5 Time-Saving Hacks for Super Busy Mornings

Your alarm goes off but you’re unable to open your eyes as you still feel tired and not ready to face the day. So you hit the snooze button. Five minutes later, you hit it again… until you reach that limit when you know you have to jump out of bed right this second, otherwise you’ll be seriously late.

And so the stressful morning routine begins. For some reason, the shower takes longer than you planned, finding the right outfit feels like searching for a well-hidden treasure, keys and wallet must have legs because they’re not where you left them, and suddenly you realize you ran out of time to dry your hair.

In other words, mornings often get hectic. What’s worse, they set the tone for the rest of the day. Stress weakens the immune system, disrupts your digestive system, causes sleep problems, and is a risk factor for most diseases. Most importantly, it lowers your quality of life. How happy can you feel when you’re stressed?

Here are five easy and practical hacks to ease up your morning preparations. Say hello to easier, happier, and, healthier days ahead.

1. Make Breakfast the Night Before

Having a healthy breakfast is vital for good health. If you don’t have time to eat something nutritious, you become prone to eating a takeaway muffin or some other processed food that’s not so good for you. To take control of your health and energy levels, prepare your breakfast the night before.

Overnight oats or chia pudding can be prepared and kept in the fridge during the night; all you have to do is grab a spoon and eat it in the morning. Another great option is a green smoothie. You can either wash and prep the greens and fruit the night before, or freeze the ingredients in single-serving freezer bags.

2. Lay Out Your Outfit

Pressing and picking your clothes the night before will not only save time, but will also prevent stress. Even better if you organize your outfits for the entire week on Sunday – it removes the decision making process every day, which saves lots of mental energy.

3. Use Dry Shampoo (But Not When Your Hair’s Already Greasy!)

Washing and drying your hair, especially if it’s long, may be the most time consuming morning chore. Skip it and save your precious minutes by washing your hair the day before and using dry shampoo.

Dry shampoo soaks up all the grease and provides instant volume. The trick that I’ve learned from professional hair stylists is to apply it to the clean and dry hair roots after washing and blow drying, and not when the hair is already greasy. It ensures that your hair will stay clean and voluminous longer. All you need to do in the morning is re-apply a little bit of a product (if you need it at all).

Bonus tip: if you’re not a fan of dry shampoo or just out of it for the moment, rubbing baby powder on your scalp works like a charm.

4. Ignore Your Phone

Checking your email and social media first thing in the morning is one of the biggest time leaks. It sucks you in like a black hole, and does not only make you late but also anxious. According to this study done by British researchers, using smartphones promotes anxiety and stress.

Check your email later in the day, once you’ve done all the morning chores and rituals. Don’t allow your gadgets to control your life; be in charge of your energy and time.

5. Position All Your Essentials in One Place

It’s incredible how much time people waste looking for their keys, wallet, and phone. Have a designated area where you keep those essentials.

Also, tidy up and stress proof your space. It will make your morning and life so much smoother.

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These five hacks are easy but will create a completely different morning experience for you. Remember, that the most important thing is planning your day the night before, so you can wake up with confidence and self-awareness, and ready to face the world.