by John Baker
In the morning every minute counts. As much as I love to take it slow in the morning so I’m not stressed, I also prioritize my sleep above most things in life. In order to get the best of both worlds I have found there are some simple tasks that help streamline my mornings so I can start the day calm, while still accomplishing all the things I would like to do. Here are my top 5 ways to streamline my morning:
- Plan Breakfast in the Evening:
It may sound weird to plan your breakfast in the evening, but it is the best bang for your buck habit I have found for my mornings. As you may or may not know, a meat and nut breakfast is one of the best ways to set up your hormones, neurotransmitters and energy levels optimally for the day. For me, prepping the food can be the most time consuming part of a meal. To curb this I wash and prep vegetables a head of time, salt and season my meat (also improves taste), and measure out my nuts. This saves me about 10 minutes in the morning, and allows me to spend time casually accomplishing my other morning tasks. - Laying Out Your Clothes:
Because I work at a gym, I wear the same thing to work everyday. I have friends however, that take 10-20 minutes getting their outfit ready for work in the morning. Laying out clothes ahead of time can cut this down to less than a minute. When approaching your outfit for work in this way, you can simply wake up and be ready to go in a moment. - Plan your Morning Drink Ahead of Time:
Salt and lime water is a great way to boost energy levels, stress management and digestion. Although not the most labor intensive, doing this in the morning does take me about 5 minutes. To save time, I suggest taking a glass jar (glass does not leach toxins from the acidity of the lime, unlike plastic or metal), and prepare your salt and lime water in the evening. You can either place it in the fridge, or keep it out on the counter to accommodate your preference for chilled or room temperature water. - Prepping Your Coffee in the Evening:
Similar to the salt and lime water, coffee isn’t the most time consuming, but still takes about 5 minutes from the start of the process to when the coffee is ready to drink. It can take even more time if you have to clean out the machine from the previous day’s coffee. Before I go to bed I simply clean the machine, add the grounds, fill the water tank, and set the programming to start brewing right before my alarm goes off. This way, when I roll out of bed I can head to the coffee pot, pour myself a cup, and sip on it as I get ready for the day. - Having my Bag Packed:
I tend to forget things when I try to pack my bag for work in the morning. I’ve found the best time to pack my bag and save myself some time in the morning, is right after work. Although I’d like to put the workday behind me when I get home, all the things I need for the next day are still fresh in my head. When I address it right after I get home, I can efficiently pack everything in a fraction of the time. When done this way, I save about 5 minutes.
With just a few simple tricks you can save valuable time in the morning. If you utilize the 5 methods above, you can save 35-45 minutes each morning! That’s enough time to drastically change your mornings and your life. I encourage you to try these 5 things out and see for yourself how much nicer your mornings are, and how a less stressful morning can change your day.