When you spend any time on TikTok or Instagram, you’ve in all probability heard in regards to the “That Woman” morning routine. It’s a viral wellness pattern that showcases an idealized morning within the lifetime of a younger lady who seemingly has all of it collectively.
Think about waking up at daybreak in silky pajamas, making a wonderfully balanced breakfast (assume inexperienced smoothie or avocado toast), journaling in a cute planner, doing a full exercise in an identical athleisure set, then gliding right into a productive workday whereas trying effortlessly polished.
“That woman” is actually about turning into the perfect model of your self: wholesome, organized, and aesthetically on-point. The pattern has racked up hundreds of thousands (even billions) of views, inspiring many to revamp their routines.
It’s aspirational for positive, nevertheless it additionally begs the query: Is it reasonable? Right here, we’ll break down what the “That Woman” morning routine is, why it’s so well-liked, and how one can seize its optimistic spirit with out falling into the lure of perfectionism.
What Does the “That Woman” Morning Routine Look Like?
Within the social media world, being “that woman” means beginning your day in a means that screams final productiveness and wellness.
In keeping with the viral movies, a typical “That Woman” morning may go like this: She wakes up round 5:00 or 6:00 AM (no snoozing, in fact), instantly makes her mattress in her sunlit, minimalist bed room, and slips into a trendy exercise outfit.
She drinks a glass of lemon water or natural tea, then spends time journaling her targets and working towards a number of calming affirmations. Subsequent, she does a exercise, maybe yoga or a fast jog, adopted by a nutritious, photogenic breakfast (usually a plant-based smoothie bowl or oatmeal topped with fruit).
Skincare is a should. She applies her serums and sunscreen, possibly even does a face masks, leaving her pores and skin glowing. By 8 AM, she’s already checked off a dozen issues: exercise finished, wholesome breakfast eaten, home tidy, thoughts centered.
She may even snap a well-composed picture of her oatmeal or desk setup to publish with a motivational caption. It’s the Pinterest-perfect morning, designed to set a tone of success for the remainder of the day.
It’s straightforward to see why this routine is interesting: who wouldn’t wish to be the one who has exercised, cleaned, and self-reflected all earlier than the workday begins?
The aesthetics are lovely and the habits themselves (maintaining a healthy diet, exercising, planning your day) are literally nice for you. The “That Woman” pattern emphasizes self-discipline, self-care, and positivity. Basically, it’s saying you’ll be able to turn out to be that woman, the one who seemingly has her life collectively, by following these morning steps.
The Enchantment and the Drawback
The “That Woman” routine faucets into one thing all of us need: management, readability, and confidence. When your mornings really feel chaotic, the concept of a structured, lovely routine seems like the reply to all the pieces.
And truthfully? A few of the habits are genuinely useful. Waking up with intention, transferring your physique, consuming properly, and setting targets can completely enhance your life.
However right here’s the place it will get difficult.
Nonetheless, it’s essential to peel again the Instagram filter and acknowledge that the “That Woman” routine, as portrayed on-line, is a perfect, not all the time attainable in actual life.
Therapists have voiced considerations that chasing this ultra-curated routine can truly do extra hurt than good if taken too far. Why? As a result of life isn’t all the time picture-perfect.
After we set an impossibly excessive normal for ourselves each single morning, we’re certain to really feel responsible or “lower than” when actuality doesn’t match the spotlight reel.
In keeping with psychologists, any routine that units an unattainable superb can find yourself undermining your vanity. In different phrases, evaluating your real-life morning (maybe wrangling youngsters whereas the espresso brews and also you’re nonetheless in pajamas) to a TikTok star’s choreographed routine can result in pointless stress.
The “That Woman” pattern has additionally been criticized for selling a one-size-fits-all strategy and glossing over privileges. Not everybody has a spacious, sun-drenched residence, costly skincare merchandise, or two free hours within the morning to commit to wellness.
For some, waking up at 5 AM and doing all these issues is solely not possible. And that’s okay!
There’s additionally a psychological well being facet: if somebody tries to observe this routine to the letter and slips up (say, oversleeps or skips the exercise), they may really feel like they’ve failed, when in truth they’re simply human.
Social media could make it look like everyone seems to be flawlessly dwelling this routine, however keep in mind it’s a curated phantasm. Even the influencers posting these movies have off days (they only don’t present them).
So, should you’ve tried and struggled to be “that woman,” take a breath. It doesn’t imply you’re lazy or doing one thing mistaken. It’d imply that the routine as marketed isn’t an ideal match to your distinctive life. And that’s regular.
The purpose ought to be to take inspiration from the pattern with out letting it flip right into a supply of tension or detrimental self-comparison.
Creating Your Model of the Development
Regardless of the potential downsides, the core thought behind “That Woman,” wanting to enhance your mornings and maintain your self, is optimistic. You possibly can completely craft a morning routine that makes you are feeling like the perfect model of you, with out it turning into an unhealthy obsession.
