How many of you struggle in the mornings? I know its not just me. I move at the speed of a sloth. It takes me quite a while to wake up and get going. Revolutionize may sound like an inflated word...but I genuinely feel THAT strongly about the shift that these habits have made for me. I'm not a morning person. I don't spring out of bed. I savor every last second under my cozy blankets and pillows. I set three alarms just to make sure that I don't accidentally over sleep. I NEED the quiet and slow morning. And the more decisions that I have to make in the morning...the more stressed I feel (Can my fellow 9's relate?!). So these four things are the ace of spades that set me up for a great morning and rest of the day.
1. Get my coffee set up the night before. I'm a pour-over queen. So I fill the electric kettle up with water, set my cup out and put the paper in my contraption. The next morning, all I have to do is flip a switch, put my scoops of coffee in the paper, and pour it over. 2. Set my clothes and kids clothes out the night before. Again this is about negotiating time and less decision making first thing in the morning. I pick out our clothes and set them out on my chair for an easy grab and go. 3. Decide what is for breakfast the night before. I know this sounds silly, but if I don't have a plan...I'll have one kid that wants eggs while the other wants yogurt. Then I become a short-order cook, which is a time sucker. It also leaves me standing at the refrigerator door pondering what to make when I'm short on time. So I decide what everyone will eat the night before and it's the SAME thing for everyone. 4. Make my bed. If you didn't think I was crazy before this...I know you're convinced now. I make my bed every day. There is some science about increased productivity and bed making that is super interesting. But I would also make the point that it strengthens your discipline muscle. Does it really matter that your bed is made? No. But when I make my bed every single day even when I don't want to, I find that I am much more likely to do other things that need to be done around my house. Things that I don't necessarily want to do, but need to do. So for me, making my bed has been part of practicing discipline in more than one area of my life. It sets me up to accomplish more in my day. It is also very gratifying to walk into room and see my bed made and picked up. It feels like I'm winning at life by doing that one simple thing.
None of these things are earth-shattering revelations, but actually DOING them shifted my mornings to the pace that I needed. I don't wake up stressed and rush through all the things I have to do first thing. Thats a lot of mental energy for me...especially that early. If you are in a stressed morning rhythm, give this a try!
HAVE A GREAT WEEK!