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10 Bad Morning Habits to Stop Tomorrow
S.J. Scott
December 05, 2024
Welcome to another edition of the 1% Habits Newsletter!
This is where you’ll get up-to-date information on small wins to improve your habits, productivity, and life satisfaction.
Let’s get to it…
📈 10 Bad Morning Habits to Stop Tomorrow
The best way to have a good, productive day is to have a good, productive morning.
Unfortunately, there are certain morning routine habits that can set you up for failure. These habits can negatively impact your focus, motivation, and energy for the rest of the day.
So in today’s featured article, we will talk about 10 bad morning routine habits that you need to stop doing right now.
We’ll start with one of the biggest mistakes that many people make.
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#1. Failing to Prepare for the Day
A good morning routine starts the night before when you plan for the next day.
Unfortunately, many people wake up in the morning in “reaction mode” where they run around preparing for the day.
The better strategy is to think about the next day and plan accordingly.
(Later on, I will talk about another bad habit that causes you to start the day in reaction mode.)
Now, there are four simple ways to get ready for the next day.
First, lay your clothes out for the next morning. Studies have found that there’s a strong link between what you wear and your mood. So take that extra few minutes to plan out what you’ll wear.
Next, if you have kids, take time to help them pack their school items and meals.
Third, plan out the next workday, which is something we cover in habit #9.
Finally, check the next day’s weather so you can be prepared for any potential traffic or other related issues.
Sure, all this will take an extra 10 to 15 minutes at night, but it will also save you precious time in the morning.
According to a few sleep surveys, over one-third of adults hit the snooze button three or more times each morning before getting up.
Unfortunately, this bad habit won’t help you feel more rested.
That’s because much of the second half of your sleep cycle is made up of restorative, REM sleep.
And when you hit the snooze button, you won’t fall back asleep long enough to get back into the REM phase before the alarm goes off again.
In other words, it’s pointless to hit the snooze button because you won’t feel more rested in the morning.
So it’s better to stick to a specific time each day for when you get up and go to sleep. Also, try to get seven to eight hours of sleep per night so you won’t feel the need to hit the snooze button in the morning.
Many people reach for their phones first thing in the morning to check social media and see what happened while they were asleep.
But if you do this, you’re starting your day off by focusing on other people’s problems or priorities instead of your own, which is bad for your mental state.
Studies have shown that there is a direct correlation between social media use and rates of depression.
Furthermore, the time spent on social media is probably longer than you ever intended it to be.
What starts as a quick social media check easily turns into 20 minutes of scrolling, which then rolls into 30 minutes, and before you know it, you're rushing out the door, starting your day off in a state of panic.
Instead of polluting your world with the opinions of social media when you wake up, focus on what you need to do to prepare for a constructive day.
We’ll talk about how to do this in habit #9.
#4. Leaving the Blinds Closed
Aside from potentially picking out mismatched shoes, getting ready in the dark in the morning can negatively impact your sleep cycle.
It’s best to expose yourself to natural light first thing in the morning because this early sun has the most blue light in it, .
Exposure to the morning light can also help you get better sleep at night.
One study showed that people who spent time exposed to the morning light upon waking up fell asleep faster and had fewer sleep disturbances than those who did not soak up this early morning sun.
#5. Watching or Reading the News
This bad habit (and the next habit) can derail your mood for the rest of the day.
Studies have found that those who watch just three minutes of negative morning news are 27% more likely to report having a bad day.
What’s more, the researchers believe that negative news influences one’s efforts at work because you experience learned helplessness after experiencing all the negativity that’s part of modern media.
In other words, when you expose yourself to negativity in the morning, you’re more likely to carry those feelings with you for the rest of your day.
#6. Focusing on Negativity
One of the reasons we recommend you skip the news is because it can be very polarizing, which can lead to more extreme emotions...especially in this hyper-politicized climate.
Focusing on negativity first thing in the morning will often cause you to complain or feel angry about something, which will set the tone for the day.
Research has shown that people who show up to work being happy or calm typically stay that way for the rest of the day.
On the other hand, people who start the day in a bad mood usually feel even worse by the day’s end -- even if they have interacted with positive people all day.
So be sure to monitor what you listen to, read, or watch in the mornings.
Furthermore, be conscious of the words you tell yourself--instead of complaining about everything, try to look for positive things to think about to start the day.
One great way to do this is to keep a gratitude journal so you can reflect on everything in life that you’re thankful for. We’ll link to a variety of gratitude resources in the description box of this video.
#7. Drinking Coffee First
Do you want to start your day with an extra dose of anxiety?
This will probably surprise and disappoint you, but drinking coffee early in the morning interferes with your cortisol levels, which can then impact the quality of your sleep and your early morning stress levels.
Your cortisol levels peak first thing in the morning, between 8:00 and 9:00, which is a natural way your body helps you wake up.
And since caffeine also increases cortisol, you will be giving yourself that extra shot of stress, which can be harmful for your health.
So our advice is to wait until 9:30 before enjoying your first cup of coffee.
In the meantime, it’s better to hydrate with water upon waking and drink that or herbal tea until your cortisol peak has ended.
#8. Eating an Unhealthy Breakfast
While it’s good to get in the habit of eating breakfast to fuel your brain after a night’s rest, it’s not healthy to eat sugary cereals, pastries, or high-fat breakfast sandwiches on a regular basis.
