By Victoria Roseberry
Coffee helps you roll out of bed and meet the world. It’s vital fuel that helps us dominate our to-do lists and deal with the daily grind. Waking up early sets you up to stay productive all day, but if you’re not a morning person, coffee can only do so much.
Check out these realistic tips to get you out the door on time:
1. Be Strategic
The key to optimizing your mornings is to be realistic about your routine. If you’ve gone this long without feeling inspired by the sunrise, it’s probably never going to happen. Regardless, you can still make mornings easier by giving your routine an efficiency overhaul.
For example, a hot shower in the morning is how many of us start our day, but it might be worth rethinking your routine. Showering at night has some perks, like cleaner sheets and extra time to shave. The warm water can also help you relax and get ready to settle down.
Struggling to get enough hours of sleep but dedicated to your early morning workout routine? Try shifting your workout to the afternoon instead. Working out is good for you, no question. If you’re not getting enough shut-eye because you’re getting up at 4:30 a.m. to make it to the gym, that’s not so good. Lost sleep can counteract the benefits of your exercise routine, and working out in the afternoon may help tire you out so you can get to sleep earlier in the evening. If you can find the time, this change can help your whole day go more smoothly. Plus it will mean you can sleep in!
2. Prep at Night
It’s easy to get sucked into your closet if you haven’t thought about what you’re going to wear in advance. Everyone has fallen into the trap of trying on a shirt … and then another one … and another one. Next thing you know, the clock says you were supposed to be on your way to work five minutes ago. Take a little time in the evening to decide what you want to wear the next day to avoid standing in a pile of your clothes at 9 a.m. while your boss makes note of your lateness — again.
After you’re dressed, it’s time to eat. When you’re crunched for time, it can be tempting to wait until lunch instead. But you can’t skip this part: breakfast is essential. Finding easy, nutritional foods for your breakfast that you can prep the night before will transform your whole day. Give it a shot if you’re usually one to skip your first meal, or if you find that breakfast prep is holding you up in the morning.
Finally, before you turn in for the night, do a quick scan of your essential items. Do you know where they are? There’s nothing worse than when you’re about to walk out the door and realize your keys are nowhere to be found. Keys, wallets, and purses are easier to find when they have dedicated places in your home. Get a key hook for your front door and you’ll eliminate last-minute panic.
3. Listen to Music
This fun and easy tip can help you time your morning routine in a low-stress way. It’s so easy to lose track of time when you’re in the middle of getting ready. There’s a lot on your mind during this time of the day, but if you’ve ever checked the time and realized it’s much later than you thought, you know why being aware of how much time has passed can make your morning go more smoothly.
Create a playlist and before you start your morning routine, set it to play. Most songs are about three to four minutes long, so keeping track of about how many songs you’ve listened to. Doing this repeatedly will give you a consistent sense of how much time has passed since you started getting ready. It keeps you from constantly checking the clock, and listening to your favorite music can get you into a positive mindset.
Making these easy changes can mean big differences in how your mornings go, and if you dread the sunrise, you need all the help you can get. It’s a lot easier to have a good day when you start right. Thinking about the big picture and planning ahead can set you up for success and productive days. Add Javazen as needed.
