Early mornings can be really difficult when you have a busy schedule. The key is to make your morning routine as simple and hassle-free as possible. Here are six ways that will help you make your mornings run smoothly!
- Make your lunch the night before
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Preparing your lunch the night before will save you a significant amount of time in the morning (it also has the potential to save you money)! If you’re making dinner, consider making extra portions so packing your lunch is that much easier. Meal prepping at the beginning of the week is also a great idea. Check out this Her Campus article about back to school meal prep for some ideas.
- Prepare your outfit the night before
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Laying out your outfit the night before is an easy time saver. This is a stress-free and mess-free alternative!
- Restrict you use of electronics
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Scrolling through social media or checking emails in the morning may not feel like the most time consuming tasks. However, using your electronic devices in the morning can take up a lot of your precious time. Electronic devices can be extremely distracting and we often lose ourselves in what we’re looking at. If it’s not urgent, try and save your electronic tasks for your commute or your coffee break at school or work.
- Commute time is precious time
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If you’re a commuter, travel time is a great way to complete any activities that you usually don’t have time for in the morning or during the day! If you’re traveling by bus or train, feel free to use this time to plan out your week, do some reading or even do your makeup. If you’re walking, this would be a great time to get some exercise, make phone calls or listen to a podcast.
- Have a light breakfast
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Grab a granola bar, a yogurt cup or a smoothie on your way out the door. Having something quick and healthy will help you maintain focus in the morning. It will also help get you through the next couple of hours before you can have lunch!
- Give yourself extra time
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If none of the recommendations listed above are realistic for you, try to give yourself extra time in the morning to get ready. This means getting to bed as early as possible the night before so that you can wake up early. This way, you can take your time and start off your morning stress free. If it takes you, on average, an hour to get up, get ready and get out of the door, try giving yourself an hour and a half. If you’re feeling extra anxious about making it on time, try two hours.
Whether you’re a morning person or not, getting up early can pose to be a challenge. If we do our best to stay organized, mornings can become more enjoyable and less challenging. Starting your morning on the right foot will set you up positively for the day ahead. I can’t tell you how much incorporating these habits into my daily routine has helped me make the most out of my mornings. I hope they are effective for you too. I wish you the happiest start to your busy days ahead!