The Best Morning Routines for High School Success

It's 7 am, your alarm is blaring, and all you can think of doing is turning off your phone, rolling over, and sleeping some more. You close your eyes to sleep a bit longer, only to wake up in a panic 30 minutes later with alarm bells ringing in your head: "I'm late!" Before you know it, you’re racing around your bedroom like a lunatic, attempting to gather your stuff together while brushing your teeth and putting on your socks. You don't even have to grab a donut and pull your lunch out of the fridge before you're zooming out the door like the Roadrunner, chasing after the school bus as it's about to leave.

At last, you barely make it, only to glance down and realize you've left your textbooks on your desk as well as your phone, leaving you with nothing but the desire to go back to bed and erase the whole day.

Feeling relatable? We’ve all been there. Being late happens to the best of us from time to time, but it’s rarely a pleasant experience. What if there was a way to master your morning routine in high school and set yourself up for academic and personal success in the future as well? Developing a solid morning routine can offer numerous benefits, including improved academic performance, a more positive mood, healthier habits, and increased self-confidence that lasts far into your career and personal life. So, how do you develop a morning routine that suits you best?

Today, we’re giving you the lowdown on all things morning routine, so you can wake up feeling energized and ready to take on the day with confidence. Ready to take control of your mornings and set yourself up for success? Let’s dive in!

Everyone has their own way of waking up. Some students use the “early to bed, early to rise” method, while others stay up late binge-watching Netflix and rush out of bed the next morning (not always the best idea). Whatever you do, it’s essential to remember that your nighttime and morning habits have a significant impact on how the following day goes. That is why having a morning routine early in high school can pay dividends both in and out of the classroom, leaving you feeling alert and ready to take on the world without the added stress of a heart attack to start the day. Building a solid routine, though, often begins the night before with getting a full night’s sleep.

While we may take it for granted at times, sleep is actually the secret to a successful morning routine, and probably the most crucial thing to do correctly. Our internal clock, or our circadian rhythm, doesn't just regulate when we're tired and awake; it regulates our energy, focus, and daily schedule. Because of this, it’s crucial to establish healthy sleeping habits when you are a teenager; these habits will travel with you long into adulthood!

Even though it can sometimes feel as if you can get away with sleeping less, teens actually require more sleep than younger kids (about 9 to 9½ hours a night) since their brains are constantly growing, according to Johns Hopkins. Staying up late at night may be the only solution when balancing grades, athletics, testing, and after-school activities, but it will take a toll on your body. It's not just about being well-rested; it's also about having a constant shield against depression, boosting mood, and growing more overall during the day.

The science also backs this up! An MIT study found that students who slept more soundly, regularly, and for longer periods slept better and achieved higher grades in school, with a nearly 25% statistical difference attributed entirely to sleep.

A better sleep always begins the night before. While it may be tempting to stay up late, spending your evening relaxing and preparing everything beforehand can make the morning madness easier and even reduce your stress before you leave for school. 

If you tend to have trouble falling asleep at night, even when tired, try these techniques:

• Avoid caffeine after 2 PM
• Set a “screen curfew” 1 hour before bed
• Use a wind-down routine: shower, reading, or journaling
• Try melatonin (with parent approval) or use a red light bulb at night
• Get 10–15 minutes of morning sunlight daily to reset your body clock

Here’s a mini nighttime routine checklist to help ensure you have everything ready to go:

• Set out your clothes the night before
• Pack your lunch and school bag
• Write out all your to-dos for the next day
• Charge all of your devices and put them in a central location
• Sleep early! Call it a night around 11-12 am at the latest to help you get at least 8 hours of restful sleep. Set your alarms up before drifting off. Set your phone away from your bed so you’re forced to get up in the morning.

The second step is what you do upon waking. Waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends, is crucial for developing your body's internal clock and can contribute to longevity. Research has shown that maintaining regular sleep schedules, with the same bedtime and wake time, contributes to overall health. Individuals with the most consistent sleep-wake times have up to a 48% lower risk of all-cause mortality compared to those with the least consistent routines. Even better, when you wake up around the same time, your body will begin to build that habit naturally, and soon you’ll even be able to wake up on time even without an alarm clock!

It's also highly recommended to expose yourself to sunlight in the morning; natural light has been scientifically proven to help your body's circadian rhythm align with the Earth’s day and night cycle. Your body's own clock will naturally tire you out as evening begins and wake you up when morning breaks, reinforcing that habit even more.

The infamous snooze button… momentary bliss, but a common enemy for many of us each morning. Trying not to hit snooze is a difficult task, often more than not, for all of us, but it’s essential to try your best to prevent hitting the snooze button.  According to the Cleveland Clinic, even when you hit the snooze button, you disturb your REM, or rapid eye movement, sleep, causing your body to enter “fight or flight” mode, which increases your blood pressure and heart rate. To help you wake up a little bit easier, you can opt for apps on your phone that wake you up according to your natural sleep phases. Most people work with an Apple Watch or other wearable device, which vibrates when you’re in the lightest part of your sleep to wake you up in a more gentle yet effective way.

