Mornings are many people’s enemy. This is because they tend to be busy and chaotic, and no matter what, they never seem to be long enough.
So, how can you revamp your mornings for better efficiency and for a better start to the day?
The first step is to decide what you want to get done in your morning and the order of importance for these tasks. Prioritizing what needs to be done will help your morning go smoothly and you will not feel scatterbrained or as if you are running out of time. The next step is prepping at night. This might sound odd since the focus is how to have a more efficient morning, but prepping at night plays a huge role in how your morning goes.
The night before, lay out what outfit you want to wear the next day. When you do not have to stand in front of your closet trying to plan an outfit, you will be surprised at how much time and mental energy you save. You can also prepare for breakfast and lunch the night before by chopping up any vegetables, fruit or meat you might want to use in your breakfast or lunch, or at least deciding what you will make the next day for those meals. This ensures that you will have time to sit down and enjoy your breakfast instead of throwing a bagel into the toaster and forgetting about it until it is burnt to a crisp. Another helpful nighttime prep is to gather all supplies or equipment you will need the next day and have it waiting for you by the front door. This eliminates all rushing around the next morning to gather your things.
Moving to mornings, waking up is the first task on everyone’s list, and each morning you should be getting up at the same time and therefore going to bed at the same time.
Some helpful tips for getting you out of bed and into your routine: If you use your phone as your alarm, put your phone across the room so you are forced to get up to turn off your alarm.
Stretch! You can even stretch in bed if you want to, but make sure you stretch to help wake your body and mind up so you can hit the ground right.
If hitting the gym is one of your morning tasks, place your gym clothes by your bed and within reach so you can get dressed as soon as you get up.
Set a do not disturb for the first hour of your morning routine. Only allow calls and texts from important contacts (just in case there is an emergency) and keep off your phone.
Keep a water bottle or glass of water by your bed. Hydration is important in the morning and can help boost your mood, so take a nice big sip of water first thing in the morning!
If you are someone who often loses track of time, setting multiple alarms might be helpful. If you plan to shower in the morning, set an alarm to let you know when you have been in the shower too long, or set an alarm when doing your hair or makeup to keep you on track.
It might be difficult for the first week or two, but once you build the habit, it gets easier to follow. Good luck on your journey for more efficient mornings!
