Does this sound like a typical morning to you? You jump out of bed in a frenzy in the morning after hitting snooze for the second time knowing you must rush like a madman in order to get ready and out the door at a respectable time. The kitchen is a mess, no one knows where anything is and the outfit that you thought was clean and wanted to wear is still sitting in the “to wash” pile in the laundry room. You are out of milk the morning that your kids REALLY want cereal and your hair is greasy but there is no time to wash it?
Hopefully, this is a dramatic representation of your typical morning, but some days for sure can feel this way or worse. If only everything could go smoothly and allow for a relaxing morning instead of the two-fisted coffee, splashing cold water on my face to wake up and get this train moving kind of morning. In reality, your morning will not be without some hiccups, but following a few steps to help tame the morning tornado, can ensure a more relaxed tomorrow.
1. Plan Ahead
You have probably heard this too many times to count and there is a reason for that. It works! Writing down, or typing out if you are more techy, your schedule is imperative if you want to have a successful day. Even if you just jot down the main itinerary for the day, having a visual reminder will keep you on track and focused. The best way to do this is to schedule a day when you will plan the following week. I use Fridays, but Saturday or Sunday would work as well. I wouldn’t recommend Monday, but if that is the only day you have available to do so or Monday happens to be part of your weekend, then do it first thing in the morning. Knowing what you have scheduled for the week will allow you to fill in around your set appointments the things that need to get done each day. Being able to see what you have scheduled for the following day will help you to get through your morning unscathed. Double check your schedule before you go to bed as appointments can get cancelled or rescheduled and could throw off your day if missed.
2. Tidy Your Kitchen
Tidy up your kitchen before you go to bed. Clear your counter of dishes, papers, etc. and wipe them down. Load or unload the dishwasher and make sure countertops are free of clutter. Why tidy your kitchen in the evening? What does that have to do with a morning routine? We are visual creatures that take in and process what we see around us and decide what to do with it. Visual clutter can can cause anxiety and distract us from the task at hand. When we wake up in the morning, our minds go into panic mode as we start thinking about what needs to get done right away and begin the action of seeing it through. You will be visiting the kitchen most likely to prepare breakfast for yourself and your family. If you walk into the kitchen and see a huge mess, it will distract you and derail your thought process. Now, instead of fixing breakfast, you need to clear the counters of clutter and dirty dishes before you can start preparing a meal. This adds time to your morning routine, and could throw off your schedule. Clearing the clutter beforehand will leave you with a clear mind in the morning as you wake up to a clean slate and a mind focused on the tasks at hand.
3. Lay Out your Clothes For the Following Day.
Have laid out what you will wear the next day or at least have an idea so you aren’t spending time in the morning deciding what you will wear. If you have a hard time finding clothing items in the first place due to poor organization, it would benefit you to decide on a day to tackle organizing your closet to facilitate getting dressed.
4. Know What's on the Menu
Decide what you will prepare for breakfast the next morning, if you don’t have a usual like cereal, and make sure you have everything required to make it. Standing in the door of the fridge staring hoping something will pop out at you is a waste of time. Have a meal plan so you can focus on your morning instead of what you will eat.
5. Pre-fix Your Hair
Consider fixing your hair in the evening for the next day if it takes you more than 15 minutes in the morning usually. Flat-iron or curl your hair the night before, then take a few minutes to touch it up in the morning. If you are short on time in the evening, braiding your hair or pulling it up in a cute bun in the morning will be a quick way to style your hair and you will still look put-together.
6. Don't Snooze But Make Your Bed!
The first 5 steps for a smoother morning were preemptive. These last steps are done in the morning right after waking. Don’t hit the snooze button! It only disrupts your natural sleep pattern and can leave you feeling sleepy for the rest of the day. Get up right when the alarm goes off. Put your alarm across the room if you must so you will be forced to get up out of your bed to shut off the alarm. Then, make your bed. You may think that this will only add time to your morning routine, but it really only takes a few minutes to do and it sets the tone for the rest of the day. It sends a message to the brain that you are up, awake, and ready to start your day. Also, you are less likely to get back into a made bed.
Taking a little time to plan out your morning by following these six steps will start you on your way to a more productive morning. Your mind will be free of clutter and will be able to focus on the bigger tasks for the day!
"Lose an hour in the morning, and you will spend all day looking for it."
