Truth is: optimizing our mornings isn’t as easy as it sounds, especially if being a “morning person” doesn’t come as second nature. While being a part of the coveted "5 a.m. Club" may be an aspiration for many, it can feel unfeasible depending on our lifestyle and routines.
As the new year takes off, the desire to make the most of our day is palpable. Our collective allure of 10-step morning routines and productivity hacks can make forming a solid routine feel daunting. And with the added pressure to hit an immediate stride with our new year practices, it’s easy to fall into the trap of creating false momentum that can fade as the year progresses.
Lucky for us, building the calm morning routine of rising before the sun and resisting the urge to get just ten more minutes of sleep can start with one small habit at a time. And you don’t necessarily have to be a “morning person” to make the most out of your day.
That’s why it’s important to choose habits that not only fit your lifestyle but can be sustained and built upon over time. In fact, all it takes is a little bit of planning, small goals, and consistency to stay committed to your goals in the new year. To help, we’re sharing the top morning micro habits to add to your daily routine and set the foundation you need to embrace calm in your mornings.
Micro Habits, Major Peace: Crafting Your Ideal Morning Routine
1. If You Want a Distraction-Free Morning, Try: The No-Phone Rule
Let’s be honest, sometimes our phones get the better part of our morning before we ever get a chance to roll out of bed. With that in mind, it may be time to adopt a new habit that deprioritizes your screen time and allows you to stop the mindless scrolling before it starts. Social media and work emails all have a way of sucking us into a time-draining rabbit hole that’s hard to get out of. But when we create the micro habit (read: boundary) with our media consumption and personal time, we can make space for a more mindful morning.
2. If You Want To Be More Organized, Try: Making Your Bed
Making your bed in the morning may seem like a small thing to look over, but there are great benefits to marking this task off. Bed-making in the morning is often associated with a sense of order, discipline, and accomplishment. With this habit being small and within your control, the sense of self-management can create order and structure in your immediate environment. Completing a simple task like making your bed is a quick win, and, with such an accomplishment early in the day, it can set a positive tone and motivate you to tackle more tasks ahead.
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3. If You Want Less Morning Jitters, Try: Hydrating Before Caffeine
We all love making coffee in the morning or stopping by our local coffee shop before heading to work, but when it comes to our overall wellness, we may forget to give our body the hydration it needs at sunrise. Since we tend to go hours without water while we’re sleeping, it’s important to refuel upon waking up to avoid dehydration and fatigue. As a coffee-lover, it feels nice to start the day off with a warm or iced caffeinated treat, but when we sip on a glass of water (with lemon or cucumbers added), it can reduce brain fog and cleanse us from the inside out.
4. If You Want To Be More Health-Conscious, Try: Taking Your Vitamins/Supplements
What we give our bodies on the inside is just as important as how we look on the outside. Prioritizing our vitamin and supplement intake is a great habit to form for the betterment of our overall well-being. When we take our supplements in the morning, we’re creating a routine and commitment to ourselves to replenish our bodies with the minerals and vitamins that we may be deficient in. Taking your vitamins every day at the same time also allows you to create a system that you can rely on and create a sense of predictability for the tasks to follow within your morning routine.
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5. If You Want To Be More Mindful, Try: Setting Your Intentions
No matter how far we get into a digital, AI-focused world, nothing beats the power of putting pen to paper. Taking a moment to pause before the noise of the world creeps in allows us to approach the day with a preview of the goals and aims we hope to see come about. Sometimes, it’s hard to wrap our heads around all the responsibilities that beg for our attention, but when we set smaller, achievable intentions, we can set our own pace and raise our awareness of what matters the most that day — and what can wait until tomorrow.
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Well, I’ve been on safaris in South Africa, hiked waterfall-lined paths in Jamaica, and enjoyed sunset tequila tastings at high-end Mexican resorts, but camping? It was definitely a surprisingly fun 10-out-of-10 adventure I’d gladly embark on again. When Kampgrounds of America (KOA) invited me to join a Black camper’s retreat hosted by Black People Outside at the Cape Charles Chesapeake Bay KOA Resort in Virginia, I couldn’t say no.
I mean, while camping for some of us might be a hard pass, for me, it was an opportunity to reconnect with a childhood memory, try out glamping in a state-of-the-art camper, and see a part of Virginia that I didn’t grow up visiting as a child in the Hampton Roads communities my maternal family called home back then.
RISE IN INTEREST: Black Folk Camping And Creating Safe Spaces
Kameron Stanton, left, and Chevon Linear, founders of Black People Outside
Courtesy
And my adult curiosity and affinity for the outdoors are shared by a growing number of my peers. Black people made up 14% of campers in 2024, an increase from 11% in 2019, according to a recent KOA report. There’s an emerging trend of Black campers taking on nature-centered adventures like skiing, foraging, hiking, and van dwelling.
We’re definitely not new to this, but certainly true to it—from author and anthropologist Zora Neal Hurston to pioneering park ranger Betty Reid Soskin to Outdoor Afro founder Rue Mapp to the many other women who have boldly advocated for liberation, inclusion, and exploration in outdoor spaces.
And with Black People Outside, founded by Chicago-based couple Kameron Stanton and Chevon “Chev” Linear, the Black camping experience reflected something that happens whenever we show up to the party: cultural connection, unapologetic fun, good vibes, and our own unique flair for soul-stirring memories. I enjoyed a luxe VIP stay in a Platinum Salem RV among the who’s who of media, and it was divine.
