I used to be more of a morning person. Working early morning, drive time radio shifts will do that to a person. Then came graduate school where I earned my night owl status. I have never been the same. Having a part-time job that eats up evenings and weekends has soured me on mornings even further, so I have been reading articles and blogs posts that address productivity and how to build a morning routine that will produce better results than my current “stay in bed until the last minute and rush out the door always forgetting something” one.

Maybe these ideas would work for you too?

1. Lights out. Thanks to his years in the military, my husband can fall asleep at the drop of a hat and sleep through pretty much anything. (Of course, he’s also having a sleep study soon, so don’t be jealous.) As a courtesy on the nights I work, he falls asleep in our room with the television on so I am not tripping over my self-created obstacle course of dirty laundry and abandoned shoes. I have developed the bad habit of leaving the television on when I climb into bed. Even though I am exhausted and my body is screaming for sleep, I don’t reach for the remote immediately. I am implementing a lights-all-the-way-out policy for myself. No messing with my phone or the TV once I come to bed. I fall asleep so much more quickly and stay that way without the glaring TV glow or the low hum of the television show.
2. Prep yourself. Working in the evening makes this difficult, so I may have to enlist some help from my husband and kids. My morning would receive quite a boost if I consistently remembered to set my Ninja coffee bar for a morning pot of coffee and if I had some lunch items ready to grab from the fridge. I feel so much more organized heading into work with my tumbler and lunch in hand. I could also benefit from planning my outfits, but I sometimes do this as I’m brushing my teeth for bed anyway.
3. Break up with the Snooze button. Again, working until ten on weeknights after a full 8 hours at a full-time job can be a real bummer. I always promise myself that I am going to get up the minute my alarm goes off and not hit snooze two or three times. But, when my alarm sounds, I try to talk myself into moving with the question, “How much better do you really think you are going to feel if you stay here for 9 more minutes?” My answer lately has been, “A lot.” But, by doing this, I set myself up for an adrenaline filled rush out the door with my junior high daughter in tow. This will be the hardest for me, but I’m determined to start my day when my alarm sounds, not nine-eighteen-twenty seven minutes later. Ahem.
4. Start hydrating. I do not drink nearly enough water in any given day. This affects everything from how I feel to how I look. Many things I read about increasing morning productivity involved drinking water. Lots of article suggested things like warm lemon water or lemon water with cayenne pepper, or even water with apple cider vinegar. I, honestly, would be happy with plain old water, but if I could talk myself into adding healthful things, it would also put me near the dogs sooner in my day. By letting them out earlier rather than when I’m on my way out the door, I could better pace my morning routine.
5. Be more positive with my intentions. I have been working on what I say to myself diligently over the past year. I am working to keep my insides calm and to not create the kind of atmosphere with my thoughts that might act as fly paper for freaks (or freakishly bad situations). I want my mind to be thinking about positive things for myself and my family, as well as mentally offering up thoughts on ways I hope I can be a ray of kindness in someone else’s day. Deep breaths and keep it moving.

Those are the things I’m trying to make my morning routine less crazed. What works for you?
Follow my blog with Bloglovin