We have all had THAT morning.
“The one where we hit snooze a few too many times, ALL our clothes are in the dirty clothes bin, we are out of coffee and can’t find our keys,” says Corie Wightlin, M.Ed, CALC. “The thing about these mornings is that it doesn’t just affect the am hours, but it puts us into a stress response that can be really hard for our bodies and brain to shake the rest of the day. With just a few systems in place your can set up not just your morning for success, but for the whole day.”
So how do we do that? Keep reading for Wightlin’s expert tips.
Work backwards to plan your time.
“Start with the time you have to walk out the door, and work out your schedule backwards, giving yourself a few extra minutes for each task. For instance, if it takes you about 10 minutes for breakfast, gives yourself 12-15.”
Write out what you need to do, and put it somewhere you can refer to it.
“After backwards planning, write down all the steps of your morning with the amount of time you will allot for each task and put it somewhere you can refer to it throughout the morning.”
Do as much as you can the night before.
“Put on your favorite show or podcast and get as much done as possible the night before…set the coffee, pick out your outfit, pack some lunch.”
Have a catch all system and use it.
“Create a space for everything you need to leave the house (including your keys, phone, purse, wallet, computer) and make it a habit to use it daily.”
Schedule in a dopamine fix.
“Give yourself a metaphorical gold star for smooth mornings where you follow your helpful habits such as your favorite coffee on Friday when you have followed the habits all week or a trip to roam Target for a new candle.”