So, whether you’re looking for a reset in a world where we’re constantly navigating microaggressions and systemic stress, or you just want something fun and off-the-beaten path for your next travel rendezvous, take a nod from this camping itinerary, perfect to celebrate Black joy and community:
WHERE I STAYED: Glamping In A Luxury RV Rental In Cape Charles, Va.
The beach side of Kampgrounds of America's Cape Charles, Va. property
Courtesy of Kampgrounds of America (KOA)
For this trip, I stayed in a Salem Fsx Platinum RV that was rented via RVShare.com. (Think of it like the Airbnb of camper rentals.) You basically filter for the type, location, and other amenities, and you book the camper.
With KOA, you can visit their website or use their app to find a campsite for parking the RV among one of their more than 500 campgrounds across the U.S.
You can have the RV delivered to the KOA campsite of your choosing (depending on the rental, host policies, and rates). I highly recommend letting the host set it up, especially as a newbie camper. The KOA staff was also very helpful in assisting when I needed anything explained or a small hiccup resolved. (I’m no expert on the ins and outs of outdoor plumbing, electrical hookups, and camper pull-out features, so this comes in handy.)
Cabins at Kampgrounds of America's Cape Charles, Va. site
Courtesy of Kampgrounds of America (KOA)
Let’s get into the top-tier features of this camper: It had a master bedroom with a smart TV, a closet, and shelf space. The bathroom had a vanity, cabinet space, and a shower (with an adjustable shower head and hot water with great pressure). There was digital AC and heating in both the bedroom and the front of the camper, along with a dining nook and a kitchen with lots of cabinet space, a full-sized stove, refrigerator, and microwave.
I enjoyed a lot of time in the camper's lounge area with a smart TV and fireplace. The RV was decorated like a modern studio apartment on wheels. There was also a guest room with bunk beds, storage, and games. Outside, there was a retractable awning, LED lights, and a sound system (that played music by the fire pit!)
I stocked my fridge with all my dream camp snacks, hosted an impromptu late-night pow-wow (to bring the party inside during the campsite’s “quiet hours”), and used KOA’s inclusive WiFi access, which was strong and reliable my whole time there.
WHAT I DID: Lodging Options, Town Exploration & Recreation
Hiking in Kiptopeke State Park in Cape Charles, Va.
Courtesy
If you don’t want to rent an RV, the Cape Charles KOA campground also offered safari tents (that look just like the ones I saw in South Africa), grass lots to build your own tents and set up, cabins that reminded me of Bermuda cottages, and drive-up options for groups with RVs. There was an on-site pool, private beach access, a beach-side restaurant and bar, and a welcome center that offered souvenirs, information, and snacks.
I also learned how to pitch a tent from scratch (via a completion where my teammate and I won a bottle of sparkling wine), how to start a fire from scratch (a lesson led by Kameron), and the best ways to find a good hiking trail in your community (Kameron and Chev walked us through Kiptopeke State Park, where there are opportunities for bird watching, kayaking, yurt camping, fishing and swimming at the beach.)
And if you want to take things to another level, charter a boat or rent one via a hosting platform or with recommendations from the KOA staff. Go fishing or just enjoy a recreational day out on the Chesapeake Bay.
SAFETY & INCLUSION
The winning tent-building duo at the KOA campground in Cape Charles, Va.
Courtesy
Now, safety: The whole time, I felt loved and welcome, as the KOA campground in Cape Charles was a secure property that required access cards, had staff readily available day and night, enforced rules on speed limits and quiet hours, and had decent lighting around the grounds. I also felt a sense of peace and rest because nobody really bothered me. Either people were super-friendly or just minded their business, and I didn’t mind that.
There was lots of laughter, ish-talking, roasted s'mores, wine, and dancing among a diverse group of Black women creatives, journalists, PR pros, podcast hosts, and authors—and that brought on a profoundly magical sense of security and connection in and of itself.
Also, camping—as any experience for me, due to my worldview—is what you make it. The KOA staff were super-helpful and personable, Chev cooked divine breakfast tacos and a crab boil with locally sourced seafood, our hosts created a Spotify playlist filled with reggae, dancehall, salsa, R&B and hip-hop hits we all loved, and I even met the owner of the camper, a kind, tatted, middle-aged family man who shared his journey into entrepreneurship and his love for customer service.
We spent the final night of the trip with a little party by the fire pit and a viewing of Super High, a clever animated film about fibroids, cannabis, and self-care by a fellow camper on the trip, Bianca Lambert, and celebrated the upcoming birthday of another amazing media entrepreneur, Nneka M. Okona.
Time well spent with amazing Black creatives, journalists, PR pros, and authors in Cape Charles, Va.
Courtesy
We took a drive into “town,” which for any small community near water is where all the action is. There were breakfast diners, seafood spots right by the water, art galleries, and bars. While there may have been a few blank stares here and there, I found most folk to be friendly enough to return a “Hello,” or a smile. (And those who didn't, I really don't regard as worthy of disturbing my peace and openness to fully enjoy a new experience.)
The shops were diverse both in nature, vibe, and offerings. One shop even had items made in Kenya, Mexico, and Guatemala, and, according to the woman behind the counter, advocates for the women creatives and artisans who made the items.
Camping offers revolutionary rest, freedom, and healing—an act of self-care and reconnection. When Black folk show up in nature, for ourselves and for our communities, it’s powerful, reminding everyone that the mountains, the trees, the oceans, the rivers—they all belong to us, too. It’s now a bucket-list travel adventure I'd gladly repeat.
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Featured image courtesy of Janell Hazelwood