We have all been there.
You, setting your alarm the night before: “I can get ready in an hour. No problem.” Proceeds to set an alarm for exactly one hour before you need to walk out the door.
You, the next morning, 5 minutes before class starts: *running around the house with one sock on, hair half done, makeup not fully blended, shoving a piece of toast in your mouth, frantically trying to throw all of your belongings into a bag on as you make your way out the door…
…and then…you can’t find your keys…*
Mornings like this are far from ideal but we all end up in this situation, or one similar, more often than we would like, often because we just REALLLLYY need that extra five minutes of sleep. So, how does anyone avoid chaotic mornings while still managing to get that extra sleep we all yearn for? Check out these tips to learn how to organize yourself and your morning!
1. Lay out your clothes the night before…all the way down to your shoes!
Image courtesy of Philly Mag
What are we in middle school? Afraid not – but this small task that our mothers used to do for us as kids can save you a monumental amount of time in the morning. Think about it, how long do you spend staring into your closet each morning before you actually manage to find something that speaks to you? If you are like me, you are liable to change your shirt at least three times prior to walking out the door. By picking out your outfit BEFORE you go to bed, you’ll not only spend less time choosing (as you are eager to get to bed) but you will also be less likely to change it up in the morning.
Be sure to check the weather forecast so there are no surprises to shake you in the morning.
If you have to, steam/iron any parts of your outfit, and be sure to do this before going to bed too!
2. Pack your bags the night before.
Image courtesy of Ever So Gingerly
Pack your purse, your backpack, your lunch bag, your snack bag, your gym bag, & whatever other items that are absolutely necessary for you to have for the day ahead – all should be packed the night before. This will keep you from frantically running around your home in the morning, trying to grab all of the last of your essentials.
The key to a successful morning is to have a productive evening: the more you can do the night before, the smoother your morning will be.
3. Leave your keys by the door.
Image courtesy of FortyTwo
Your keys are the last thing you will need to grab on your way out in the morning. You need them in order to lock your door and therefore, they should NOT be at the bottom of your bag as you try to leave. By leaving your keys out on a table or on a hook by the door, you have quick and easy access to them just when you need them!
4. Make a checklist of tasks to do in the morning, in the order they have to be done!
Image courtesy of PCMag
Making a quick list of tasks that need to happen in the morning helps to ensure you don’t forget anything at the last minute! Up all night writing a paper and just do not have the energy to print it upon completion? Add it to the morning list so you don’t forget that critical “to-do”. Once you have your list, put it right on your mirror. We all look in the mirror at least once every morning so you are guaranteed to see it!
5. Set your morning alarm for 15 minutes before you actually need to get up.
Image courtesy of Health
I know, I know…the whole point of this article is to tell you how to get extra sleep BUT I know just as well as you do that hardly anyone jumps right out of bed the minute your alarm goes off. This is a tip that actually compensates for this tendency and schedules time for you to check your phone, highly consider the consequences of skipping class/work, be sad about having to wake up and leaving the comfort of your bed, and procrastinate at the start of the day. Now you can do exactly what you would have done anyway without feeling bad about it!
6. Set an alarm when you get into the shower.
Image courtesy of zerorez
I know this sounds silly but setting an timer for no more than 5-7 minutes will keep your shower short and sweet, just what you need to wake up in the morning.
If you are alarmed by the short shower time…you are among those who need this tip the most! It is doable, I promise.
7. Pick a song for every task on your morning To-Do.
Image courtesy of Trvl Channel
You have to be finished with the task by the time the song assigned to it is over so try not to get too caught up in singing along – I know it is tempting! Mornings can be tough, but listening to your favorite songs will not only make getting ready in the morning a little more enjoyable, but it will also keep you moving and on time!
Set yourself up for success!! These steps do not take much time to do but will save you a significant amount of time in the end. Trying these tips will help you start to develop healthy habits that will ultimately make mornings much easier for you. You will save so much time that you may even be able to find time to actually make a nice breakfast for yourself before you leave as a reward!
Here’s to a term of happy mornings :)