If you’re in need of a morning routine for teens, it’s probably because you recognize two things: the vital role mornings play in setting the tone for your day and how challenging it can be to create a realistic routine for the morning, especially in high school.

Perhaps you wonder if your mornings are slipping past you, lost somewhere between that third snoozed alarm and the breathless scramble out the door to school. You dream of a morning that feels unhurried yet productive, relaxed yet focused. You long to make the most of your mornings, but you don’t know where to start.

Or maybe you wonder whether high school even is the time to care about your mornings. Classes begin at such an early hour already, and that’s not to mention any extracurricular commitments you may have before the sun even rises. Maybe a morning routine feels nice in theory but hopelessly unattainable in practice, something to keep on the backburner until after you’ve turned that tassel on your graduation cap and begun college or life in “the real world.”

Whether or not you’re convinced your mornings could use a makeover, I want to challenge you to consider just how crucial mornings are in equipping you to thrive in high school. And I want to invite you, high schooler (whether you’re a girl or a boy), to realize the value of a routine. 

The Importance of a Morning Routine for Teens

A morning routine for teens is more than just a list of tasks to check off your to-do list at the day’s start. It is a collection of intentions and practices that can transform your morning into a sacred space, enabling you to take on those busy, bursting-with-fun high school days.

That’s why I want to offer you the helpful morning routine for teens. It was formulated with the help of my daughter, Lydia, who graduated high school back in 2020, and it’s more of a “skeleton” than an uber-detailed, itemized routine.

That’s where you come in: it’s up to you to fill in the details. Your routine should be catered to you, and that means that each step can take as much or little time as you prefer. You can even make a few different routines using my Wake Up Well Checklist (available by clicking here). Create one routine for slower, weekend mornings, and another routine for those mornings with early extracurricular activities.

So, grab a pencil, pour yourself a cup of coffee, and keep reading. Let’s create a high school morning routine that’s perfectly tailored to you.

Here’s Your Morning Routine for Teens

Where It All Begins: The Night Before

I know you’ve likely heard it a hundred times, but it’s true: every morning routine begins the night before. It’s infinitely more difficult to maximize a morning when you’re so exhausted you can hardly peel your eyes open – and that means you’ve got to prioritize your sleep.

According to the Sleep Foundation, it’s best to aim for at least 8 hours of sleep per night. Do what you can to make your sleeping space as cool, quiet, and dark as possible. I get it: sleeping conditions aren’t always ideal. Maybe your parents are up late stomping around the living room, or maybe you share a room with a sibling. If so, opt for earplugs and an eye mask.

Whatever you’re doing at night – whether it’s a sports game or an essay assignment – try to limit your screen time two hours before you go to bed. Write in a journal, read a book, chat with your family: how you wind down is your decision. (I know it’s difficult, but resist the temptation to lay in bed scrolling on TikTok until your eyes burn!)

Time to Wake Up

The alarm sounds. You fumble in the dark for your phone and, before you’re even half-coherent, you snooze it once. Then twice. Then another time. Next thing you know, you’re late – still exhausted – and you’ve barely got enough time to brush your teeth, much less intentionally go through a morning routine.

Sound familiar?

The ever-tempting choice to snooze your alarm is the one of the least ideal ways to begin your morning: it disrupts your sleep cycle, making you feel groggy, and it leaches time away from your morning routine. Avoid snoozing, and, if it helps, place your alarm across the room so you have to get up to shut it off. Alternatively, try a sunrise alarm clock (my daughters swear by them), which gently wakes you with a light source mimicking the rising of the sun.

The Day Begins

Now you’re up, and it’s time to get ready for the day. You can get entirely ready for the day, all at once, to save some time if you’ve got places to be. Or you can simply put on your glasses, brush your teeth, and stay in your pajamas until the last possible minute.

It’s up to you: do whatever you need to do to feel like your day has begun.

Morning Movement

Next, it’s time for a little morning movement. Studies show that a small bit of exercise in the morning – even something as simple as a short walk – helps boost your mood, raise energy levels, reduce stress, and increase focus throughout your day.

It’s possible that the first thing on your day’s to-do list already includes morning movement (maybe you’ve got an early-morning weights session or a sports team practice before class). If that’s the case, take it easy at home, or aim for a few light stretches before you dash out the door.

Alternatively, perhaps you have a little (or a lot!) of time in the morning for some more structured movement at home. If you’ve got places to be – like before-school music rehearsal – consider waking up ten minutes earlier for a short core workout or yoga in your room, anything to get your body moving and ready to tackle the day.

Or perhaps it’s the weekend and you have even more time. If so, your morning movement could look like a 5K run around your neighborhood or a Pilates class at a nearby gym.

Morning Mindfulness

A mindfulness practice is, in my opinion, one of the best things to incorporate into your morning. You can do it before or after your morning movement – or even alongside it. (How about a meditative walk, or breath prayer with your yoga?)

Mindfulness puts you on the right path for the day: it centers your mind, allows you to slow down amid the morning hustle, and invites you to think about the bigger picture floating above your day-to-day life.

Grab a mug of coffee and try one (or several) of these short morning mindfulness practices:

• Write a list of 10 things you’re thankful for in a gratitude journal
• Read a brief passage of Scripture and meditate for 3 minutes on what it means to you
• Set a timer and spend 5 minutes in prayer

And if you’ve got more time to spare, try some of these: 

• Read a chapter of a wellness book or a devotional, then journal about it
• Listen – actively listen – to several songs you love, and resist the urge to multitask as you do so
• Take a walk around your neighborhood or in a nearby park, and try to notice as much as you can about your surroundings

If you’re super tight on time, utilize your commute time. Play some worship music and pray while you drive, ride the bus, or walk to school. 

What is less important than how much time you can dedicate to your morning mindfulness is the very fact that you are pursuing it. High school is busy – I recognize that – but cultivating habits of gratitude, joy, and intentionality at your age, even when it’s hard, will bless you for the rest of your life.

What Makes a Morning for You?

After getting ready, doing some morning movement, and practicing morning mindfulness, the rest of your routine depends on what you want to get out of your morning and how much time you have.

Prioritize eating a healthy, protein-rich breakfast at some point (try a banana with peanut butter or a jar of overnight oats on the go), perhaps during your mindfulness activity.

Maybe your ideal morning includes some socialization: send a thoughtful text to a friend, call a grandparent, or have conversation over breakfast with your mom.

If you have the time, maybe you’d prefer to spend a bit more of your morning alone, delving deeper into a Bible study or a writing project or a book you’re reading – not for school, just for you!

Whatever you end up doing, make it something you want to do. Practice dedicating some of your morning to yourself and to your passions. Make space for those rhythms of life most dear to you, before the noise and clutter of the day has a chance to crowd them out.

Begin your Day!

Finally, it’s time to begin your day! I pray this morning routine for teens may shape your morning into one more restful, fulfilling, and intentional.

How you live your mornings is how you live your life, and it all starts with a morning routine. 

Perhaps a cheat sheet would be helpful? If so, access my Wake Up Well Checklist, which you can use to 

• Center your heart on what matters most
• Stay grounded in Scripture and gratitude
• Start your day with purpose, without striving
• Honor your mind and body, not just your to-do list

Ten minutes is all you need! Tap below to download. (Read more about the Wake Up Well Checklist here.)

Young Adults like You Contributed to my Book!

One more thing! I’d love to show you how to not just tolerate or barely like your mornings, but how to truly LOVE them. There’s a whole section dedicated to young adults in my book, How to Love Your Morning: Faith-Filled Habits to Build a Life of Joy and Purpose One Day at a time.

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