That Girl Morning Routine: 7 Realistic Steps I Keep

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I used to watch that girl videos in bed at 7:40am. Matcha, Pilates, a perfect journal spread. Then I’d look up, realize I was late, and brush my teeth while answering emails.

So here’s my realistic that girl morning routine. Wake at the same time, keep your phone away for 30 minutes, drink water, move a little, journal for 5 minutes, do simple skincare, and eat a real breakfast. That’s the whole thing.

I’ve kept some version of this going for about eight months now, and I wake up at 6:30, not 5. Below I’ll walk you through my 7 steps, the 20-minute version I use on chaotic days, and the 5 things that make it easier to stick with.

What Is a That Girl Morning Routine?

A that girl morning routine is a slow, intentional start to the day made popular on TikTok. It usually includes water, movement, journaling, skincare, and a healthy breakfast before you check your phone. The goal is to feel calm and put together before your day asks anything of you.

The trend took off in 2021, and the hashtag now has billions of views. Most of those videos are filmed in perfect light with a ring light just out of frame. Real mornings look messier, and that’s fine.

Why the Realistic Version Works Better

The viral version is built for a camera. Ten steps, a 5am alarm, and a kitchen that looks like a hotel. Most people try it for four days and quit.

The realistic version is built for you. It keeps the parts that actually change how your day feels and drops the parts that only look good on video.

Research backs up the simple stuff. The CDC says adults need at least 7 hours of sleep a night. A 5am alarm with an 11pm bedtime leaves you short every single day, and no amount of matcha fixes that.

My 7-Step That Girl Morning Routine

Here’s what I do on a normal weekday. The times are mine, so slide them around to fit your wake-up and your commute.

Step 1: Wake Up Without Grabbing Your Phone

My phone charges in the kitchen, so the first thing I see is my ceiling, not my inbox. I use a regular alarm clock that costs less than lunch.

This is the step that makes everything else feel calm. When I scroll first, my brain is already in work mode by 6:35. When I don’t, I get 30 quiet minutes that feel like mine.

Step 2: Drink a Big Glass of Water

You go 7 or 8 hours without water while you sleep. I fill my bottle the night before and leave it on my nightstand.

I finish about 20 ounces before coffee or matcha. It sounds too basic to matter. But on days I skip it, I get a dull headache by 10am every time.

Step 3: Make Your Bed and Open the Curtains

Two minutes, max. Making my bed is the first small win of the day, and it means my room doesn’t look like a crime scene when I get home.

Then every curtain gets opened. Morning light tells your body clock it’s daytime, which helps you feel awake now and sleepy tonight. On grey days I sit by the biggest window with my water.

Step 4: Move for 15 Minutes

This is where the viral version loses people. You don’t need a 6am reformer class. I do 15 minutes of wall Pilates, a short yoga flow, or a walk around the block.

Some mornings it’s just stretching on my mat while my matcha water heats up. That still counts. The point is to get your body moving before you sit down for 8 hours.

Step 5: Journal for 5 Minutes

I write three things I’m grateful for and one thing that would make today good. If something is bugging me, I dump it on the page too.

There’s real research here. A 2003 study by psychologists Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough found that people who wrote down things they were grateful for each week felt more positive about their lives. Five minutes is enough.

Step 6: Keep Skincare Simple and Depuff

Cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen. That’s my whole morning skincare routine. If I want more, I follow my skin longevity routine at night instead.

If I wake up puffy, I roll a cold ice roller over my face for 2 minutes. It’s the most that girl thing I do, and it actually works on puffiness. My ice rolling guide explains how.

Step 7: Make Matcha and Eat a Real Breakfast

This is my favorite part. I whisk a matcha and make eggs on toast or overnight oats. Then I sit down to eat it, which is the part most people skip.

Matcha has caffeine plus L-theanine, an amino acid linked to calm focus. I get less of the jittery crash I used to get from two cups of coffee. A breakfast with protein also keeps me from raiding the office snacks by 10:30.

My 20-Minute That Girl Routine for Busy Mornings

Some days the full routine isn’t happening. Early meeting, bad sleep, a train to catch. On those days I do the short version:

• Water as soon as I’m up (2 minutes)
• Curtains open and bed made (2 minutes)
• Stretch on the floor (5 minutes)
• Cleanser, moisturizer, SPF (4 minutes)
• Matcha and a banana with peanut butter (7 minutes)

It’s not pretty and it’s not filmable. But it keeps the habit alive, and that matters more than doing it perfectly.

What the That Girl Trend Gets Wrong

It makes the routine look like a performance. The aesthetic is nice, but the point was always to feel good, not to look good on camera.

It pushes early alarms over sleep. Waking at 5am only works if you go to bed by 9:30 or 10. If that’s not your life, wake later. My sleep optimization post covers the bedtime side.

It tells you to buy everything at once. You don’t need a $50 tumbler to drink water. Start with what you own and add things only if they make a step easier.

How to Make Your That Girl Morning Routine Stick

Don’t copy all 7 steps on Monday. Add one step per week. Week one is just waking at the same time and drinking water. By week seven you have the whole routine, and none of it felt like a big change.

Prep the night before, too. I fill my water bottle, lay out my mat, and leave my journal on the table. Every step I prep is one less choice I have to make half asleep.

And track it. I use a simple habit tracker and check off each morning. Seeing a row of checks is weirdly motivating.

The 5 Things That Make My That Girl Morning Routine Easier

None of these are required. Each one made a step easier for me to keep, and evrygal recommends starting with a good water bottle if you only pick one.

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READ: wall Pilates

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Product	Routine step	Key feature	Best for	Standout feature
Owala FreeSip	Step 2: water	Straw or swig lid	Daily hydration	Leak-proof in a bag
The Five Minute Journal	Step 5: journal	Printed daily prompts	Journaling beginners	Done in 5 minutes
Joiish Matcha Set	Step 7: matcha	Bamboo whisk and bowl	Coffee swappers	Clump-free froth
Kitsch Ice Roller	Step 6: depuff	Freezer-cold steel	Puffy mornings	No ice needed
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask	Night-before prep	Berry-scented balm	Dry lips	Lasts for months

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If you liked this, my morning routine for women has ideas for every kind of schedule. For an earlier start, try my 5 to 9 morning routine, and for calmer mornings, my nervous system morning routine. Want the bigger picture? Start with my glow up checklist.

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evrygal recommends: Owala FreeSip Water Bottle 32oz for that girl morning routine, based on our hands-on testing.

Pick one step this week, probably the phone-free first 30 minutes. Add the rest slowly and let your mornings feel like yours again.

Last updated: October 27, 2026

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FAQ

What time does a that girl morning routine start?

Whenever you can wake up at the same time every day. A lot of videos show 5am, but 6:30 or 7 works just as well. Pick a time that still gives you at least 7 hours of sleep.

How long should a that girl morning routine take?

My full version takes about 75 minutes, and my short version takes 20. You don’t need hours. Even 20 calm minutes before your phone comes out makes the day feel different.

Do I need to work out every morning to be that girl?

No. I move for about 15 minutes, and some days it’s just stretching. A walk around the block counts. The goal is to get your body moving, not to finish a hard workout before 7am.

What should I eat for a that girl breakfast?

Something with protein that you’ll actually enjoy. I rotate eggs on toast, overnight oats, and Greek yogurt with fruit. Smoothie bowls look great on camera, but they don’t keep me full until lunch.

How do I stay consistent with a morning routine?

Add one step per week instead of starting all at once. Prep what you can the night before, like filling your water bottle. Tracking each morning on a habit tracker also helps, because you won’t want to break the streak.