The bottom line is personalization and stability.
Preserve the wholesome habits, ditch the all-or-nothing mindset. It’s great to include train, wholesome consuming, journaling, and skincare into your morning if these issues attraction to you. These habits actually can enhance your temper and effectivity.
The truth is, research present that sustaining an everyday routine (particularly one which aligns with daytime hours) is linked to higher sleep and psychological well being. So go forward and get up a bit earlier to stretch or write your to-do checklist, simply keep in mind you don’t need to do all the pieces daily.
Possibly you train on Monday, Wednesday, Friday mornings, and on different days you utilize that point to learn or just relaxation. That’s completely fantastic.
For extra reasonable approaches to morning routines, take a look at these 15 morning habits that can change your life with out the stress of perfection.
Adapt to Your Way of life
When you’re a scholar or a working mother, your mornings will look totally different from a full-time influencer’s. Your routine ought to serve you, not the opposite means round.
Possibly “that woman” wakes up at 5 AM, however you may discover 7 AM is early sufficient so that you can get some peace earlier than the day’s chaos begins.
Maybe you’re keen on the concept of journaling however have zero curiosity in making inexperienced juice, then journal however stick with your common espresso. The purpose is to decide on components that genuinely enhance your wellbeing.
If a chilly bathe or a 6-mile run at daybreak isn’t your jam, you could have permission to skip it!
I get up round 6:30 AM, not 5:00. I don’t make my mattress instantly as a result of I let my bed room air out first. My breakfast is straightforward, often eggs and toast, not an Instagram-worthy smoothie bowl. And you recognize what? My mornings nonetheless really feel good.
I do use a number of instruments that genuinely assist. The Philips SmartSleep Wake-Up Gentle makes waking up a lot simpler as a result of it simulates dawn as a substitute of jolting me awake. I hold a Hydro Flask by my mattress so ingesting water very first thing truly occurs. And I journal in my 5 Minute Journal, which takes precisely 5 minutes, not thirty.
These aren’t the one “proper” merchandise or the one “proper” routine. They’re simply what works for me. Your model may look utterly totally different.
Deal with How Your Mornings Really feel, Not How They Look
The social media posts focus closely on aesthetics: the clear desk, the gorgeous smoothie bowl, the sunlit yoga mat. Attempt shifting your focus to the inner: do you are feeling extra energized and calm while you do XYZ within the morning?
If sure, nice, hold it. If not, don’t drive it since you assume you “ought to.”
Your morning routine is for you, not for an viewers. For instance, possibly drawing or listening to music when you prepare brings you pleasure. Which may not be within the typical “That Woman” script, but when it makes your morning higher, it belongs in your routine.
I’ve observed that the mornings I really feel finest aren’t those the place I checked each field. They’re those the place I felt current. The place I truly tasted my breakfast as a substitute of scrolling by my telephone. The place I stretched as a result of my physique needed to, not as a result of I used to be alleged to.
That’s the stuff that issues. Not whether or not your lemon water is in the suitable glass or your exercise garments match.
Give Your self Grace
Whilst you construct good habits, keep in mind you’re not a robotic. There might be days when your alarm goes off and also you completely can’t peel your self away from bed for that 6 AM exercise, or days while you meant to journal however the child awakened early otherwise you needed to reply a piece name.
It’s okay!
The true “that woman” (the happiest, healthiest model of you) is aware of that consistency is essential however so is flexibility. Life occurs, and a part of a profitable routine is studying to bounce again with out self-criticism.
One skipped exercise or a morning of chaos doesn’t undo your progress. In keeping with Psychology At the moment, the ability of routines comes from their consistency over time, not perfection on any given day.
I’ve had mornings the place I slept by my alarm, grabbed a granola bar, and rushed out the door. Did I really feel pretty much as good as after I observe my routine? No. However did the world finish? Additionally no.
The distinction between somebody who maintains wholesome habits and somebody who doesn’t isn’t that the primary individual by no means messes up. It’s that they don’t let one unhealthy morning derail all the pieces.
For sensible methods on constructing habits that stick, even when life will get messy, learn these 10 atomic habits hacks that really work.
What “That Woman” Ought to Really Imply
Right here’s what I feel “that woman” ought to actually be about: It’s not in regards to the matching exercise set or the aesthetic breakfast. It’s about being somebody who takes care of herself in a means that feels sustainable and genuine.
“That woman” is somebody who:
- Listens to her physique as a substitute of forcing it into another person’s routine
- Prioritizes her wellbeing while not having it to look excellent
- Reveals up for herself constantly, even when it’s not Instagrammable
- Adjusts her habits based mostly on what truly makes her really feel good
- Extends grace to herself on exhausting days
- Finds pleasure within the course of, not simply the result
That model of “that woman” is definitely attainable. And she or he seems totally different for everybody.
