A relaxed and smooth running morning really is crucial for the success of your day. The last thing you need after your alarm rudely awakes you at an ungodly hour of the morning is to then spend an hour running around in a panic like a headless chicken. Give your stress levels a break, and spend just a little bit of time each evening getting yourself prepared.
GET UP EARLIER
This is a tip that no-one wants to read, but it's so true. Getting up just a little earlier is so beneficial. If you're a serial snoozer and have to practically tear yourself from your bed each morning, chances are you're not getting enough sleep. Sticking to a good routine before bed can be helpful. A warm bath, no screens (tvs, tablets, phones and laptops can all prevent you from falling asleep due to the lights on them) and going to bed roughly the same time each night is a good idea. This will then allow you to get up much easier the next day.
PLAN YOUR WEEK'S BREAKFASTS IN ADVANCE
We all know the importance of having breakfast. If you know that you can't usually face a proper meal before mid morning, work out exactly what you can eat instead. A piece of fruit, a yoghurt, a smoothie or even a fresh juice is an easy way to get something into your stomach. Have everything set up and ready. For example you could chop fruit into small pieces, put it in a freezer bag and pop it in the freezer. Then when you come to make your smoothie in the morning there's no faffing around peeling or chopping up fruit. Straight into the blender with some almond milk or juice and your good to go. If you spend an hour doing this one Sunday evening you can easily put together enough bags to give you a months worth of smoothies. If you know you're not going to have time in the morning, at least put a breakfast bar or a banana into your bag to eat on the way or when you get to work.
SET OUT YOUR CLOTHES THE NIGHT BEFORE
Set out ALL of your clothes the night before. This includes underwear, shoes and any accessories too. This means that when you get up, you can put your outfit straight on without even having to think about it. You know that everything is clean, ironed and ready to go. There's no rushing around locating a rogue shoe, or realising that your important work outfit is dirty or crumpled. It will save you time and overall contribute to the smooth running of your morning. Keep any daily makeup and beauty products organised and in an easy to access place too. Investing in a dressing table is a good idea so you have somewhere to sit and get ready with everything you need at arms reach. At the very least, keep essentials like your deodorant, hairbrush and lip balm next to your mirror.
PACK YOUR BAG THE NIGHT BEFORE
If you take a lunchbox to work, don't wait until the morning to sort it out. Providing you don't choose very 'wet' sandwich fillings like tomatoes or cucumber, sandwiches will be fine wrapped up and put in the fridge overnight. It's one less thing for you to worry about in the morning, your lunchbox can go straight into your bag and you're good to go. The same applies to anything else that needs to go into your bag. Put any paperwork or files into it the night before so you don't have to mess around before setting out the door.
How do you make sure your mornings run smoothly?
