Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Smart Home
  3. Guides

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

The best Alexa Routines for every lifestyle

Keyan Riddick
By

If you’re unfamiliar with Alexa routines, they’re a series of tasks that Alexa can do by only saying one phrase. For instance, instead of telling Alexa to turn off lights, turn on music, and turn on the TV, you can say something along the lines of “Alexa, movie time,” and the assistant will perform all those tasks for you.

These routines can help you save time with daily or repetitive tasks and stay organized by using the full power of Alexa. Routines can be custom-made depending on your lifestyle or can be acquired from others. Here, we’ll describe various routines that may help you out.

An older man using Alexa.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Before we get started, you can do everything through the Alexa app to set up a routine. First, open the app, tap the More button on the bottom menu, then tap Routines. From here, you can manage your routines or create new ones. Each routine requires a name, a trigger phrase, and at least one action. You can have as many steps in a routine as you want, but the more you have, the longer it will take for Alexa to execute fully.

Recommended Videos

Let’s dive into possible routines for different personalities.

Related

Alexa routines for workout buffs

A woman lifting weights in front of the MYX II workout.
Tracking your stats while working out with Openfit. Image used with permission by copyright holder

Alexa can help workout buffs in multiple ways. You can even check the app for workout and health skills. In addition, Alexa has some built-in health skills, like the 7-Minute Workout.

gYou can set up an all-day fitness routine that will remind you to get in small workouts. First, start the routine with a simple quip to Alexa: “What a great day to exercise.” Then, you can have Alexa verbally tell you “stretch,” prompting you to do some light stretching before starting a workout. After that, she will start a workout skill or give you a command, such as “Do 20 jumping jacks.” With each set, Alexa can play a segment of a song or wait a bit of time before issuing the next exercise directive. Finally, you can end the routine with Alexa telling you to hydrate, stretch, or just by saying congratulations.

Routines fit for foodies

For all of foodies out there, Alexa was made for you. An Echo device in the kitchen can help you achieve so much with recipes, timers, lists, and more. You can even have Alexa give you an example recipe using what you already have in your fridge.

For a routine, though, let’s say you want a specified dinnertime action. For this food routine, you can say, “Alexa, it’s dinnertime,” and she could turn on Do Not Disturb on all your devices for a set amount of time and play music at a low volume. The theme can be a generic genre playlist or your own unique playlist.

Gamers can use routines too

Gamer using Discord on a gaming desktop PC.
ELLA DON / Unsplash

Gamers can also use Alexa routines because Amazon Alexa connects to so many devices. For example, you can use it to turn on an Xbox, TVs, and more. Also, even if you can’t connect to a particular item, you can use smart plugs to power on and off devices via Alexa.

For this simple routine, you’d need smart lights and a smart TV connecting to Alexa. Then, you can have Alexa turn off your room lights and turn on specific lights (such as Nanoleaf tiles) or a light strip in a particular theme. Afterward, the routine can turn on the TV and your game system to get you all set to play.

Ideal routines for families

Next up are family routines. These could be routines to give the whole family a bunch of information or entertainment throughout the day. Again, depending on your family setup, you can customize this to your specific needs.

This routine could start with reporting the current weather and having Alexa tell a random fact — something fun for kids or informative for adults. After that, you could have Alexa start a specific playlist of family-friendly music. Then, you can have Alexa say, “It’s time for everyone to get up and ready.” You can also have Alexa play music throughout the day after this initial part of the routine.

Kid-friendly routines

A father and daughter using video calls on an Echo Show.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Routines are excellent for kids and students. You can set wake up, get ready, or sleep time routines to keep the kids organized throughout the day. You can trigger these routines by time and days instead of by a phrase.

For example, a nighttime routine could start at 8pm on weekdays. First, Alexa can call out to the kids’ speakers, “It’s time to brush your teeth and get ready for bed.” Then, it can set a timer or play a 2-minute song. After that, Alexa can say, “Put your homework in your bag and clean up your toys.” Finally, Alexa can turn off the lights and put on some rain noise or read out a bedtime story at a lowered volume.

