This article gives a detailed review of 33 Alexa Routines You Need In Your Life.
If you are new to Alexa routines, they are a group of tasks that Alexa can perform following a command. For example, you can say something like ‘Alexa, it’s movie time’ instead of instructing Alexa with a series of tasks.
Like ‘Alexa, turn off lights’, ‘Alexa, turn on TV’, and ‘Alexa, turn on music’. The initial statement is enough for Alexa to perform all these tasks.
Alexa routines can make your life fun and more productive when used correctly. They can keep you organized and save time on repetitive or daily tasks.
You can customize these routines according to your lifestyle. You can also borrow these routines from others.
Alexa routines are controlled by two components: triggers and actions. Trigger events alert your Alexa to perform set actions.
To create Alexa routines, go to the Alexa app and press More > Routines. After that, you can add routines by tapping the plus (+) on the top of the screen.
This will enable you to name your routine and select a trigger by tapping When this happens. Finally, press Add action and select as many actions as you like.
If you have done that, here are some life-changing Alexa routines you can borrow:
33 Alexa Routines That Will Improve Your Life
1. Waking Up
With Alexa, starting your day can be fun. Besides engaging the alarm, Alexa can gradually turn on the lights, play your favorite music, and start your Flash Briefing.
2. Ready for the Day
While having breakfast, you can set your Alexa to remind you of important things you need to accomplish that day.
Alexa could access your connected calendar and read your day’s schedule and the weather forecast.
3. Getting Out of the House
Instead of giving your Alexa a series of instructions each time you leave the house, you can set a routine to perform necessary tasks.
For instance, you could say, ‘Alexa, I’m leaving the house’, triggering necessary actions like switching off devices and lights.
4. Cleaning Your Home
Besides instructing your Alexa to react when it detects motion, you can also set it to take action when no motion is detected.
For instance, you can create Alexa routines for cleaning your home. In this case, Alexa can start your smart vacuum without any motion.
5. Get into Work Mood
You can set up Alexa to prepare your home office with the right work environment if you work from home. For instance, you can use your Amazon Echo to turn the light on in the workstation, play soft music, and engage in do not disturb mode.
6. Coming Home
After a long day, you can prepare your home for the evening. You can use motion detection, location triggers, or a phrase to indicate that you are on your way home.
Alexa will perform tasks such as turning on the heating or AC, switching on smart lights, and turning on the TV before you arrive home.
7. I’m at Home: Evening Routines
You can set up a routine to prepare your home whenever it detects motion. In this case, Alexa can turn on fans and other devices when entering a room.
You can even let Alexa select your favorite song as you enter the front door.
8. Securing Your Home
If you don’t have a robust security system in your home, you can utilize Alexa’s built-in security features. The latest Echo devices can detect motion via ultrasound or a camera.
So, you can set up an Alexa routine to send you alerts when it detects motions at set times. On top of this, you can set it to play the siren.
Also Read: Home Security System: Everything You Need To Know In 2024
9. Dinner Time
You don’t have to shout that it is dinner time, hoping everyone will hear it. Instead, let Alexa do the job more effectively. Alexa will broadcast your message to every device in your smart home.
All you do is say a phrase like, ‘Alexa, it is dinner time’.
10. Kids Management
Alexa can help you manage your kids’ activities in multiple ways. For instance, if you need help preparing your kids for bed, you could create an Alexa routine that reminds them it’s time to brush their teeth and head to bed.
You can improve the routine by pairing it with the Amazon Echo Kid’s Edition. This way, it can play a lullaby to send your kids to sleep.
11. Preparing for Bed
If you usually have busy and tiring days, you could set Alexa to remind you that it is bedtime. Alternatively, you could tell Alexa it is time for bed.
And it will automatically perform necessary tasks like lighting the bedroom and hallway lights and switching off the living room lights, TVs, and doors.
12. Time to Sleep
Instead of turning off lights and checking doors before sleep, you can create Alexa routines for sleep time.
This way, you can say, ‘Alexa, it is time to sleep’, and it performs necessary actions such as playing calming music and turning off the lights.
