6 Ways to Help You Enjoy the Morning

I’m pretty sure that everyone knows the phrase “The early bird gets the worm”. Well recently, I haven’t been getting too many worms and I knew this must change for me. See how I’ve transformed my mornings into a time to GTD!

 When I was younger, I had the fortunate habit of being an early riser. I remember having sleepovers at my cousin’s house and I would always be the first one awake. I would quietly tiptoe downstairs, make a bowl of cereal, and then sit in the family room and watch TV while the rest of the house rested. Now somewhere between college and post-college life, I somehow got away from that and started waking up closer to 7AM during the week and feeling super groggy. I knew this wasn’t how mornings were supposed to feel so I knew I had to fix this, and fast. For some reason, I just wasn’t finding any joy in my morning and it didn’t help me feel like my regular self.

In order to get back on track, I’ve been implementing these 6 things into my day to help me get it together.

1. Shower the Night Before – IMO, there’s nothing better than showering at night. I mean think about it, after a long days work, hopping into the hot shower just before bed, getting into clean sheets and a cute pair of pajamas…man. Not only does it put you at ease before bed, but, it makes your mornings faster! If I shower in the morning, that takes up about 30 minutes of my day which means I lose 30 minutes right at the beginning of my day, gone. Plus, you won’t run out of hot water used up by your roomie or SO so, more hot water for you!
2. Change Your Alarm – I hate being jolted awake. Whether it’s a blaring alarm or thinking a cold shower will suddenly make you ready to go (it won’t, it just makes you colder), I don’t like it. If you’ve set your alarm (alarm, not a phone, we’ll talk about that later), to its standard sound try changing it. We have an Amazon Echo Dot which we love and it’s currently set to the sound of soft bell chimes. Whether it’s your favorite music or Missy Elliot shouting “Wake up it’s time to make money!” that works too. Find something that you feel suits you and is a representation of how your day will be. 
3. Find Your Joy – One way to instantly make your morning pure chaos is by not having a ritual in place. Now it doesn’t have to be a series of 15 things you do every single morning but I suggest finding one thing you love and do that thing every. single. day. For me, it’s a hot cup of tea of my choice. I turn the pot on, go to the restroom, wash my face, and because I showered at night, I’m done,  and =then I have my cup of tea. It’s the perfect start to my day (plus it has caffeine so that helps too!). There’s something so peaceful about sitting in the kitchen, planning my day in my BUJO, and having my cup of tea while the sun rises. Bonus points in the summer when I can sit on the balcony and get some fresh air.
4. Plan Your Outfit – Now if my Mom is reading this, she will surely be mouthing “I told you so”. She’s been telling me for years to pick out my clothes the night before and I wasn’t until recently that I’ve already started to do so. After I’ve taken my shower, I go to the bedroom, pick out my clothes for the next day, make sure they look ok and hang them back in the closet. As someone who prides themselves on dressing well, there have been times where I was getting dressed only to find, or not be able to find, my black trousers or favorite blouse. I even hang up what jewelry I want to wear with it for a no-fuss morning.
5. Eat! – Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! You know this and I know this so why are we not doing this?! I will give credit to my SO since he’s the one that started this habit but try your best to eat something in the morning. While I’m having my tea, or doing my morning routine, Tony takes it upon himself to make us breakfast every single morning. We keep things simple by sticking to eggs, turkey sausage, and toast but will occasionally toss in oatmeal or a smoothie. Having this routine down to 15 minutes or so really starts my day off on the right foot!
6. Lunches by the Bunches – Over the past few weeks, I purchased a set of glass meal prep containers for Tony and I and man, has my life changed! It isn’t a secret that meal prepping saves time and money (downtown lunches are no joke. I spent $21 on a salmon salad once don’t ask me why!) so after getting our containers, we’ve started meal prepping religiously every Sunday night. As new Costco members, we purchase veggies and meats for the week and prepare 10 lunches while making dinner and having a glass of wine. It’s become extremely relaxing somehow and we’ve got the process down to about 45 minutes. It’s changed our mornings for the better when we can just go into the fridge and grab our container and head out the door.

What are some ways you’ve been able to simplify your schedule and make you more productive?  It can even be as simple as brushing your teeth while you’re in the shower.