My ADHD Morning Routine + Checklist | Millionaire Morning Routine

January 20, 2022

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Hello! It feels a little surreal to be writing a post about having a ~routine~, because, well, I wouldn’t say that I’m a *routine* person. Nevertheless, in this post, I’m sharing how I built my morning routine – what I call “My Millionaire Morning Routine.”

As someone who owns multiple businesses, and has purposefully designed and built my life to do whatever the HECKKKK I WANT – routines didn’t really factor into that.

I have designed and built my life to do whatever the HECKKKK I WANT

“Having a routine” sounds, frankly, boring.

Super duper boring. UGH.

If you’re also on this level, read on, friend!!

ADHD Morning Routine

I eventually got on board with having a morning routine, because I started time tracking – and I realized that it was taking me over 2.5 hours to get ready and go out for the day.

“Why is my morning routine taking TWO FREAKING HOURS?!” -Me to me

Now, I’m not one of those utilitarian or fascist people who think you should only spend X minutes getting ready for the day! If you want to spend 4 hours or 14 hours getting ready, I’m here for that! [Also, uh, maybe drop your fave products in an email to me, because I love learning about beauty products!]

No, I was [am] miffed at myself for taking 2.5 hours to get ready in the morning – because it didn’t make sense. I should be spending about an hour – but it was taking me forever.

My morning routine includes some makeup, but I wasn’t like, doing a full face and contouring the crap out of my cheeks – doing things that take time.

ADHD Morning Routine – Figuring Out a Checklist

“Ok, self,” I said to myself. “We’re going to figure this out.”

Here are the steps I used to figure out my ADHD Morning Routine:

Brain dump everything I want to do in the morning into my Notes App [This info helped me develop a Morning Routine Checklist! I share mine below!]
Sort it // Organize it, grouping similar tasks together
Time myself to see how long this stuff actually takes

I included that third step ^^^^, because I wanted to leave space for the possibility that maybe I do need 2.5 hours for my ADHD Morning Routine!

But I was pretty sure I wasn’t – here’s why:

I spent every morning SCRAMBLING.

I kind of wish I had taken some time lapse videos of getting ready in the morning – I think it would’ve made for some COMEDIC TikTok content.

I think it would’ve made for some COMEDIC TikTok content, LMAO.

I scrambled between rooms, walking around half dressed – toothbrush hanging out of my mouth – jumping from putting on facial moisturizer to choosing an outfit to realizing I forgot to floss to then remembering I needed to take my meds/vitamins.

By the time I got *OUT* the door, I felt like I had lost a ton of executive function. And the day had just started!

I know [as a business owner, coach and consultant] that I need to preserve that executive function [brain power] for my business and tasks that grow my business ++ also in my creative work!

Develop an ADHD Morning Routine Checklist

I was tired of using my executive function on scrambling all morning long, so, I developed my Morning Routine Checklist!

Below, I have shared the specific steps I used to develop my ADHD Morning Routine – so you can create yours.

1. ADHD Morning Routine – Braindump

I knew going into this that creating a Morning Routine would be an iterative process. It would evolve over time, and that’s ok!

The first thing I did was brain dump everything I wanted to do. I imagined myself going through my morning routine, and made a list.

Example:

Exfoliate in shower
Brush teeth
Wash face
Floss
Put on sunscreen
Moisturize skin
Say affirmations // do mirror work
Pick up bathroom floor
Use Listerine
Drink 8 oz water
Take meds & vitamins
Make bed
Get dressed
Micellar on face
Toner for face
Deodorant
Pick up bathroom floor
Pick up bedroom
Eat breakfast
Drink 8 oz water
Drink “health concoction” [this is my collagen, fiber & a few other things]
Meditate
Money manifestation practice in journal

2. Organize the Morning Routine Checklist

Ok, so looking at the list above, I soon realized I needed to organize my morning into segments or SECTIONS. Grouping like tasks with eachother

#1: Shower

Mark time started getting ready*
3 Manifestation Pins*
Grab washcloth from under sink
Shampoo
Body Wash
Face Wash
Brush Teeth [I brush my teeth in the shower]
Get out / dry and put washcloth in hamper

#2: Bathroom – Round 1:

Floss
Listerine
Mirror work // affirmations
Drink 8 oz of water
Micellar for face
Toner for face
Deodorant
Moisturizer
Sunscreen
Lotion
Pick up bathroom floor
Put on makeup [if desired]

#3: Kitchen – Round 1

Drink 8 oz water
Get out pills/vitamins
Cook breakfast [eggs, bacon and avocado]
Send a note of love and thanks

#4: Bedroom

Make bed
Pick up bedroom floor
Get dressed

#5: Kitchen – Round 2

Eat breakfast
Take meds /vitamins
Health concoction
Drink 8 oz water

#6: Bedroom – Round 2

Meditation
Money Manifestation practice
Mark finish time

^^^ With these items, you’ll notice I’m SPECIFIC. I don’t put “Shower” or “Wash face.” I broke down literally every dang step! <3

3. Why do I track my time?

Tracking my time helps me “gut check” my internal judgements. I had a lot [a LOT] of negative self-talk around getting ready. Tracking how long it takes me to get ready helps combat that negative self-talk, and it also lets me know how I’m doing – routine wise!

4. What about working out? | | Morning Routine Checklist

Because I work out with one of my best friends, I don’t need to include that in my morning routine // ADHD checklist. We have a time that we meet at the gym [that I can walk to], so I just roll out of bed 20 minutes before and put on workout stuff.

I get nauseated if I eat before I workout, so [in my brain] this is pretty separate from my morning routine // getting ready.

5. Find ways to “Habit Stack” | Morning Routine Checklist

In his book, “Atomic Habits,” James Clear talks about “habit stacking,” This is where you take something you do regularly, and you attach a new habit to it.

I use this to take my meds and vitamins! I make eggs every morning, so I’ve trained my brain to associate grabbing my spatula with my meds. As soon as I grab my spatula, I remember my meds and vitamins.

Habit stacking FTW!

6. Print ADHD Morning Routine Checklist?

Some folks take the checklist they’ve made and print it out – so their phone isn’t in their hands as they get ready.

I find it’s easier for me if I can just pull up my Notes App, as I carry my phone from room to room.

Final ADHD Morning Routine Tip: Delete Social Media Apps

One of the reasons why it was taking me 2.5 hours – sometimes 3 hours!!! – to get ready was because I got sucked into social media.

Now, being on social media and engaging is part of my job. It’s part of my businesses.

Buuuut, I realized I could be more intentional about this time.

I don’t get on social media before 1PM, and I delete my social media apps on my phone multiple times a day.

I delete my social media apps on my phone multiple times a day.

Now, I don’t want to sound like one of those annoying people who is all snarky and judgey about folk spending time on social media.

Social media is a great tool, and it’s one of the ways I stay connected to other humans [especially after March of 2020!]

I don’t view it as “depriving myself.” I delete the apps because they take time to re-download – and going to re-download them often gives my cute and wonderful and brilliant ADHD brain time to go, “Wait, no! We’re getting ready. Not spending time on social media right now. We’ll say hi to our besties later this afternoon.”

I delete a social media app every time I close it. Doing this helps me be more intentional about connecting [not just mindlessly scrolling] while I’m on social media.

ADHD Morning Routine – Next Steps

I hope that this blog post helped you make the most out of your mornings! I must admit that I was pretty skeptical about having a written morning routine – but I’m such a fan!

Having a Morning Routine Checklist helps me preserve my brain energy, as well as regularly do the self-care and adulting tasks I often forgot in the past [taking meds, flossing, etc].

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