Possibly you’ll turn out to be your model of “that woman” who wakes up at 7 AM, walks her canine, does a 5-minute meditation, and makes a killer cup of espresso earlier than logging on to work. That may be simply as superb as another person’s hour-long superroutine.
Keep in mind that the true spirit of this pattern is self-improvement and self-care. When approached with a balanced mindset, these are great issues.
So long as your morning routine leaves you feeling nourished, completed, and able to tackle the day, you’re doing it proper, whether or not or not it might get likes on Instagram.
Constructing Your Personal “That Woman” Routine
If you wish to create a morning routine impressed by this pattern (minus the stress), right here’s a extra reasonable framework:
Begin with one or two habits, not ten. Possibly simply ingesting water while you get up and doing 5 minutes of stretching. That’s it. Do these two issues constantly for 2 weeks.
As soon as these really feel computerized, add one thing else. Possibly a brief stroll or journaling. Construct slowly.
Select habits that match your power stage and schedule. When you’re not a morning individual, don’t drive your self to get up at 5 AM. When you hate operating, don’t make operating a part of your routine. Choose stuff you’ll truly wish to do.
Make it straightforward. Lay out your exercise garments. Prep your journal and pen the evening earlier than. Fill your water bottle. Take away as a lot friction as attainable.
Monitor with out judgment. Preserve a easy test mark system to your habits. However should you miss a day, don’t spiral. Simply be aware it and transfer on.
Regulate as you go. After a month, consider. What’s working? What seems like a chore? Preserve what serves you, drop what doesn’t.
For insights into how high-performers construction their mornings with out the Instagram stress, discover Andrew Huberman’s each day routine and key habits for achievement.
The Actuality Test No one’s Posting
Let me inform you what my “That Woman” mornings truly seem like versus what they’d seem like on social media.
Social media model: Wakened refreshed at 6 AM, did a 30-minute yoga stream because the solar rose, made a phenomenal breakfast, journaled three pages of profound ideas, and began work feeling zen and completed.
Actuality: Wakened at 6:15 AM after hitting snooze as soon as. Did about 10 minutes of stretching whereas half-watching the information. Ate scrambled eggs on the counter whereas mentally operating by my to-do checklist. Wrote one web page in my journal, largely complaining about my hip hurting. Forgot to drink my water till midway by my bathe. Nonetheless felt fairly good by the point I sat down at my desk.
Each variations are legitimate. However just one will get posted on-line.
The hole between these two variations is the place the nervousness lives. The place the sensation of “I’m not doing it proper” comes from. The place the comparability lure snaps shut.
Shut that hole by remembering that everybody’s actuality is messier than their content material. Everybody.
Embrace the Inspiration, Not the Comparability
The “That Woman” morning routine pattern is finally a mixture of inspiration and fantasy. It’s nice to be impressed, to say “I’d love to begin my day extra deliberately, I’d like to really feel as put-together as she seems.”
Let that drive you so as to add optimistic adjustments to your morning. However keep away from getting caught within the comparability lure.
Your purpose isn’t to recreate another person’s life. It’s to boost your individual. Use these tendencies as a menu of concepts, not a strict recipe.
Take what resonates. Depart what doesn’t. Construct one thing that matches your precise life, not the life you assume you have to be dwelling.
As a result of right here’s the key: “That Woman” isn’t a particular routine or aesthetic. She’s anybody who reveals up for herself constantly in no matter means works for her.
She may get up at 5 AM or 8 AM. She may do yoga or carry weights or simply stroll across the block. She may journal or meditate or simply sit quietly along with her espresso. She might need all of it collectively or be figuring it out as she goes.
The one factor that makes her “that woman” is that she’s making an attempt. Persistently. Imperfectly. Authentically.
And truthfully? You’re in all probability already nearer to being “that woman” than you assume.
The Actual Transformation
The “That Woman” morning routine is a compelling template of wholesome habits, nevertheless it’s not one-size-fits-all. Be happy to take the perfect elements, the concentrate on well being, self-discipline, and self-care, and make them work to your life.
On the similar time, let go of any stress to be excellent. The very best morning routine is the one which makes you are feeling completely happy, wholesome, and ready to your day.
If which means a inexperienced smoothie and dawn yoga, implausible. If it means espresso, a sizzling bathe, and some deep breaths of gratitude, that’s equally implausible.
By crafting a routine that’s authentically yours, you’ll turn out to be “that woman,” not the one from the web, however the one who’s the perfect model of you.
And that’s actually the purpose.
So begin tomorrow. Not with an entire overhaul, however with one small factor that makes your morning really feel just a little bit higher. Construct from there. Be affected person with your self. Regulate as wanted.
Earlier than you recognize it, you’ll have created your individual model of “that woman.” The sustainable one. The reasonable one. The one who truly enjoys her mornings as a substitute of performing them.
That’s the woman price turning into.
