Have you heard about the amazing benefits of having a consistent morning routine? First things first: routine increases productivity. Building a familiar routine out of habit is beneficial because it sets up your whole day for success.

Think about it: if the first part of your day is a step-by-step routine -- your body and mind feel in control. Thus, you are more likely to remain organized the rest of your day.

Another benefit of having a morning ritual? A morning routine sets your state of mind and you will feel less overwhelmed throughout the day. Sometimes we wake up knowing (or stressing!) that there are a lot of things to be done. What we do first thing in the morning conditions the rest of our day.

Here’s what we are currently using in our morning ritual.

1. Mug

This may sound simple, but having a mug nearby in the morning is a gamechanger. Hydrating is key to start your day. So, at night, we fill up a mug with detoxifying lemon water and keep it in our room so we can hydrate right away when we wake up. There are no excuses when your mug is just arms reach away!

In addition to getting your metabolism going, drinking water helps your body boost its energy and remove toxins. We recommend having a FUN mug (glass or cup) that you LOVE using since this will motivate you to actually drink more water.

2. Copper Water Bottle

Since hydration is so important, the second item on our list is also related to water. Water helps to fight fatigue, so we like to keep a water bottle with us at ALL times throughout the day to stay hydrated. Right now we are using copper water bottles in our morning routine because they have an endless list of benefits. We’ve read that drinking from a copper water bottle not only improves the digestive and immune system, they can stimulate the brain, keep skin healthy, and even prevent aging.

Hydration is our key to staying energized throughout the day and so we bring our water bottle to the gym, to meetings, grocery shopping, basically - everywhere!

3. Coconut Oil

Lately, we’ve been starting our mornings with coconut oil. Not only do we love moisturizing our skin and lips with coconut oil after washing our face -- sometimes we include it in our breakfast (it’s a delicious addition to tea, coffee and oatmeal).

Our current pick? Kapuluan Coconut can be your best friend. Instead of digging coconut oil out from a round jar that most coconut oils come in - we love using Kapuluan’s squeezable tube.

Some people we know swear by coconut pulling as part of their morning routine. While we haven’t used it to clean our teeth yet -- it’s on our to-try list. Apparently, swishing coconut oil around in your mouth for 5-15 minutes may help prevent gum disease, reduce bad breath and whiten teeth. We’ll let you know when we try this out.

4. Facial Mist

This morning routine tip may sound odd, but we like to spray ourselves right after we wake up as this gives us a quick ‘wake up call’. Internal hydration is important -- but so is external hydration. After sleeping all night, we love renewing and moisturizing our skin with a quick mist of water. Also, if you’re one of those who are ‘up and at ‘em’ first thing in the morning (hello moms with kids!), you may not have time to refresh your skin right away.

A few of our fave sprays are from Mayawater and Happy Spritz (p.s. - the name says it all: Good Morning Beautiful!) If you’re looking for some good old H2O, pick up a spray bottle from your local dollar store, wash thoroughly, and fill with water.

Also, if you’re one of those who heads to the gym first thing, don’t underestimate the power of facial mist after a morning workout as a quick refresher.

5. Something Scented

Sometimes, we start our day with essential oils, incense, or a scented candle. Why? Scents are important because they unconsciously impact our mood and memories, whether we know it or not. In fact, it’s rooted in science: “our olfactory response is directly linked to the emotional center of our brain, causing a flood of warm and fuzzy feelings with a simple sniff. Unlike touch or taste, scents are directly correlated with past experiences.”

So when we smell scents that bring us back to positive memories, our bodies generate endorphins, which trigger positive feelings in our bodies.

We’ll usually use incense or essential oils during our morning meditation and affirmation session and the exact scent we use will change depending on what we are focusing on in that moment. For instance, peppermint, basil, and ginger oil are great for focus and energy, while chamomile, lavender, and bergamot oils are focused on helping you relax. Right now, we’re using a custom-blended tree oil from Ceremonie during our mornings. Before you pick an oil, make sure you research where the oils were sourced from and how they were blended as they will change the effectiveness of the oil.

Last but not least, in addition to products that help hydrate and boost our mind, body and spirit in the morning - don’t forget about that positive and hopeful mindset. It’s underrated, trust us.

Now - what do you use? We’d love to learn what you swear by in the mornings.

The Five Things You Need In Your Morning Routine