How To Create a Cozy Fall Morning Routine

It’s September, so we’re officially in the fall season. That means Gilmore Girls re-runs, trips to Starbucks to get our favorite seasonal coffee drinks, and autumn leaves (falling down like pieces into place). 

I love setting routines. I’ve written about my morning routine and evening routine on the blog, but I like to adapt my morning routine to different seasons. They’re really not that different, except for switching off my seasonal coffee creamers and buying cute, fall pajamas. 

Here are some tips on how to create a fall morning routine. 

Wake up early. 

Hear me out … you do not need to wake up at the crack of dawn to have a productive morning routine. You can wake up at 8 a.m. and still have a productive morning routine. I personally love waking up at 6 a.m. and making my first cup of coffee with a large glass of water next to it, but if you’re not that type of girlie, then you do what’s best for you! However, I found that carving out extra time in the morning for yourself — whether that’s reading, journaling, your quiet time, exercise — has been something that I've been doing for a while and it’s been great. (I tend to go to bed earlier on most nights, so that’s why I wake up earlier.) Before anything else, give yourself grace. Like I mentioned above, you don’t need to be like the “that girl” on TikTok and YouTube and have an entire 5-9. Give yourself grace and set boundaries to what works for you.

Lay out your outfit the night before. 

I started doing this very recently and I think I might continue with this. A fun idea: you can lay out your exercise clothes for later in the day (especially for the in-office girlies) so when you come home from work, you already have exercise clothes laid out for you. But the night before, you can set out your loungewear/workwear or whatever clothes you’re wearing for the next day. This eliminates any anxiety you have about what you have to wear. Again, for in-office girlies, the anxiety about choosing what outfit you’re going to wear is real (especially when you’re sitting in bed in the morning thinking about it.)

Set four alarms. 

Yes … I am the “four alarms girl.” I am the one that sets four alarms and barely can get out of bed once that fourth alarm goes off. Snooze? My best friend. Honestly, I don’t know if this interrupts my REM sleep or whatever, so please comment below if this is indeed interrupting my REM sleep, but I like setting four alarms. It wakes me up and allows me to snooze and doze off until my final alarm goes off. Usually, by the time my fourth alarm goes off, I’m up and awake.

Wash your face immediately in the morning. 

Not only is this good for skincare and your face, but it wakes you up in the morning. There’s nothing better than a splash of cold water in the face to wake you up. And then do your proper skincare routine that is applicable to you.

Keep water by your bed. 

Yeah, we all want our first cup of coffee to give us that morning jolt that our body so desperately needs, but have you tried drinking water first? I know … a concept. But hear me out — keep water by your bed so that you can drink it as soon as you wake up. (This also helps you wake up faster!)

Avoid your phone. 

I started doing this and it’s not that hard or complicated to try, despite what you may think. You don’t even need to keep your phone on the opposite end of the room! Doing this can help you to have a slower, more relaxed morning routine and more room to focus on other things like meditation, rest, and journaling. 

Make your favorite coffee drink. 

I love the pumpkin spice coffee creamers. Lately, I had my eye on the Starbucks dairy-free pumpkin spice latte coffee creamer, but I’m eager to try more. And that includes the Starbucks drinks themselves, but in the morning, I usually opt to make my own coffee myself. 

Read for fun. 

In addition to my quiet time, I like to read for fun. I set aside around 15-20 minutes time to read whatever book I’m reading in the morning — this could be a non-fiction book (most likely a Christian book to add to my quiet time) or a fiction book that I’m absolutely loving.

Journal. 

There is no doubt that when I journal, I have a good rest of the day. When I don’t journal, I feel more anxious and worried throughout the day. It’s just science … right? You don’t need thought-provoking journaling prompts to begin journaling, you can literally just write what you’re worried about in list form. Sometimes, writing it out helps. Tremendously. 

Some journaling prompt ideas to get you started:

• Write advice for your younger (or older) self.

• Write out positive affirmations for a friend. What would you say to a friend that you wouldn’t tell yourself?

• Where do you see yourself in five years? List out five goals (dream big!) that you want to accomplish in the next five years.

• How can I please God today?

• What are three things that I can do today to have a good day today?

• What are some of my favorite self-care activities and how can I put them into practice this week?

• Do I have a busy week? How can I schedule in self-care?

Buy a cute, fall matching pajama set. 

This is more luxurious than the others, but it works. When you carve out time in the morning for a slower morning routine, it’s fun to do it in a matching set of pajamas! My favorite pajamas are always in stock at Target from the brand Stars Above. They’re some of the most comfortable pieces of clothing I own. 

Go on a crisp fall walk. 

And lastly, before you begin your workday, go on a short (or long) walk in the crisp, autumn air. Maybe where you live, it isn’t as chilly or maybe it’s unbearably cold. Throw on a jacket or continue to wear those biker shorts because moving your body is essential to a morning routine (in my opinion). 

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Other Resources:

• The Espresso Edition: How to Create a Fall Morning Routine

• Cozy Fall Morning Routine | Cristina Was Here Blog