Mel Robbins's Daily Routine

She calls herself not a morning person and says she still has to count backwards and move on one every morning, 14 years after starting (2023). It is the 5 Second Rule her first book is named after. ¹ The Million Dollar Morning Routine: 6 Steps to a Solid Morning Routine (2023) · 19:06

"I still have to count backwards every single morning 5-4-3-2-1 because I don't like getting out of bed."

She makes her bed every morning, including in hotels and at her parents' homes, so the first thing she does is finish something (2023). ¹ The Million Dollar Morning Routine: 6 Steps to a Solid Morning Routine (2023) · 29:27

"If I am traveling for work and I'm staying in a hotel, I make my bed."

After brushing her teeth she gives her reflection a silent high five, a habit she wrote a book about (2025). ² Try It For 1 Day: Do This Every Morning to Boost Motivation & Focus (2025) · 36:31

"I made my bed and then I high-fived myself in the mirror"

Her first drink is a full cup of water, not coffee (2025). ² Try It For 1 Day: Do This Every Morning to Boost Motivation & Focus (2025) · 38:46

"I have gone from being a person who drinks coffee all day long to waking up and drinking a full cup of water"

Her rule is 5 minutes outside if it is sunny, 10 if it is cloudy and 20 if it is raining or she only has bright indoor light (2025). ² Try It For 1 Day: Do This Every Morning to Boost Motivation & Focus (2025) · 42:34

"if it's sunny outside just be outside for 5 minutes if it's cloudy outside be outside for 10 minutes"

She combines the daylight with a 10-minute walk, ideally without her phone or headphones (2025). ² Try It For 1 Day: Do This Every Morning to Boost Motivation & Focus (2025) · 50:07

"there are lots of mornings where I do my 10-minute walk and then I head straight to the mat"

On many mornings she goes from the walk straight to strength training, which she says matters most for a woman her age (2025). ² Try It For 1 Day: Do This Every Morning to Boost Motivation & Focus (2025) · 50:12

"I head straight to the mat and now I'm doing strength training"

She keeps her phone out of reach in the morning because she knows she would reach for it out of reflex (2026). ⁴ Mel Robbins' Morning Rule: What to Do Before You Touch Your Phone (2026) · 24:12

"when I wake up in the morning, I don't look at that."

After water first, she waits 90 minutes to 2 hours for coffee. She used to drink at least six cups a day and now has one (2025). ² Try It For 1 Day: Do This Every Morning to Boost Motivation & Focus (2025) · 38:57

"I then enjoy a cup of coffee about 90 minutes to 2 hours later and I don't ever need a second one"

Before email or social media she sits at the kitchen table and gives 15 minutes to a project that matters to her. She calls it her "hot 15" (2025). ² Try It For 1 Day: Do This Every Morning to Boost Motivation & Focus (2025) · 52:02

"I spend 15 minutes on a project that matters to me"

She never carries her phone on her body, because if it is on her she looks at it. She picks it up when she needs it (2026). ⁵ How Mel Robbins Went From $800k Debt To A Media Empire (2026) · 60:00

"I never ever have my phone on my body because if it's on my body, I will look at it."

Near bedtime she clears the kitchen: dishes in the dishwasher, counters wiped, trash out, things back where they belong, so the morning starts clean (2025). ³ Get Back on Track: 5 Evening Habits to Wake Up Focused, Recharged, and in Control (2025) · 28:40

"time to clean up today's mess so I first walk through the kitchen and I get everything out of the sink"

She puts her workout clothes on the floor where she will see them, and picks the next day's walk or class the night before so there is nothing to decide (2025). ³ Get Back on Track: 5 Evening Habits to Wake Up Focused, Recharged, and in Control (2025) · 34:23

"I always pull out my workout clothes and I just lay them right on the floor"

She fills a glass of water with an electrolyte mix and leaves it in front of the coffee maker, so water comes before coffee without thinking (2025). ³ Get Back on Track: 5 Evening Habits to Wake Up Focused, Recharged, and in Control (2025) · 35:18

"I stick it in front of the coffee maker"

She decides the day before whether she will walk or stream a class, and puts it in her calendar (2025). ³ Get Back on Track: 5 Evening Habits to Wake Up Focused, Recharged, and in Control (2025) · 38:13

"I pick what I'm going to do the day before for exercise"

Her phone sleeps in the bathroom with notifications off and the ringer on for emergency calls. Because her alarm is on the phone, she has to get out of bed to turn it off (2025). She admits she still sometimes scrolls at night. ³ Get Back on Track: 5 Evening Habits to Wake Up Focused, Recharged, and in Control (2025) · 48:10

"I tuck my phone into the bathroom I cannot have it next to me"

She tells people not to text her at night because she does not sleep with her phone; if it is an emergency, they call (2026). ⁵ How Mel Robbins Went From $800k Debt To A Media Empire (2026) · 56:20

"Don't text me cuz I don't sleep with my phone. If it's an emergency, call me."

She counts back 9 hours from her 6 a.m. wake-up to get 8 hours of sleep, which puts her bedtime at 9 p.m. Eastern (2025). ³ Get Back on Track: 5 Evening Habits to Wake Up Focused, Recharged, and in Control (2025) · 54:36

"for me it is 900 p.m. Eastern because I have a great morning if I get up at 6:00 a.m."