Once you’ve gotten yourself a bit more awake, it’s time to try to slowly re-energize your body and mind. There are many ways to do this, all of which don’t take too much time in the morning, but can make a world of difference.

• Hydrate first thing.
• Make your bed.
• 5–10 minute movement routine (stretch, walk, yoga).
• Mindfulness, journaling, or gratitude practice.
• Setting 1–3 intentions for the day.
• Quick 5-minute meditation or breathing exercise.

Here are some example morning routines to give you some ideas for how you can successfully start your morning right:

• 6:30 AM - Wake up, get out of bed immediately, open the blinds
• 6:35 AM - Drink a glass of water + splash your face with cold water
• 6:40 AM - 5-minute stretch or deep breathing (use a YouTube video or app)
• 6:50 AM - Make your bed and get dressed
• 7:00 AM - Eat a quick breakfast (overnight oats, smoothie, or toast + protein)
• 7:10 AM - Review your calendar or write 1–3 goals for the day
• 7:15 AM - Leave for school or log in to class feeling prepped and focused!

Today, with ever-present phone access and mindless scrolling on social media, this has become a regular part of our routines. Apps like TikTok and Instagram offer entertainment and ways to stay connected with friends or people you enjoy hearing from, but starting your day with this also floods your mind with information, triggers comparison, and increases stress before breakfast, potentially leaving you overwhelmed and drained before your day even begins. Try to avoid getting caught up in the algorithm and instead pick up a book, watch an episode of light-hearted TV, or listen to a short and positive podcast to help get your brain into a better state before you leave for school.

Additionally, skipping meals is another common trap we all, at some point, find ourselves falling into. Moving through the day on an empty stomach can lead to a decline in focus, energy, and mood levels, making classes or early work more challenging. Instead, make sure to have some healthy and balanced food, such as a fruit smoothie, overnight oats, eggs and fruit, or even have a protein shake in the morning before school, so you feel full for longer and are more awake in your classes.

• Swap scrolling through TikTok to music or a quick podcast to help transition your mind into the day.
• Swap skipping breakfast for a quick smoothie, overnight oats, or a combination of fruit and yogurt to help get you a boost of nutrition before the long day.
• Instead of soda or extra coffee, try water or herbal tea to help combat energy crashes later in the day.

Creating an ideally flawless morning routine is easy, but maintaining it can prove to be an extra challenge. Nevertheless, just like with any other habit, developing a morning routine becomes easier as you approach it progressively and creatively. A straightforward way to get into the rhythm is to use habit stacking. Habit stacking refers to adding a new habit on top of an existing one to accomplish more in less time. For example, "When I brush my teeth, I'll have a glass of water" or "When I have breakfast, I'll list out three things to get done today." This may help you feel more productive in the morning and keep you busy, reducing the chances of mindless scrolling and missing important aspects of your routine.

Reward and accountability can also help your motivation. Try to reward yourself with a small treat after you've been consistent for a week, or have a friend or family member hold you accountable and check in with you. And the "don't break the chain" trick works too: mark each day you finish your routine on a calendar. Watching the chain grow gives you more motivation to keep your streak going!

Here’s another tip for you: Don’t let the weekend throw off your sleep schedule entirely. Try to wake up within 1-2 hours of your regular weekday time. This keeps your internal clock steady. Later, if you need extra rest, opt for a nap before 3 PM rather than sleeping in all morning.

Not every day of the week can be perfect; strive for progress, not perfection. Accommodate on weekends by providing yourself with an additional wake-up time or by substituting school preparation time with creative or physical activities to energize and renew. Consistency is more important than inflexible timing, so concentrate on keeping the core elements of hydration, exercise, nutrition, and focus in place even when the schedule varies or your priorities change. Over time, your routine will become second nature, so start small and keep working at it slowly; you’ll thank yourself for it!

• Go to bed at a consistent time
• Prep your outfit, bag, and lunch the night before
• Wake up at the same time daily (including weekends!)
• Avoid screens first thing; instead, hydrate, move, reflect
• Eat a real breakfast (even if it’s small!)
• Use habit stacking to build and stick to routines

If you liked this guide, check out our longer, downloadable ebook about student wellness. It’s packed with more great advice on how to manage your busy academic and social life while still working towards your big dreams. Empowerly’s Guide to Student Wellness is a handbook for success in high school!

Having a positive morning routine really makes all the difference in helping you achieve your goals, both in and outside the classroom. While something that works for one student may not be best for the next, take the time to experiment with the timing, activity, and pacing until you find a system that suits your energy, focus, and mood. Also, be sure to start small and achieve small accomplishments, such as completing a week of daily activities, to keep you motivated along the way.

Empowerly's experts can help you navigate your course load more effectively, balance your schedule, and guide you through the college admissions process. So, if you’re looking for a little extra help along the way, we'll be right by your side. Book your free consultation today.