Studies consistently show that people who eat a healthy breakfast that includes protein are less likely to become overweight than people who eat an unhealthy breakfast or those who skip breakfast altogether.
People who regularly eat high-sugar or high-carb morning meals experience a drop in their blood sugar level around 10:00, which prompts them to ravenously search for a mid-morning snack.
However, people who eat protein for breakfast feel fuller and maintain their energy throughout the day.
Plus, they’re more inclined to follow a structured and healthy eating plan for the rest of the day.
#9. Not Planning Your Day
The best way to have a very effective and productive day is to be deliberate with your time.
And part of being intentional about your time is planning out the next workday.
If you try to leave each day up to chance, you’re more likely to face indecision and procrastination, which are both significant time-wasters.
So a better use of your time is to plan your day the night before or first thing in the morning so you’re not left to guess what your next step is.
What we recommend is to identify your 3 most important tasks (or MITs) and focus on completing them before doing anything else.
These MITs can be broken down into three areas:
A task that’s related to an urgent project, a task that’s related to your personal life, and a task that’s related to an important long-term goal.
Also, make a plan for any scheduled event that is happening the next day--a doctor’s appointment, a work meeting, or an activity at your child’s school.
#10. Starting Your Workday in Reaction Mode
Similar to checking social media as soon as you wake up, checking and responding to email instantly puts you in a reactionary mode.
You end up focusing on how to solve other people’s problems before solving your own.
Instead of working in reaction mode, we suggest completing your 3 MITs to start the morning, then take the time to open and respond to the emails you have received.
Well, there you have it -- 10 morning habits that you should stop doing today.
Now, if you would like to substitute these bad habits with something positive, then be sure to check out our next email that talks about positive morning habits. This will arrive in your inbox on Monday.
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⚙️1% Habit Idea
Today’s idea relates to a new skill or hobby you can try in 2025. It doesn’t require much effort…just a small commitment for the next 30 days.
Feeling bored or stuck?
There’s a way out.
In a popular TED Talk, Google engineer Matt Cutts shared a simple yet powerful idea to get yourself out of a rut: Try something new for 30 days straight.
This “30-Day Challenge” can be a springboard for personal growth, skill development, and positive habit formation.
The Importance of Trying New Things for 30 Days
Stepping out of our comfort zones is essential for personal growth.
By committing to a new behavior or activity for 30 consecutive days, we break out of our usual routines and patterns. This challenge forces us to embrace discomfort, build discipline, and expand our horizons.
In addition, 30 days is a realistic timeframe that allows new habits to take root.
Research suggests it takes approximately 66 days for a behavior to become automatic, but the first 30 days are often the most challenging. By overcoming this first challenge, we increase our chances of long-term success.
How to Get Started
Choose your challenge: Select a goal that excites and challenges you. It could be learning a new language, exercising daily, writing a novel, or anything that aligns with your interests and values.
Prepare and plan: Break down your challenge into manageable steps and create a plan of action. Gather any necessary resources, set reminders, and enlist the support of friends or family to hold you accountable. (You can use our 30 Day Challenge Goal Setting Tracker to measure your progress.)
Commit and reflect: Approach your challenge with commitment, even on days when motivation levels are low. Celebrate small wins along the way, and reflect on the lessons you’ve learned. This reflection serves as fuel for your personal growth.
Whether you want to pick up a new hobby, develop a skill, or cultivate a positive habit, the 30-Day Challenge offers a structured and motivating approach.
As Matt Cutts said in his TED Talk,
“The next 30 days are going to pass whether you like it or not, so why not think about something you have always wanted to try and give it a shot?”
🗂️ The Resource Roundup
🧠 Einstein’s 7 Rules for a Better Life - What life lessons can a genius physicist teach us about happiness, purpose, and resilience? In this fascinating article, discover how Albert Einstein’s unconventional wisdom—ranging from focusing on what truly matters to maintaining a "puzzle mindset"—can inspire you to navigate modern challenges with creativity and calm.
🧘 Reinventing Yourself [Monk Mode] - What if you could “disappear” into a focused, disciplined lifestyle for just a few weeks and emerge transformed? Ben Meer’s deep dive into Monk Mode offers a practical roadmap to cut distractions, build life-changing habits, and unlock rapid personal growth—perfect for anyone ready to take control of their future.
🌳 Life Lessons from Living Four Years in Solitude - Ever wonder what it’s like to leave everything behind and live in a ghost town? This captivating video takes you on a journey with Brent Underwood, who bought Cerro Gordo and has been navigating the challenges of isolation, restoration, and self-discovery since 2020—offering a raw and thought-provoking look at solitude, purpose, and resilience.
📉 The Sunk Cost Fallacy Is Ruining Your Decisions. Here's How - Why do we cling to bad decisions just because we’ve already paid the price? This insightful article reveals the sunk cost fallacy’s sneaky hold on our choices and offers practical advice to break free and prioritize what truly makes you happy. (We also talked about the Sunk Cost Fallacy in a recent email.)
💲 Inflation Is Not Created Equally - Curious about why some costs skyrocket while others plummet? This article unpacks the unequal impact of inflation across sectors like healthcare, childcare, and education, showing how systemic forces shape affordability and what that means for everyday life.
Thanks for reading.
And have an enjoyable weekend.
Talk soon.
Cheers,
Steve Scott
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