Do you find yourself rushing around in the morning, quickly getting ready, forgetting breakfast and running out the door praying you have everything you need? If so, you’re definitely not alone! A lot of folks wake up everyday to this mad scramble not realizing that with a little effort and some forethought, they could take their mornings back!

Jim Rohn once said “Either you run the day or the day runs you.” He was right! Fighting the urge to hit snooze and making the most of your morning can allow you to be much more productive. Imagine getting to work and feeling full of great energy and awesome ideas!

Use these 5 tips as part of your daily routine and watch your mornings shine!

Prep The Night Before

There’s nothing better than crawling into the comfort of our beds at the end of a long day! But, sadly, after what feels like five minutes, we hear the morning alarm and we’re up and moving once again. Having to jump up and coordinate your needs so soon after being woken up can feel jarring and really take any form of relaxation out of the process.

I have some good news though! With some pre bed planning, you can avoid this hectic wake up with some easy moves. Yes, YOU!

Try a few of these simple steps and watch the morning really open up to new possibilities!

Create a To-Do list for tomorrow, at the end of your work day today. Doing this while everything is still fresh in your mind gives you the opportunity to jot down all the important stuff without missing anything! It also allows you to relax the rest of your night knowing that tomorrow is already semi-planned.
Choose what you’ll wear! No need to waste time in the morning changing several outfits when you can set yourself up to grab and go! If you’re someone who likes options, pick out a couple outfits that are already coordinated with accessories and such.
Pack your lunch! Doing this the night before gives you the time and mental alertness to make sure you’ve got everything you need. There is nothing worse than getting excited for a meal only find you forgot an element or maybe even utensils.

Each of these save a solid five to ten minutes of your morning! It doesn’t sound like much until you start adding it up and realize you just got twenty minutes back!

Wake Up At The Same Time

While it’s tempting to sleep later due to a long night or even just a particularly cozy bed, it’s key to realize that putting your mind and body in a routine is crucial. To help you get going, your body relies on your everyday habits. When you sleep and wake up, is a huge part of that.

Ever notice, if you keep getting up early, eventually, you wake up entirely on your own and that too on your day off? It’s because your body gets into a rhythm. The more you stay consistent with your wake up time, the easier it will eventually be to get out of bed!

Stay Off Of Electronics And Social Media Until Breakfast

I know, I know. It is SO HARD not to immediately check messages as soon as we shut our alarms off! Our minds are slowly coming to life and we feel the need to catch up with the world. However, if you can resist this urge and find peace in the knowledge that everything will still be there to catch up on later, you’d be surprised at what you can do in the meantime!

A great way to fill the morning is by finding an activity! The best activity is anything that makes you feel happy and fulfilled! This can be anything from taking time to read a book, practicing your drawing, playing some music and dancing around or maybe even meditating! You can do the same thing everyday, or switch it up on a daily basis. The important thing is to invest in something that makes you smile at the start of your day!

Make Breakfast

If we think about a car, it can’t move forward without gas. If you skip going to the pump, it doesn’t matter how fast you take off, you may still not reach your destination.

It’s the same with food. Breakfast is our initial fuel for the day and too many of us forget this fact. Making an effort to incorporate breakfast will not only help with a great morning, but, also have you happily working through the pre-lunch slump!

For those who are not early eaters, notice it says ‘make’ breakfast, not ‘have’ breakfast. This is because not being able to eat first thing is totally understandable! Not everyone feels ready to chow down immediately. If this is the case for you, start preparing or buying easy to-go breakfast options for when you are ready to eat (but don’t have the convenience of your home kitchen!)

Make Your Commute Something To Look Forward To

Long commutes and lots of traffic sound like the opposite of a dream. However, given a second chance, it actually stacks up to be some pretty decent quality time! ‘How?’, you may ask. Podcasts and audiobooks! Sure, you could blast your favorite radio station and listen to the DJs argue about some random celebrity, but really, what benefit does it hold for you?

Using time spent during commutes to listen to audiobooks and podcasts can greatly increase the scope of what you’re able to learn! There are tons of options about pretty much anything you’d want to listen to. Find one you LOVE and make your commute something you can’t wait to start!

Here are some podcasts/audiobooks I recommend:

Lewis Howes - The School of Greatness
Tim Ferris - The Tim Ferriss Show
Amy Porterfield - Online Marketing Made Easy
The Look and Sound of Leadership
Harvard Business Review IdeaCast

At the end of the day, giving yourself time to get ready in a more mindful manner really does make a difference. You go from walking into work feeling like a zombie and immediately craving more coffee, to being #MorningGoals! Remember though, you get out of a routine what you put into it. The more dedicated you are to making your mornings bright and your days efficient, the bigger the improvements you’ll start to notice!

How Does Your Routine Help You Prepare For The Day?