Your Morning Might Be Working Against You
Simple ways to build steady energy in the morning—without over-optimizing your routine.
Lately, my mornings have looked a little different.
I’ve been traveling, switching time zones, waking up calm but slightly groggy — not quite in rhythm yet.
But one thing I’ve been more intentional about is how I start the day.
No phone in the first hour.
A large glass of water with electrolytes.
A few simple mantras before anything else begins.
Nothing dramatic. Just a slower entry.
And I’ve noticed something.
When I rush it — when I check my phone too early or skip that bit of space — the whole day feels slightly off. More reactive. Less steady.
The same goes for coffee.
I quit it a couple of years ago after realizing I wasn’t really using it — I was depending on it to get through the day. It made me anxious, jittery, and eventually led to a crash.
Lately, I’ve been experimenting with it again, but differently.
Slower. More intentional. Usually after food, not on an empty stomach. Adding L-theanine to the mix for steadier energy.
And being more selective with the coffee itself.
I’ve been using Purity Coffee - mainly because it feels noticeably cleaner for me. Less jittery, no harsh edge, just a more stable lift. Whether that’s down to how it’s sourced or processed, I don’t know exactly - but I notice the difference.
Less about pushing energy up - more about supporting it.
That shift has made me think about mornings in a different way.
Not as something to optimize.
But as something to protect.
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🧠 Why Most Mornings Work Against You
A lot of advice around mornings sounds good in theory.
Wake up early.
Cold shower.
Meditate.
Workout.
Journal.
Stack enough habits together and it starts to feel like a performance before your day has even begun.
And for a while, that kind of routine can work.
But it can also quietly add pressure.
Another thing to get right.
Another way to feel behind if you don’t.
What I’ve found works better is something simpler.
Not a perfect routine — just a start that doesn’t work against you. Stripping things away until I have a simple list of morning essentials I can actually get done.
☕ A More Intentional Way to Use Coffee
In a recent conversation with mental health performance coach Grant Chiasson, we ended up talking about something surprisingly simple: coffee.
Not in a “should you drink it or not” way.
But in how people use it.
Most of us don’t drink coffee to support our energy.
We drink it to override how we feel.
Low energy → coffee
Stress → coffee
Poor sleep → more coffee
And it works. Temporarily.
But it often creates a cycle of spikes and crashes that your system has to keep recovering from.
That’s where the conversation shifted.
Instead of using caffeine to push harder, what would it look like to use it more intentionally?
Listen to the full conversation:
One idea that came up was a simple variation on coffee that supports more stable energy. It’s something I’ve used in the past and am dipping my toes back into as it were.
A “bulletproof-style” approach — adding healthy fats to slow the release of caffeine and reduce the sharp spike.
It’s not about hacking your coffee.
It’s about changing what it does.
Less spike.
More stability.
That idea stuck with me.
Because it reflects a broader shift:
Moving from stimulation → to support.
If coffee is part of your routine, it’s worth being a little more intentional about both the quality and how you use it.
☕️ Get my recipe on Instagram. ☕️
🌤️ What Actually Helps in the Morning
The more I’ve simplified things, the more I’ve noticed a few patterns.
Not rules. Just things that seem to help.
Light early in the day.
A moment before checking your phone.
Something warm — coffee or tea — without rushing it.
A slower entry into the day.
None of these are dramatic.
But together, they shift how the morning feels.
And that feeling carries further than you think.
Further Reading: