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Start each day with a set routine and be sure to have an amazing day every day! Here are the 10 things I do to make sure my day starts off, and therefore stays, awesome.
Wardrobe Prep
The number one thing I do the night before days I will be leaving the house is plan my wardrobe. This eliminates so much last minute craziness it is well worth spending time the evening before to plan the next day’s outfit. If you have time, pick out a few days worth of outfits to save time over the course of the week! If you can, have a dedicated area in your room to hang your outfits. (I love the bar in the photo below! We made one of these in my daughter’s bedroom at our old house and it was so fun!) If you don’t have room, that’s ok! Just have a space in your closet to dedicate to your complete outfits. Plan everything from clothing, to shoes, purses & accessories.
Mint Loves Social
Wake Up a Little Earlier
Start setting your alarm to wake up 15 minutes earlier than you usually do. If you have kids, plan to wake up 15-30 minutes before they do. Trust me, you NEED this time for YOURSELF. Most of the rest of the day will be about your little darlings. Take some morning alone time for yourself. Keep a notebook next to your bed and think through your day so you know what to allot time for. It really helps to write things down so you know how much time you will need for all of your tasks. Visit Pinterest to figure out dinner. Enjoy your coffee while catching up on emails. Spend a few extra minutes reconnecting with your spouse. It really doesn’t matter what you do, as long as it benefits YOU in every way.
Morning Coffee (or Tea!)
Invest in a Keurig or at least coffee pot that has a preset feature. If you are a morning tea drinker, the Keurig is the way to go. It doesn’t have to be the fanciest Keurig out there- the basic one is perfectly great! If you have a coffee pot that is programmable, be sure to prep your pot and set the timer the evening before. If you have a Keurig, set up a coffee pod station and be sure the water reservoir is filled the evening before. Use a coffee cup that makes you happy. Monday through Friday, I use the dragonfly cup my daughter bought me years ago. On the weekends, when my husband & I enjoy our morning coffee together, we use our “hubby” and “wifey” coffee cups. If you work outside of the home, be sure your To Go cup is washed and ready to go. Getting your coffee set up the night before saves precious minutes in the morning! When we had a programmable coffee pot I would get it set for moring while I was making dinner. It was super easy!
Let Some Light In
Open your shades and curtains! Let in some natural light and soak in the sun. Natural sunlight triggers the body’s production of vitamin D and improves brain function. Soak it up! And while you’re at it, make your bed. Studies have shown that making your bed after waking up starts your day off with a feeling of accomplishment, and ends your day with a positive state of mind.
Take Time For Yourself
Take 10 minutes for yourself with this Yoga for Self Care video. The instructor, Adrienne, is absolutely darling and fantastic for beginners through advanced (yogis? IDK what they are called, but she is great for everyone!) because she provides options for easy to advanced moves based on your level. Adrienne also has a 30 day yoga challenge that is terrific. If you have a spare 30-45 minutes a day to spend on yourself, I highly recommend Yoga with Adrienne! All of her classes are on YouTube, and she has sessions for back pain, migraines, anxiety…pretty much everything! All you need is a yoga mat and a little bit of space. Silence your phone and relax!
Hydrate!
Drink a full glass of water after your yoga session. Drinking water promotes weight loss, improves your skin and increases energy. Afterall, it’s first thing in the morning- you need all of the energy you can get!
Tidy Up!
Tidy up a space. Take 2-5 minutes to tidy up any space in your home that needs it. Clear off your counters. Unload or load your dishwasher. Put away a basket of laundry. Stage all of the ingredients for tonight’s dinner. You will feel much better knowing one of your many tasks for the day are taken care of before you’ve even had breakfast.
Get Your Beauty On
Get ready. Shower, get dressed and get ready to take on your day as you normally do!
Breakfast
Eat breakfast. It’s really important. Aim for a protein-packed breakfast to get the most mileage throughout the morning. Eating breakfast jump-starts your metabolism and improves concentration. If you need some ideas, check out our post on 10 Quick, Easy & Healthy Breakfast Ideas for Busy Mornings. The recipes are delish!
Leave the House On Time
Leave on time! You can do it. You know what they say: “Early is on time. On time is late. And late is unacceptable.” Avoid the stress of rushing and being late by leaving early enough to arrive a few minutes early. You can spend those few minutes figuring out what’s for dinner. 😉
Think you can do it? I’m SURE you can! If starting with all 10 tips is overwhelming, start with 1 or 3 or however many you can handle. You can work the rest in over time.
Ready for more ideas designed to make your life easier? Then be sure to check out these posts, and also our Self Care 101 board on Pinterest. It has hundreds of ideas from other great bloggers!
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Conquer Clutter Once and For All With These Stylish Storage Solutions
10 Functional Farmhouse Entryways to Encourage Organization
Happy Morning!
Allison
I am not a morning person, but have to be for my kids schedules. This is very helpful and such a happy article!
I totally agree with you on opening the blinds/shades in the morning! I feel so much better once I get the bed made and let those wonderful morning sun rays in. 🙂
One day when my kids are older I’m going to do more than just stumble to the kitchen and turn on the Keurig haha!
I love looking at new ideas for my morning routine! You have some good ones here I am going to have to try implementing! Thanks! ☺️
Awesome guide. Your morning remedies are fantastic.
I do a few of these now and they do help. Now if I can just get past the need to sleep until the very last minute. I don’t sleep as well as I should, so getting motivated in morning is difficult; that’s why doing more of these things should help. Thanks for the reminders.
These are great tips! It’s so true how taking these small steps can affect your positivity and set you up for a great day!
Thank you so much for your tips! I think my kids will probably do a little better if I let the light in a little sooner. I usually don’t open the blinds until I get home from dropping my daughter off at school. One thing I do differently though is I clean up as much as I can the night before, that way the house is fresh when I get up and I don’t feel like I immediately have to add cleaning up to my list of things to do.
I love your site and your advice. Easy to read and small changes we can make. Thanks!
I am actually looking forward to getting up in the morning! Love that you posted this!
Great tips! I am notoriously not a morning person, I don’t typically eat breakfast before I rush out the door to work, and I tend to be grumpy the first few hours of my day! Perhaps some of your tips will come in handy! I liked the link to quick & easy breakfast options!