Tips For Keepings Things Simple - Slow Mornings, Relaxing Routines, And More

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Tips For Keepings Things Simple - Slow Mornings, Relaxing Routines, And More

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Tips For Keepings Things Simple - Slow Mornings, Relaxing Routines, And More

13 min read JUL 10, 2025

Sometimes as the end of the year approaches, you hear talk about how things feel so busy, so rushed.

But, do you ever feel like this isn’t necessarily specific to the holidays or a certain time of year?

I mean, let’s be honest, no matter the time of year, we can all find ourselves spinning, moving through life on what feels like a hamster wheel.

We get up in the morning and before our feet hit the ground, our minds are consumed with everything that we need to get done that day, the next day, and on and on - from meetings and deadlines to appointments, playdates, laundry, meals, cleaning, errands, and more.

It’s no wonder people are experiencing burnout at an alarming rate!

Concerning jobs alone - and we all know our lives consist of more than our career duties - recent studies show that more than 66% of people are experiencing burnout.

But, you didn’t need a statistic to tell you that, did you?

So many of us - I say us because I’m right here with you - are seemingly running on autopilot, where one day blurs right into the next, and even though our minds and bodies are suffering, we’re not sure how to effectively slow down.

So today, let’s do just that - slow down!

Let’s take some time to focus on simplicity, on the benefits of scaling things back, incorporating simple routines, simple to-dos, and allowing our bodies to reset, refocus, jump off the hamster wheel with intentionality, and look at ways to tackle our days without overloading and burning out.

Slow, Simple Mornings Translate To Big Benefits

A woman in pink pajamas is sitting on a bed, stretching her arms joyfully toward the sunlight streaming through a large window. The bedroom is softly lit with warm tones, featuring mauve curtains, a bedside table with an alarm clock and lamp, and a potted plant on the windowsill. The scene captures a peaceful and refreshing morning moment.

Rushing through each day, especially through your morning routine, can have multiple negative effects on your body and mind.

As we rush through routines and hurry out the door, we think we’re just moving our morning right along, when in fact we’re triggering a stress response prompting the emergency release of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol.

The surge in adrenaline causes your heart to beat more rapidly and your blood pressure to rise, both of which when experienced long term can lead to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

When you’re in this type of rush, you're breathing also becomes shallower, and your muscles and joints become tense.

As you slurp down your morning coffee or scarf down your breakfast, you may feel digestive distress, causing you to think either your coffee or protein shake is making you feel nauseous or giving you heartburn, when in reality, your rushed morning routine is communicating *danger, danger, danger* to your brain, and the resulting surge of hormones is negatively affecting your digestive system.

This type of regular rushing also weakens your immune system, throws a wrench in your sleep cycle, and it can cause you to feel exhausted on a day to day basis from being in a continual state of ‘fight or flight.’

The thing is, each of these negative effects can stem from simply rushing through each morning.

What you do all day long certainly matters and it can contribute to chronic stress, but how you start each day is of monumental importance as this sets the tone for how your body/mind will ‘view’ everything else.

So then, what does the slow side of this morning routine coin look like?

What happens when we avoid the urge to rush and instead, keep things simple?

Beginning your mornings in a slow and relaxed way helps you transition into the day, and this can create a calm and peaceful atmosphere which may serve to lower cortisol levels and improve how your body regulates emotions.
When mornings begin with chaos, this sets your brain up for disaster later in the day. But, when you begin your day with slow, simple routines this has been shown to improve your ability to think clearly and focus throughout the day.
When mornings are rushed, do you ever feel like your whole day ends up being unproductive? This is a common feeling when we rush through our morning routines, but when we begin each day slowly, with intention, this boosts productivity as a whole. Yes, by starting your day with intention, the mental focus and clarity that follows can actually help you get more done!
Another benefit stemming from the mental clarity and improved focus you gain from slow, simple mornings is better time management and improved creativity. Makes sense, right? You begin your day more slowly, you think more clearly, and you then manage your day better and free your mind to be present and creative.
Then, aside from actually being more productive, focused, clear, and creative, slow and simple mornings can also improve your outlook on life. Studies show that when we’re slow and intentional, especially as we begin our day, we’re also more grateful, mindful, and present in each moment thereafter.

So then, how can you accomplish this?

What can you do to keep things simple, to slow down your morning or daytime routines to avoid burnout, potentially keep your body from getting stuck in fight or flight mode, and not only set yourself up for success, but also enjoy life along the way?

Tips For Keeping Things Simple - Slow Mornings, Relaxing Routines, And More

It’s one thing to say “we’d all really benefit from keeping things simple, slowing down, and stopping to smell the roses,” but it’s another thing entirely to put this principle into practice.

So, we know we need to put on the brakes and stop rushing through each morning, but how?

1- Fifteen Minutes Of Joy

A woman with wavy blonde hair is sitting comfortably indoors, holding a white mug close to her lips as she enjoys a warm drink. Soft natural light filters in through a nearby window, and green plants surround her, creating a calm and cozy atmosphere.

Fight or flight mode, stress hormones, and a need to slow down and take a breath are all things I’m personally acquainted with as unfortunately, I’m pretty sure I’ve been nothing more than a little ball of stress since the day I was born.

Unfortunately, this stress and the habits that contribute to it began taking its toll on me physically, so about a year and a half ago, a friend of mine shared a tip she’d been incorporating in her own life, and it’s made all the difference in mine, so I’m sharing it now with you:

Each day, preferably first thing in the morning, set aside 15 minutes to do something you love.

These minutes should be quiet minutes.

These minutes, while not necessarily contemplative, should be reflectively grateful.

These minutes are for you, only for you.

My friend says she sets a soft timer (no loud buzzers), brews a cup of coffee, then sits in silence, mindfully enjoying each sip. She calls this time her daily 15 minutes of joy.

There’s a lot more that can be said about coffee in our intentional, simple, morning routines, and we’ll get to that in a moment, but consider this practice with me.

How would your morning mindset change if you took fifteen, uninterrupted, minutes to start each day in calm moments of stillness.

Within those moments, allow your mind to fully awaken, give your thoughts time to center and focus, train those thoughts to focus on gratitude, and allow yourself the gift of this time to just be alone.

My friend still has young children at home (young but self-sufficient), and she explained to me that her kids and partner know that if she’s got a cup of coffee in her hand while sitting in her chair, she’s taking her 15 minutes of joy, and they know not to disturb her unless it’s an absolute emergency.

In other words, sometimes we have to carve out the time, and sometimes we have to intentionally create simple moments, but those moments are more than worth it!

2- The Early Bird, The Worm, And All That Stuff

A woman with curly hair sits peacefully on a bed near a window, gazing out at a vibrant sunrise with birds flying across the sky. Soft curtains gently blow in the morning breeze, and a steaming cup of coffee rests on the bed beside her. The scene exudes calmness, reflection, and the quiet beauty of early morning.

I’m not a morning person. So, the thought of getting up earlier than others in my household just to have a few moments of calm or peacefulness isn’t necessarily appealing to me.

However, protecting my body from chronic stress, fighting fatigue, improving my ability to focus, and engaging happily with my family, friends, and others is more than appealing to me.

And because this is my desire, I’ve followed the advice of many and retrained my brain, now overriding the desire for a few more minutes of sleep with a desire to simplify my life.

For me, just thirty minutes is all it’s taken, and those minutes have transformed my mornings from hurried rushing to calm readiness.

This can take some planning and some practice but seeking to go to bed roughly 30 minutes earlier and then waking up thirty minutes earlier can mean the difference between a rushed or hurried morning and the incorporation of a slow, simplified routine.

These extra minutes can certainly allow you do get more done in the morning, but more than anything, I would urge you to use this time to get in those quiet fifteen minutes of joy, to take the time to slowly jot down a few goals for the day, and to let these slow moments set the tone for a day filled with intention.

3- A Simple Coffee Routine

A woman wearing a striped robe stands by a large window, eyes closed and peacefully holding a light blue mug with both hands. Morning sunlight softly illuminates her face, and her reflection is visible in the glass, enhancing the serene and reflective mood of the moment.

Your morning coffee routine, in and of itself, can truly set the stage or tone for your entire day, whether you take the time to sip for a full 15 minutes or not.

So, as you think of how you can slow down your mornings, forgo the rushing and thus the surge of stress hormones, the first thing you may want to do is focus on your coffee routine.

A morning cup of coffee is a joyous thing for most java lovers, but how you enjoy your morning cup can help or hinder your day.

To simplify your routine, be intentional.

Take a few days, even a few weeks, and find a brewing method or two that you prefer.

Think about each step as you prepare your brew.

Choose a high-quality brew, like Lifeboost, one that not only tastes exceptional but also brings health to your body.

Breathe in the aroma of the coffee as you prepare to brew.

Be intentional about what you wish to add to your cup, if anything.

Make your morning coffee routine something you look forward to, not just something you rush through on your way out the door.

Even if you don’t have time to finish an entire cup before you tackle your day, make sure each step leading up to that first sip includes slow, intentional movement and practices which keep your head in the game, keep you mindful, and even foster gratitude.

4- Prep And Plan

A woman is multitasking at a table, holding a smartphone in one hand and writing in an open notebook with the other. A steaming cup of coffee sits nearby, and the atmosphere suggests a focused, productive moment.

Sometimes the best way to simplify the start of your day is to streamline the end of your day.

I like to go to the gym first thing in the morning, so one way I set myself up for success concerning this habit is by prepping the night before.

In other words - I lay out my gym clothes, set out my non-perishable coffee or tea add-ins, make my to-do list, and complete any other small, but necessary, tasks before I go to bed each night.

