Smart Happy People Steal These 9 Things From Their Grandma's Morning Routine
Maridav | ShutterstockMornings set the tone for the day, and yet, so many people are wasting them.
People with intentional morning routines often have happier, healthier lives. Sometimes, it's that simple. Most happy, smart people steal certain things from their grandma's morning routine that set them up for success. Many revolve around living simpler and leaning on the small joys of life, instead of feeding the chaotic, stressful beast of stimulation in the modern world.
The things happy and smart people steal from their grandmother's morning routine
1. They eat a consistent, simple breakfast
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An egg with toast and orange juice. Decaf green tea with a piece of fruit and cottage cheese. A frozen breakfast sandwich and an iced water. Simple and effective is what a good breakfast should be. Yes, it can be a vehicle for whimsy and creativity, but it can also be boring and intended only to fuel your body.
Eating before the day truly begins is associated with better mood and daily nutrition intake, according to a study from Current Developments in Nutrition. It might seem like something only your grandma does, but creating a staple that you can eat for breakfast every single day without question will serve your best interests.
It sets the tone and helps you prevent the afternoon slump, becoming a pillar of consistency in your routine, even when everything feels chaotic and unstructured.
2. They read something on paper
Whether it's the newspaper they've opted into purchasing a subscription for or their book of the month, the happiest people avoid their phones and switch to analog to start the day. Not only does it protect their mood, but it also allows their brains to wake up naturally before they bombard them with a screen and tons of sensory information.
It's better for productivity. It's better for mood and focus. It prevents people from stepping into an anxious, flighty state before they've even started work or left the house.
3. They get up when they wake up
Instead of lingering in bed and doomscrolling on TikTok to start the day, people stealing habits from their grandmothers get up when they wake up. They set their alarm for when they actually want to get out of bed, and then they do. There's no bargaining with a "5 more minutes" promise. They just start the day.
Not only does this often offer them a lot more time for a personal morning routine before they start work or their day, but it also keeps them from taking on unnecessary stress and anxiety from a screen or snooze button.
4. They do an internet sweep
Once they're out of bed and starting the day, most happy, smart people do a consistent internet sweep. It usually stays the same every day, but is founded based on their own unique interests and obligations. Some check their email or do the Wordle, and then come back to their notes app to plan the day. Others spend 5 minutes checking in on Facebook, then reading the news and disconnecting.
Regardless of what the routine looks like, it keeps them from falling into an internet rabbit hole or spending a million hours taking on anxiety from doomscrolling. They have a consistent relationship with their phone and the kind of boundaries that only their older family members seem to curate with ease.
5. They run errands early
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Especially if they have time before work, and they enjoy having alone time in the evenings, many happy, intelligent people will run their errands in the morning. It gets them moving and investing in their future selves, usually before they have to go to work and commit to someone else's schedule.
Movement in the morning is also particularly healthy for your physical well-being. So, even if the last thing you want to do is leave the house in the early morning hours before you're obligated to, sometimes this habit is great for you.
6. They move without expectation
From stretching at home in their bedroom to going on a casual walk around the neighborhood, exercise stops being about hustle and pressure with age and starts becoming a natural part of daily life. It's a mindfulness practice, rather than a mindless, difficult one.
However, this kind of regular movement, which becomes more easily consistent when it's accessible and ingrained in a daily routine, is exactly what everyone needs, regardless of their age. According to a 2020 study, it's great for losing weight, but it's also great for mental health and general well-being.
7. They make morning coffee a ritual
Instead of buying a premade latte every single day or rushing through coffee for the caffeine on the way to work, the happiest people make their morning coffee a ritual. From using fancy techniques to make it or even sitting in bed and letting that mindfulness be their "me time" for the day, they don't rush through this tone setter for the day.
Especially paired with the mood-boosting benefits of caffeine, it's a great start to the day when paired with food and hydration.
8. They get ready
Even when they don't have anything going on or aren't leaving the house, you'll likely notice that your grandmother always got ready. Even when you dropped by unannounced, she had on a great outfit or had done her hair in a new way. It's this kind of consistency that more people could benefit from, even if it were a seemingly external, appearance-based behavior.
From taking a hot shower first thing in the morning to choosing an outfit that helps you feel confident, the happiest people are the ones who appreciate investing in themselves, even if nobody else is going to notice the effort.
9. They keep time for themselves
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Many people set their alarm clocks just 30 minutes or an hour before they have an obligation for the day. On the weekends, they schedule themselves in the morning, even when they'd prefer to have "me time" to do absolutely nothing.
However, your grandmother often got up at the same time every day, regardless of what she had going on, so she could invest in her own time and happiness before actually leaving the house. Whether that means sitting in bed with coffee or going for a walk around the neighborhood, intelligent, happy people don't schedule themselves before they've had a chance to naturally wake up.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