13. Garden Lights
Alexa can automate things outside your home, like garden lights. You can set up a routine that turns on garden lights when it detects darkness or movement outside.
14. It is Nap Time
Set your Alexa to engage the napping mood if you are tired and need a quick nap. The routine could involve closing the curtains, turning off the lights, and playing soothing music.
15. Gaming Time
Alexa can connect with gaming gadgets like PlayStation, Xboxes, and TVs. So, you can create routines to coordinate these devices.
Besides this, you can have Alexa turn on and off room lights to suit the game’s theme.
16. Workout Buffs
Alexa can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle. It has several built-in workout skills to help you maintain a fitness routine.
You can also create a fitness routine to alert you when to exercise. After that, it will give you commands like ‘Do 20 turn-ups’. During this time, Alexa will play soothing music.
17. Pet Care
Your pets need a lot of care to be active. The good thing is that Alexa can help you care for your pets. For instance, you can make a routine to remind you when to walk or feed your dog.
You can also set it to entertain your pets. So, once your dog barks, Alexa will play soft music for the pet to calm down and send you a notification telling you to take care of the pet.
18. Setting Movie Time
Alexa can do a lot to set the tone for movie time. It can dim the lights, shut the blinds or draw curtains, set your devices into do not disturb mode, and turn on the TV.
Besides this, you can set Alexa to recommend the best movies.
19. Getting Motivated
If your mood is down, Alexa can keep you motivated. For instance, you can create an Alexa routine to play your favorite music in your workspace. To do so, you may need smart sensors.
20. Setting the Mood
Alexa can psych you up for the day or a special event. Alexa can set the atmosphere through lighting if you have a house party or are doing a home workout.
21. Hitting the Road
You could set Alexa to engage the right apps to summon rides when you are about to head out. And if you are driving, you can create a routine to help you find the fastest route, especially at peak hours.
22. Meditation
Alexa can help you enjoy your meditation time by playing a rejuvenating guided meditation.
23. Health and Wellness
Alexa can notify you when to take care of yourself. For instance, it can remind you to drink water when it detects coughing.
24. Check My Appliances
You can easily forget to check your appliances if you have a busy schedule. So, you can set up Alexa routines to send notifications to check your gadgets when beeping is detected.
25. Family Time
You could set up routines to give your family information and entertainment at set times. For instance, you could set Alexa to tell a random fact, which could be informative for adults yet fun for kids.
After that, Alexa could play family-friendly music.
26. Help in the Kitchen
Foodies out there will love the fact that Echo devices can help them with recipes, lists, and timers. You can set Alexa to recommend a recipe based on what you have in your fridge.
27. Help with Homework
If you already have the Echo Dot Kid’s Edition in your kids’ room, you can create Alexa routines to remind them to complete their homework, take out the trash, or clean their room.
28. Lawn Care
You can connect your smart sprinklers with Alexa to water your yard at specific times. Alternatively, Alexa can remind you to take care of your lawn.
29. Volume Control
You can set an Alexa routine to control the volume at different times of the day. You might want to keep the volume low in the evening so as not to wake up your kids.
30. Bedtime Stories
You can create a nighttime routine for kids where Alexa reads them interesting bedtime stories before they sleep.
31. Turning on a Playlist
Alexa allows you to play Spotify playlists with voice controls. So, you can set up a routine that turns on the playlist each time you summon Alexa.
32. Make Your Home Look Lively Even When You Are Away
Create a special routine to keep your home bright. The routine could play music or news and turn on and off lights at specific times.
You could even set different routines for each day so that onlookers wouldn’t sense the automation.
33. Funny Time
Routines are supposed to be physical actions. Alexa is not that serious. So, why not use it to make someone laugh?
Conclusion
To take advantage of Alexa’s expansive skillset, consider setting up a few crucial routines. Alexa routines are a powerful way to simplify your daily life.
You could improve each aspect of your life if you paired these routines with critical smart devices, such as security systems, entertainment, lights, sensors, and appliances.