Creating an autumn morning routine that you actually want to follow is something that can me kinda daunting. Summer mornings have a completely different energy.
The sun is already up when you open your eyes, the light is coming through the windows, and it’s warm enough that getting out of bed doesn’t feel like such a dramatic decision. The whole day feels more open somehow. There’s more time, more light, and a little more motivation to actually do something with your morning.
Autumn mornings? Not quite the same.
The alarm goes off and it’s still dark outside. Your bed is warm, your bedroom is cold, and suddenly staying under the covers feels like the only reasonable thing to do. The idea of getting up early to follow a morning routine sounds lovely in theory, but at 7 am on a cold October morning, I’m not always convinced.
And honestly, this is something I struggle with every autumn.
For the longest time, I thought the solution was to become more disciplined. To simply get up when my alarm went off, stop making excuses and force myself into the kind of productive morning routine I imagined other people were effortlessly following.
But that approach never really worked for me.
What has worked is making my autumn morning routine something I actually want to do. Not a routine filled with things I feel like I should be doing, but one that includes little things I enjoy and makes getting out of bed feel a bit more worth it.
So, this is what my autumn morning routine looks like this year, and why I’ve included each part.
Why Your Autumn Morning Routine Should Be Different
I don’t think we talk enough about how much the seasons affect our routines.
The morning routine that works perfectly in July might not make much sense in October. The mornings are darker, the temperatures are lower, and naturally, our energy and motivation can feel a little different.
And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.
Instead of trying to force yourself to follow the exact same routine all year round, I prefer to adapt it to the season I’m actually in. My summer mornings might involve getting outside early, opening all the windows and starting the day with a lighter, more energetic feeling.
In autumn, I want something a little cozier. A slower start, a warm cup of coffee, some movement and enough time to get ready without feeling like I’m already behind before the day has even started.
It’s not about starting over every few months. It’s about making small changes that help your routine fit your life.
And, more importantly, making it something you enjoy.
My Autumn Morning Routine
1. Prepare Everything the Night Before
Technically, my morning routine starts the evening before.
One of the easiest things I can do to make my mornings less stressful is to choose my outfit before going to bed. It doesn’t need to be a complicated process or involve trying on half of my wardrobe, I usually just decide what outfit formula I want to apply the next day and choose pieces according to it.
This is especially helpful in autumn, when I don’t necessarily want to stand in front of my wardrobe in a cold bedroom, trying to figure out how to dress for the weather.
Having an outfit ready means I have one less decision to make in the morning. And when I’m still half asleep, I’ll take all the help I can get.
If I can, I’ll also put anything I need to take with me near the door and make sure there’s as little friction as possible between waking up and actually getting ready.
It’s such a small thing, but it makes a difference.
2. Make Waking Up a Little More Gentle
One of the things I struggle with most during autumn and winter is waking up while it’s still dark outside.
During summer, the sunlight does most of the work for me. In autumn, not so much.
I’ve found that using leaving my blinds (yes, I’m Portuguese, we all have blinds outside our windows to stop light from entering our rooms) slightly open just tiny bit helps me get up a lot more easily that with just my alarm on a dark room.
It’s not quite the same as waking up naturally with the sun, but it does make the transition from sleeping to being awake feel a little less aggressive.
The goal isn’t to create the perfect wake-up routine. It’s simply to make getting out of bed feel a little less awful.
3. Stay Off My Phone for the First Twenty Minutes
This is probably the hardest part of my morning routine, but also one of the things that makes the biggest difference.
I’m not saying I never check my phone in the morning. I do. A lot more than i care to admit. But I try not to make it the very first thing I reach for when I open my eyes.
Because once I start checking emails, Instagram or whatever else is happening online, it can feel like the day has already begun without me having a say in it.
Suddenly, I’m thinking about other people’s messages, other people’s plans and everything I need to do instead of simply allowing myself to wake up.
So, my goal is to spend the first twenty minutes of the morning without looking at my phone.
I might get up, open the blinds and curtains, go to the bathroom, make coffee or simply sit for a few minutes. I’m not trying to have a completely screen-free morning. I’m just giving myself a little bit of time before the outside world starts demanding my attention.
And honestly, those twenty minutes can change the entire feeling of the morning.
4. Make My Coffee Properly
This might sound like a very small thing, but making coffee is one of my favorite parts of my autumn morning routine.
And I don’t mean grabbing the quickest coffee possible while doing five other things at the same time.
I mean actually making it properly.
In autumn, this might mean using my espresso machine instead of choosing the fastest option. It takes a few extra minutes, but I don’t really see those minutes as wasted.
There’s something about having a little process to follow in the morning: preparing the coffee, waiting for it and then sitting down to drink it. It gives me a few minutes to wake up properly before I start thinking about everything I need to do.
I also try to drink my coffee without looking at a screen and usually reading a book.
Sometimes it’s only five minutes. Sometimes it’s a little longer.
But I like having one small part of my morning that isn’t about being productive or getting somewhere. It’s just something I enjoy.
And I genuinely think those little moments matter more than we give them credit for.
5. Move My Body, Even If It’s Just for Ten Minutes
I’m not going to tell you that you need to wake up at five in the morning and complete an intense workout before starting your day.
That sounds great in theory, but it’s not something I want to force myself to do, especially when it’s cold and dark outside.
Instead, I try to include some kind of movement in my morning. It could be a ten-minute walk on my walking pad, walking my dog for a bit, a short stretching routine, some yoga or simply moving around the house instead of going straight from bed to my desk.
The goal isn’t necessarily to have a workout. It’s to wake up my body and get myself feeling a little more present.
I find that movement is much easier to maintain when I stop treating it as something I have to force myself to do and start seeing it as something that helps me feel better.
Some mornings I’ll do more. Some mornings I’ll do less.
