We all have a morning routine. Although it may not be exactly the same everyday, for the most part we are creatures of habit, and although it can be a very efficient way to manage time, we can get stuck in a rut.

They say the most important meal of the day is breakfast, but that should be extended to the morning is the most important time of the day. This time still has to focus on getting everyone in the house, yourself included, ready for the day, but your morning routine should make you excited to get started for the day.

If you’re not sure where to start, here are four items that can help – from a coffee press to a gratitude journal, it’s time to wake-up your morning routine.

Coffee Press

If you are a coffee drinker, this is usually #1 on the morning to-do list. You may even have a timed drip machine that starts when your alarm goes off so that all you have to do is shuffle out to the kitchen in your slippers and pour it into your favorite mug.

This is the best place to start with a variation to your routine with a coffee press. You might think that making your own coffee in the morning is too time consuming, but in reality it shouldn’t take you any longer to steep coffee in a coffee press than it does to prepare your drip machine to make a cup.

Try making yourself coffee with a coffee press the first time when you’re not pressed for time (like first thing Monday morning). Once you are more familiar with the process, you may find it takes not only less time, but is easier to clean and makes a far superior flavored coffee brew than most machines.

If you’re going to start your day off with the dark Goddess of the coffee bean – do it right.

Exercise & Stretching

This is not the section where you will get a fix-it-all exercise routine that you can do for five minutes and become a size four (it doesn’t work that way).

Instead, when you think about “exercise” in the morning, consider what that means to you. It could be chasing your kids around in the morning to help them release that overnight burst of energy that’s been building up. It may mean you take a brief walk (even if just outside to grab the newspaper), or on your treadmill.

Stretching, by itself, can also be a great way to start the day. Even if you don’t exercise afterwards, there are countless benefits to stretching. It can release tension in muscles which promotes healthy blood circulation. It also helps you wake up and prepare your body for the day ahead. While it has physical benefits, there are also positive mental and emotional advantages to stretching and it helps set the tone of the day for your entire mind and body.

Phone Challenge

This one might be a little tricky. Studies have shown that our obsession with our phones is unhealthy – period. It is especially damaging when it is the very first thing we deem important from the moment we wake up.

While you may want to keep your phone by your bedside overnight in case of an emergency, make sure its ringer is off, and don’t use it as your wake-up alarm clock (use an actual clock or radio).

Try to not look at your phone for the first 30 minutes of your morning. Literally leave it charging on your night stand and complete your stretching, exercise, or make your coffee in the French press. Definitely don’t make or take work calls before your shift starts, and do not check or reply to any emails.

Even if you don’t live alone, the first 30 minutes of your day should be about your non-work life and your health. Try to give yourself that gift of being apart from your phone, for just a little while.

Journal of Gratitude

This one might be even more difficult to work into your routine than no phone usage. Get a gratitude journal and for just 5-10 minutes every morning, write down the things you’re grateful for. This doesn’t have to be an essay, this is just a way to focus your mind on the good things and allow the positive energy to affect your mood all day.

Breaking out of a boring morning routine can be difficult, but very rewarding. If you don’t find the time to try these suggestions, try implementing small changes to your routine that work for you. After a little bit of time, the things that bring you joy will become a habit and you’ll be out of the rut for good.