Mel Robbins' 6-Step Morning Routine

The foundation of Robbins' routine starts the moment your alarm goes off. "The snooze button is a lie," she says. "It promises you more rest, but it actually makes you more tired and starts your day with a broken promise to yourself."

When you hit snooze, you're training your brain that it's okay to delay action when things feel uncomfortable. Robbins argues that getting up immediately, despite not feeling like it, is your first victory of the day. It's a micro-moment of courage that builds momentum for everything that follows.

The key is placing your alarm across the room so you have to physically get up to turn it off. Once you're vertical, you've already won half the battle.

This might seem trivial, but Robbins swears by the psychological impact of making your bed immediately after getting up. "It's your first accomplishment of the day," she explains. "You're literally setting yourself up for success."

Making your bed serves multiple purposes: it creates a sense of order, gives you an immediate win, and ensures that even if the day goes poorly, you'll come home to something neat and welcoming. It's also a keystone habit—one small action that naturally leads to other positive behaviours.

The task takes less than two minutes but creates a ripple effect of accomplishment that can influence your mindset for hours.

This is perhaps Robbins' most distinctive routine element, and it stems from her research into self-compassion and positive psychology. "You high-five other people when they do something great," she says. "Why wouldn't you do the same for yourself?"

The high five in the mirror isn't about arrogance or fake positivity. It's about creating a moment of connection with yourself and acknowledging that you're showing up for your life. Robbins explains that this simple gesture activates the same neural pathways associated with celebration and achievement.

Even if you feel silly doing it at first, the physical act of raising your hand and making eye contact with yourself sends a powerful message to your subconscious: you're someone worth celebrating.

After hours without water, your body is naturally dehydrated. Robbins emphasises drinking water before reaching for coffee to help your body and brain function optimally from the start.

"Your brain is about 75% water," she notes. "When you're dehydrated, you're literally operating with less brainpower." Starting with water helps activate your metabolism, flush out toxins, and provide the hydration your body desperately needs after a night's sleep.

She recommends keeping a glass of water by your bed or having a water bottle ready to go. The goal isn't to chug a litre immediately, but to prioritise hydration as one of your first acts of self-care.

Robbins is a strong advocate for immediate morning light exposure, and for good reason. Natural light helps regulate your circadian rhythm, boosts mood through vitamin D production, and signals to your brain that it's time to be alert and focused.

"Light is like a drug for your brain," she explains. "It literally wakes up your neural pathways and gets your systems firing properly." Even just five minutes outside can make a significant difference in your energy levels and mood.

If weather doesn't permit going outside, she suggests at least opening curtains and sitting near a window. The key is getting natural light into your system as early as possible to support your body's natural wake-up process. Learn more about morning light exposure.

The final step is physical movement, but Robbins keeps this flexible and accessible. "It doesn't matter if it's a full workout, a walk around the block, or dancing to one song in your kitchen," she says. "The goal is to get your blood moving and your energy up."

Movement in the morning serves multiple purposes: it increases blood flow to the brain, releases endorphins, and creates physical momentum that carries into other areas of your life. Robbins emphasises that this isn't about intense exercise—it's about activation.

Whether it's 10 jumping jacks, a five-minute walk, or a full gym session, the key is moving your body in some way that feels good and energising. Discover the benefits of daily movement.