If you seem to have trouble getting out of the house every morning, you need to change your focus. It isn’t about fixing your morning routine, it’s about developing a new routine in the evening.
There are probably a few people out there who can wake up and get out the door on time with their sanity intact. However, most of us scramble from the second the alarm clock goes off until we get to work. No matter how much time you think you have in the morning, it is somehow never enough.
The key to having a successful morning actually starts the night before. All it takes is a little bit of planning and finding a routine that works for you. Once your new evening routine becomes a habit, you will be able to start each day with a clear head and you won’t have to start out your day already in a frazzled state of mind.
1Create a Morning Space
The first thing you should do it create a “morning space”. This is a place on your kitchen counter where you should put anything that you will need in the morning.
In addition to your keys, purse or billfold and any tote bags that you use, it will also hold many of the items we will discuss below.
The purpose for the morning space is so that you don’t have to scramble around in the morning to find all of the items that need to go out the door with you.
2Fix Your Lunch
This can apply to fixing lunch for your kids or for yourself (if you take your lunch to work). However, don’t just fix the sandwiches, etc. Put whatever you fixed in the refrigerator and add anything else that needs to go in the lunch bag.
You should also get the lunch bag and put it on the counter in your morning space. The bag will be your reminder so you don’t walk out the door without your lunch.
3Plan For Breakfast
Spend a few seconds thinking about what you will be having for breakfast. If you’re planning to cook omelets, chop up all the ingredients and put them together in the fridge next to the eggs. If you’re having cereal, get out the box, bowl and spoon. If you usually eat breakfast on the go, put the granola bar, etc in your morning space so you won’t forget it.
4Check Your Schedule
Checking your schedule for the next day will give you a mental picture of what your day will be like. You can double check on last minute pick up/drop off plans for your kids, make sure you are prepared for any appointments you have and be better prepared for the coming day.
5Pick Out Your Clothes
This is one of the things that can really waste time in the morning. As part of your evening routine you should decide what you will be wearing tomorrow.
Since you already checked your schedule for the day, you should know what kind of clothes you will need. In some instances you may even need to pack a change of clothes in your tote bag depending on your schedule.
You should also make sure they are ironed, etc and ready to wear. To take this a step further, you can even pick out your socks, underwear and accessories and put them in a pile on your dresser. Instead of taking 30 minutes in the morning to get dressed, you can cut it down to 5.
If you have kids, you should have them do this as well. It will take them a while to make this a routine, so you can’t just “tell” them to do it. You should actually check with them each evening to make sure they have their clothes all ready to go.
6Plan Your Day
It should go without saying that just because you plan out your day it doesn’t mean it will happen like that. However, starting out with a plan will definitely help you get a good start. Identify the things that you HAVE to get done. Then you can look at items you would like to get done if the day permits it.
It may be helpful to write this down on a piece of paper and put it in your Morning Space. Many people have found that writing down their plans for the day make it easier for them to relax and go to sleep.
When you get ready in the morning, you can review your list and be reminded of what your goals are for the day.
7Pick Things Up
Spend a few minutes each evening making sure the kitchen counters are picked up before you go to bed. You should also push the chairs up to the table, put the dishes in the dishwasher and pick up magazines, newspapers, etc.
Keep in mind that you are doing this just before you go to bed. This isn’t about spending a lot of time cleaning your house. This is just about taking a few minutes to remove the clutter that happens during the day.
You will be amazed at the difference in your frame of mind and general outlook when you wake up to a clean house vs waking up to a mess.
8Add to Your List
Everyone is different and everyone leads a different life. You will need to make a few additions or subtractions to this list depending upon the details of your life.
The key is to get a list started for your routine and then make any adjustments that are needed.
9Practice Your Routine
Like everything else, it takes time to develop a pattern. To start with, you may need a physical list of your routine and you may even find it helpful to set an alarm to remind you to get started at a certain time. In no time at all, you will automatically go through your new routine without even thinking about it.
10Summary
Developing a routine for your evening and sticking to it is the best way to start off the next day in the best possible way. You won’t have to scramble in the morning and you can sleep with the peace of mine knowing that you are prepared for the day.
What Do You Think?
Do you have any other tips that you think someone else could benefit from?
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