Every morning the sound of my alarm pulls me out of my sleep, and I’m left to decide whether to toss and turn for five more minutes or jump up like crazy to start my day. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve never been a morning person and I value my sleep. So when I see TikTok people waking up at 5 a.m. to go to their workout class and get ready for the day, it feels exhausting — even though I enjoy other lifestyle habits. Kalyan Jodi.
but when mel robbinsThe new York Times The bestselling author, podcast host, motivational speaker, and CEO shares the six-step morning routine she follows tiktokI tuned in.
What is Mel Robbins’ morning routine?
To “supercharge” her energy throughout the day, Robbins follows these six steps in the morning: Get up when the alarm goes off (no napping or lying in bed!), make the bed and clean your space, give yourself a high-five in the mirror, drink water before doing anything, take in the morning light, and move your body. I decided to try Robbins’ morning routine for seven days, and this is how it went.
Step #1: Get up when the alarm goes off.
The first step in the routine is getting out of bed when the alarm goes off. I usually set my alarm earlier than necessary to give myself some extra rest time before getting up. However, this routine caused me to get up immediately. “Laying in bed makes you overthink and increases anxiety, and can even make depression worse,” Robbins shared in TikTok.
She also recommends counting “5-4-3-2-1” to make the process easier. When I changed my approach to getting up when my alarm went off, I noticed that I completed all my tasks earlier, had more time for other things during the day, and felt more productive overall. By the sixth day I noticed a complete change. This day, it was Saturday and the pace of the challenge was still high. I woke up at 7 a.m., did six steps, exercised, volunteered, and had a productive day.
Step #2: Make Your Bed.
This is where it became difficult for me. I used to make my bed every morning, but recently, due to time and motivation, I have loosened up. As for routine, Robbins suggests making your bed and cleaning as soon as you wake up. “This is the simplest way to practice discipline. No matter what, a promise is kept,” Robbins shared on TikTok.
I mustered up the energy every morning for this step and the next day I saw that my bed and room had merged, which gave me a gratifying feeling. When I returned home I felt great to see my bed made and to know that my place was in a great place. I might add that it also made a difference in my day and night routine.
Step #3: High-five yourself in the mirror.
This step felt a little awkward at first, but it was quite easy. I’ve shared positive affirmations about myself in the mirror — whether it was verbally saying it out loud as I looked at my reflection, or simply writing them on Post-Its and placing them on the mirror so I could see them every morning — but I’ve never high-fived myself.
“Give yourself high fives. No joke. This requires your brain to focus on self-love and positive reinforcement,” says Robbins. After doing this move, it felt like I was high-fiving myself, which was a nice mental change. This move allowed me to be self-motivated, but in a different way than usual.
Step #4: Drink water before drinking anything.
I always start my day by drinking water before anything else, so this step was familiar to me. “When you wake up, your body craves water. Plus, water also boosts mental performance,” says Robbins on TikTok. I didn’t notice any changes in mental performance, but I will say that I generally feel a lot better when my body is hydrated after a full night’s rest.
Step #5: Get the morning light.
“Morning light resets your body clock, increases energy, and improves your mental health—even on cloudy days,” shares Robbins. I used to walk around my neighborhood block for a few minutes every morning to enjoy the sunlight and clear my mind. Despite the cold temperature, the air was surprisingly refreshing and gave me a burst of energy, and it prepared me for my morning workout. This was a simple but important step that not only helped wake me up physically, but also set a positive tone for the rest of my day.
Step #6: Move your body.
“Whether it’s a walk, stretching or a workout, morning movement improves your mood, clears your mind and makes you more productive.” Robbins shares. This is very similar to step five, so in a few days, I’ll combine the two. For this phase, I intentionally scheduled workouts in the morning so I could wake up early. For example, I scheduled a walk before my 8 a.m. Pilates workout and afterward, I felt very productive, had a lot more energy, and wanted to accomplish more for the day.
Other workouts I implemented were cardio and strength training in the gym. No matter the workout, I still got the same results: a productive mood. I’m not a morning person, so it was Huge For me because sometimes I will skip my morning workout and do it in the evening. With this routine, I’ve found that a morning workout makes the day much more productive.
What I Learned from Mel Robbins’ Six-Step Morning Routine
In the beginning, I struggled with getting out of bed quickly, remembering to make my bed, and high-fiving myself. As I went through the week, I realized how much it was all about changing my mindset. To overcome the challenge, I took it one day at a time. By sticking to routines, I learned that consistency, even in small tasks, can actually lead to big changes.
By the end of the week, the challenges I faced in the beginning were negligible. I noticed that my mood changed and the simple act of making my bed every morning became second nature to me. High-fiving became a small but powerful act that boosted my confidence.
Overall, I’m proud of myself for accomplishing this as a Nite Owl. If you decide to try this routine, I recommend taking it one day at a time, and you’ll see results as you progress.
