wake-up snuggles for prayer.
My toddler doesn’t respond to tips 2 and 3. Often, when my toddler wakes up too early (think 5 am wake-ups), she really just wants quiet snuggles. She may or may not go back to sleep, but she certainly is not ready to play and start her day. This was often the case when all of my kids were infants. It dawned on me one morning sitting in the quiet of her dark room with her that it was still a perfect opportunity to silently pray and talk to Jesus.
I keep falling asleep while reading my bible.
This happened quite often in the beginning. The two things I implemented to solve this problem:
- drink water – leave it on your nightstand and drink at least 8 oz. before you get out of bed. Perks me right up every morning!
- incorporate some movement – I used to walk for 5 minutes on the treadmill, but any activity will help. A quick stretch, a walk to the end of the driveway and back, some jumping jacks…the options are endless.
A final Note About Early Morning Routines
Moms are bombarded with messages of what they should be doing, leaving them filled with guilt and inadequacy when they fail to do all the things. Don’t feel like a morning routine is something you “should” be doing in order to be an effective mom. Assess the season you are in and make the best decision for you and your family.
I know plenty of great moms who wake up to their children every morning and really enjoy that routine. If it’s working for you, then stick with it and find time during another part of your day to get quiet and be with Jesus.
But if getting up when your kids wake you up is leaving you stressed, frazzled, and a bit cranky in the morning, then I encourage you to give this a try!