This small, seemingly insignificant, step truly helps me keep things simple in the morning.

Even if you’re only taking 3-5 small things off of your morning to-do list, the practice of doing these things the night before can serve to simplify life after the alarm clock blares.

5- Be Realistic

A young woman with a towel on her head, dressed in a white robe, talks on her cell phone while holding a donut and a coffee mug in a modern kitchen.

Sometimes our days are rushed, and our mornings are crazy simply because, and only because, we’ve loaded our to-do lists past the point of what’s humanly possible to complete in a single day’s time.

Do you really have to clean the entire house, do all the laundry, dishes, meals, prepping for the weekend, scheduling all appointments, going to all appointments, etc. in one day?

Even if you accomplish each task on a to-do list that’s way too long, are you really getting ahead if you’re so exhausted the next day that you can’t function?

An overloaded to-do list doesn’t necessarily make you productive, in fact, it may lead to chronic stress and burnout.

Instead, focus on including feasible tasks on your to-do list. And be sure to re-evaluate regularly, including necessary items and ditching those things that aren’t serving you or your household.

In other words, be realistic.

Do you need to include 15 items on today’s to-do list, or can you simplify the list to include 5 things that need to be accomplished, reserving 5 other items for the weekend and dividing the remainder of the tasks over a few days?

Focus on those must-do tasks and include time on that list to simply be mindful, enjoying moments to breathe, be present, take a sip of coffee, and reflect on what you have to be grateful for here and now.

6- Skip The Snooze, Ditch The Desire To Scroll

A woman with long hair lies in a bed with white sheets, looking at her smartphone in a dark room. Next to the bed, a digital alarm clock and a glass of water are on a nightstand.

Maybe getting up thirty minutes early isn’t for you. That’s fine.

But, if you want to avoid a stress-inducing morning rush, one way to keep things simple is by avoiding the snooze button on your alarm.

Then, also seek to avoid the technology trap.

It’s commonplace for most people to use their smartphones as alarms these days, but don’t let reaching for your phone upon waking lead to several minutes of scrolling before you even leave the comfort of your warm bed.

Both of these practices can increase anxiety, disrupt sleep cycles, and more, starting your day off in a state of stress rather than easing into the day slowly, simply, and with intention.

7- Include Self-Care And Prioritize Health

A woman wearing a white bathrobe and a brown towel wrapped around her head is gently cleansing her face with cotton pads in front of a mirror. She is surrounded by small potted plants and skincare bottles, creating a calm and refreshing self-care environment.

I don’t know about you, but I commonly think of self-care time as an “end of the day” thing, something I can do as a reward after I’ve completed one too many tasks.

But, the thing is, sometimes the best time for self-care is at the beginning of your day, a way to slowly start your day with peacefulness, intention, and moments of calming clarity.

A few examples of this include: incorporating a morning skin care routine, doing yoga first thing in the morning, going for a walk, writing in your journal, meditating, etc.

We think of these things as excellent ways to wind down after a stressful day, but each of these slow, simple practices can help us start our day peacefully, with mindfulness.

Those morning hours are also the best time to prioritize health, and when you begin your day with simple, healthy habits - such as hydrating, eating a healthy breakfast, getting in some exercise, etc. - this can set you up for success all throughout the day.

8- Mindfulness In The Mundane

A woman wearing striped pajamas is smiling as she makes her bed, carefully arranging a gray pillow on top of neatly folded sheets. The room features a cozy, modern design with soft pillows, dark curtains, and wooden paneling, reflecting a sense of mindfulness and comfort in daily routines.

Sometimes you can keep things simple, and even avoid a rushed morning, by being mindful within the mundane moments of life.

Making your bed, making breakfast for yourself or your family, hydrating, caffeinating, stretching, journaling, getting ready for work…each of these things are commonly done without thought, and each of these things are also those which we commonly take for granted.

Simplifying or scaling back your rushed morning time can be as easy as doing each of these tasks slowly, with intention.

Maybe it will take a little bit of planning to achieve this. Maybe you will need to re-evaluate your to-do list and prioritize.

Perhaps you’ll need to intentionally slow down. Perhaps you’ll need to communicate with your partner about how you can each bring simplicity to your household in the morning hours.

But, when you do, when you slow down, be realistic, and practice mindfulness, being fully present even in the seemingly mundane moments, you’ll be surprised at how much peace you can bring to your morning, your day, and your life.

Check out Lifeboost Coffee Grata Medium Roast.

"Medical Disclaimer
This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Charles Livingston nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program."

Becky Livingston Vance Content writer

Becky is a mother, educator, and content writer for Lifeboost Coffee. She has had three years’ experience as a writer, and in that time she has enjoyed creatively composing articles and ebooks covering the topics of coffee, health and fitness, education, recipes, and relationships.