Both are fine.
6. Keep My Skincare Routine Simple
After moving around a little, I like to take a few minutes for my hygiene and skincare routine.
Nothing complicated. Just the basics: cleanser, serum if I’m using one, moisturizer and SPF (yes even in the colder months).
I’ve never been someone who wants to spend half an hour following a ten-step routine in the morning. I need something simple enough that I can do it consistently, even on days when I’m tired or running a little late.
My skincare routine is one of those habits that has become so normal that I don’t really have to think about it anymore. And I think that’s the ideal situation with routines: they shouldn’t always require a huge amount of motivation.
During autumn, I might make a small adjustment by using a slightly richer moisturizer, especially when the weather gets colder and the heating starts affecting my skin.
But otherwise, I like to keep things pretty much the same.
A few minutes, the products I know work for me and then I’m ready to move on.
7. Eat Breakfast Sitting Down
I’m trying to get better at treating breakfast like an actual meal rather than something I eat while doing something else.
No eating at my desk. No rushing through it while checking emails. No standing in the kitchen trying to finish everything at once.
When I can, I like to sit at the table and give myself ten minutes to eat properly.
In autumn, I’m naturally drawn to warmer breakfasts. Warm oatmeal with some dark chocolate and fruit, a latte with some toast…
It doesn’t have to be elaborate. I don’t need to make a picture-perfect breakfast every day.
I just want to eat something I enjoy, without feeling like I’m already rushing towards the next thing.
And I think there’s something really lovely about having a warm breakfast on a cold morning. It’s one of those small seasonal pleasures that makes the colder months feel a little more inviting.
8. Set One Intention for the Day
Before I open my emails or start looking at my to-do list, I like to take a moment to think about what I want the day to be about.
Not a long list of goals. Not a detailed productivity exercise. Just one intention.
It could be something like:
- Today is for finishing the blog post.
- Today is for focusing on one important project.
- Today is for taking things slowly.
- Today is for getting outside.
- Today is for doing what I can without overwhelming myself.
I find that this is different from writing a to-do list.
A to-do list tells me what needs to get done. An intention helps me think about how I want to approach the day.
And I like having that little moment before the demands of the day take over. It gives me a chance to decide what matters, rather than immediately reacting to every email, notification and task.
It doesn’t always change how the day goes, of course. Some days are busy, some are messy and some don’t go according to plan at all.
But I like starting with a little direction.
9. Then, I Start My Day
After all of that, I finally start working.
I open my emails, check my calendar and look at what needs to get done. Depending on the morning, my routine might take forty-five minutes or an hour, especially if I go for a walk.
And yes, written down like this, it might sound like a lot.
But it doesn’t feel like a huge, complicated routine when I’m actually doing it. Most of these things are small, everyday habits that help me transition into the day in a way that feels good.
And that’s something I’ve been trying to remind myself of: my morning routine isn’t something I have to complete before my real day begins.
It is part of my day.
The time I spend drinking coffee, eating breakfast, getting dressed and moving my body isn’t time I’ve wasted or taken away from my work. It’s time I’ve spent looking after myself before I start giving my attention to everything else.
And I think that’s an important distinction.
What Makes This Autumn Morning Routine Actually Work for Me
I’ve tried plenty of routines that looked lovely on paper but lasted about a week in real life.
The problem was usually that they were designed around the person I wanted to be, rather than the person who would actually have to follow them.
A routine that requires me to wake up feeling motivated, energetic and ready to do ten different things isn’t going to work very well on a dark October morning.
So, these are the things I’ve learned to prioritize.
It Needs to Include Things I Enjoy
I don’t want my entire morning routine to be made up of tasks I feel I should be doing.
I want there to be things I genuinely look forward to. Making coffee properly, going for a walk, eating a warm breakfast or taking a few quiet minutes before looking at my phone.
These things might seem small, but they give me a reason to want to get up.
And I think that’s much more sustainable than relying on discipline alone.
It Needs to Be Flexible
Some mornings I have more time than others.
If I have an early meeting, I might skip the walk or make a quicker breakfast. If I have a slower morning, I might take my time with my coffee or go for a longer walk.
The structure stays relatively similar, but the timing can change.
I don’t want a routine that only works when everything goes perfectly. Life doesn’t work that way, and neither should my morning routine.
It Needs to Be Realistic
This might be the most important one.
My routine needs to be achievable by the person I am when my alarm goes off at 7 am on a cold autumn morning. Not the version of me who is feeling incredibly motivated on a Sunday afternoon and decides that tomorrow will be the day I completely transform my life.
That version of me is very enthusiastic.
But she’s not the one who has to get out of bed when it’s dark and cold.
So, I try to design routines with the realistic version of myself in mind. The one who needs a little time, a warm drink and a good reason to leave the bed.
One Last Thing About Autumn Mornings
I think autumn mornings can be really lovely when we stop treating them as something we need to rush through.
The light when it finally arrives. The cold air outside. The feeling of being warm indoors. A good cup of coffee. A quiet breakfast. Putting on an outfit that makes you feel good.
These aren’t just things we do before the day starts.
They are part of the day.
And I don’t think a good morning routine needs to be about squeezing as much productivity as possible into the first hour after waking up. Sometimes, it’s simply about giving yourself a little time to wake up, enjoy the season and start the day feeling like yourself.
That’s what I’m trying to create this autumn: a morning routine that feels good enough to come back to, even when the weather is cold and getting out of bed feels like a personal challenge.
Nothing perfect. Nothing overly complicated.
Just a few simple habits that make the morning feel a little more like something I want to be part of.
if you loved this, you might also love:
- How To Create The Perfect Morning Routine
- The Ultimate Healthy Girl Morning Routine
- How to Set Intentions: A Simple Reset for Q4
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