Routines for pet owners

Pets need a lot of maintenance to keep them healthy and active. Luckily, Alexa can help out in many ways. One of the best features of Amazon Alexa is that it can detect sounds, which you could set up as the trigger to your routine.

Of course, you can make a routine that tells you to feed and walk your dog during the day, but you can also set up sound detection to start your routine. Once your dog barks, you can have Alexa bark back. Then, Alexa can start playing soft music to soothe your pup and send a notification to your phone to open up an interior smart home camera. This routine can help you keep some of the more anxious pets calmed. If you like this idea, check out some of these other pet-friendly ways to use Alexa.

You can make routines no matter what type of person you are or which activities you frequent daily. Use these ideas as jumping-off points and create routines to simplify and organize your days.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Keyan Riddick
Keyan Riddick
Smart Home Author
Keyan Riddick is a freelance writer based in the mountains on North Carolina. When he isn't writing you can find him behind…
Best coffee maker deals: Cuisinart, Ninja, Mr. Coffee starting at $20
The Mr. Coffee 5-cup coffee maker on a kitchen stand.

That first cup of coffee in the morning can be one of the most important moments of the day. Having quick access to coffee in general is very important. That's where a coffee maker or espresso machine can come in really handy since it lets you brew a cup of your favorite beverage with minimal hassle. Not only that but depending on your budget, you can get some really fancy features, from delayed brewing to machines that can make a brew for both a carafe and a mug at the same time. Either way, we've gone out to find our favorite deals to save you the hassle, and we've collected all of the ones we think will give you the best return on your investment below.
Mr. Coffee 5-cup coffee maker -- $20, was $40

This coffee maker makes up to 25 ounces of coffee at a time, which is just right for two 12-ounce cups. Its compact design fits nicely into small spaces, making it a great consideration for apartment renters and small offices. This is also a good coffee maker if you find yourself in a constant hurry in the morning, as it has an auto-pause feature that lets you grab a cup before brewing is finished and a two-hour auto shut-off that turns off the coffee maker so you don’t have to.

Read more
Best portable power station deals: Bluetti, EcoFlow, and more
Bluetti AC300 portable power station

Maybe you know already, or maybe you don't, but not all generators are gas-powered. The downside to a gas generator is, besides needing the fuel itself, you can't use them in various configurations. For example, you should never place a gas generator inside. That's super inconvenient in bad weather like the rain or cold. But portable power stations, on the other hand, which utilize electricity, even solar energy, can be placed indoors. They're safe because they're emission-free. They can also replace traditional gas generators to provide backup power for your home, or if you're living off-grid. Plus, it's all in the name. They're portable so you can use them virtually anywhere, like when you're camping, on outdoor adventures, by the pool, in your backyard during a party or barbecue, and much more. They can also be pretty expensive depending on the capacity you need, but deals and discounts go a long way towards making them both more affordable and more accessible. That's precisely why we've gathered up all of the best portable power station deals right here, in one place.

 
Our favorite portable power station deals

Read more
We tested them all — these are the best Sonos soundbars in 2024
Sonos Beam Gen 2 soundbar.

If you're shopping for a soundbar, you've probably stumbled upon Sonos. The company is responsible for many of the best soundbars of 2024, thanks to a combination of rich audio, time-tested reliability, and (fairly) reasonable prices. Sonos soundbars are great for home theaters, but they're just as capable of serving as a dedicated sound system for your favorite music, making them a hot commodity among all types of shoppers.

But which Sonos soundbar is the best? Many specs are shared across all devices in its lineup, which can make it difficult to figure out which is best for your needs. Should you opt for the expensive Sonos Arc? Or would you be better served by the affordable Sonos Ray? And what about the mid-range Beam – is it good enough to serve as the anchor of your home theater?

Read more