Mornings don’t have to be the most dreaded time of day. Use these simple yet effective morning time savers and they soon won’t be.
Do you spend your mornings running around trying to get everything done, but inevitably forgetting something? Is your alarm clock like the start of a power race that involves showering and leaving for work at break neck speed, as if you’re trying to make a new world record for time?
If this describes you, are you ready to learn ways to make your mornings a little more relaxing – and a lot less stressful?
Starting your day feeling behind and in a rush sets the pace for everything that happens in the hours that follow. Therefore, taking small, simple steps to get out of this habit helps you approach your day from a position of calmness and peace.
Who knows? It may just be the key to having more smooth and easy days.
To increase the likelihood that you won’t be harried and in a rush as you begin your morning regimen, here are some things you can do the night before:
#1: Pack your lunch
Eating foods that are good for you and will help you stay healthy and strong is fairly easy if you have time to prepare them, but almost impossible if you don’t.
So, if you’re the type of person who always has more to do in the morning than minutes to do them in, packing a nutritious lunch the night before is key to making sure you have food that will give you the energy you need to make it through the day.
#2: Know what you’re going to wear
One of the biggest time wasters when it comes to morning rituals is standing in front of the closet deciding what you’re going to wear. It’s almost as if you believe that if you glare at your clothes long enough, some piece of new and exciting apparel will appear out of thin air.
However, until you figure out how to make that magic act work, you’re much better off time wise if you select your outfit the night before. That way you can just get ready in the morning and slip into your clothes without going through the whole time consuming routine of “I don’t have anything to wear.”
#3: Put your necessities in your car
To make sure that nothing important gets left behind as you head out the door in the AM rush, pack it in your car the night before.
That way, you don’t have to worry about trying to remember everything that you need in the morning because it will be one job that is already done.
#4: Keep your gym clothes together
It is awful easy to find any reason whatsoever to not go to the gym after work. And, “I forgot my gym clothes” is one of the best excuses as you certainly can’t get on the treadmill, elliptical or stationary bike in high heels and dress pants, right?
While it may be tempting to give yourself the out of not having your tennis shoes and shorts ready, it’s not going to help you reach your goals by doing so. After you work out, replace the clothes right when you get home so that the bag is ready for the next exercise session.
(This would be a good item to keep in the car so you always have what you need on hand to sweat your way to better health and fitness.)
#5: Create a checklist
Of course, the best way to make sure you don’t leave something behind or forget to do something in the morning haste is to create a checklist that serves as a final reminder.
You’ll want to make sure it includes all of the items that may accidentally slip your mind (like grabbing the lunch that you packed from the fridge) so that you can check them off as you get ready to head out the door.
Getting things ready to go the night before will definitely save you time. But, not everything can be done in advance. So, here are some tips to follow in the morning that will help you get through your AM routine without too much stress and fatigue (and wasted time):
#6: Don’t turn on your computer
If you have the capability of spending hours upon hours online surfing the net, engaging in social media or playing games, don’t even think about turning on your computer in the morning or you’re most definitely going to give yourself a time dilemma.
It may be hard to resist the temptation, but you’ll find that you’re more effective and efficient when you’re not sidetracked by your online world.
#7: Have everything you need in one spot
Keep a basket or cabinet by the door that you can stash everything you need to take with you as you head out the door. This will help keep you from wasting your precious morning minutes searching for lost items as you will know that they are safely in their designated place, ready to take on another day.
#8: Leave the snooze alone
By snoozing for a few minutes longer, you are allowing your brain to think, “FALSE ALARM! Back to Bed!” Is this always the best option?
It’s tempting to click snooze when the alarm goes off in the morning, but are you doing yourself more harm than good?
Keep your alarm clock across the room to force you to get out of bed when it sounds. That way you can’t just hit the button and go back to sleep.
Here are 5 reasons never to snooze button in the morning.
#9: Eat breakfast on the go
Although the best thing for you to do when it comes to eating breakfast is to sit and have a healthy meal while fully engaged in the experience, most people don’t plan for this in the morning.
Your to-do list is on your mind, along with every other event that is ahead of you for the day, so the last thing you likely think about is a peaceful, nutritious meal to begin the day.
However, skipping breakfast sets you up for negative consequences such as low blood sugar, enhanced cravings for not-so-healthy foods, and overeating later in the day. If you truly don’t have time to sit and enjoy a mindful meal, eating on the go is better than nothing.
Keep protein bars or shakes on hand as you can consume them quite easily while on your commute to work.
#10: Exercise
It may seem like exercising in the morning would actually put you behind, but starting your day engaged in physical activity will put you ahead of the game. Your mind and body will both be ready to deal with whatever comes your way. It puts a little pep in your step and gives you the energy you need to get moving.
It may be difficult the first few days you do it. Just keep at it and you’ll notice that the mornings are much better when you begin them by doing something good for your body. You might even start to look forward to your morning sweat sessions.
So, why put your body through the pain of getting up early when you can easily cram in that training session after work?
It jump-starts your metabolism – early morning workouts boost hormonal activity, sending your metabolism into high gear. The mix of food and exercise will keep your metabolism going all day, burning fat at all times.
Here are 7 compelling reasons to work out early in the morning.
The better you feel, the more you’ll accomplish. Having some fantastic good morning quotes can assist improve your day-to-day life, as well as your job, relationship, and even your friendships.
Cover photo: pinterest.com
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