Mornings go by way to fast. The time between the alarm going off and getting out the door (or to the home office desk) for work or school seems to go by in the blink of an eye, it’s easy to forget some important tasks. I think it’s the universe’s way of making up for time when we microwave things or boil water, when time moves slower than ever.
Let’s take some time to get organized and analyze what we need to do to improve our morning routines.
What things need to happen in the morning?
What are the most important things? Least important?
What hygiene related tasks need to happen?
What biological tasks need to happen?
What environmental tasks need to happen?
What do you want to do in the mornings? (This is different than what you need to have happen.)
What is the order of operations for these things to happen?
How long does each task take? (Figuring this out will take some experimentation.)
What can wait?
What is non-negotiable?
What might throw you off of your morning groove? How can you get back on track?
Where can you compromise on tasks?
Where can you multi-task?
What tasks can you prep for the night before?
What task(s) do you forget most often? What about those tasks make them forgettable?
Do you need to adjust your alarm? Go to bed earlier or later? Wake up earlier or later?
What’s your favorite and least favorite part of the morning?
How do you remind yourself what you need to do when? What has or hasn’t worked?
Are there any obligations you have with others in the morning?
How will you keep track of what is or is not working when creating a new routine?
How will you know it’s working?
These are all just things to consider to potentially streamline and work on your morning routine. Like developing any habit or routine, it’s going to take time and be a trial and error process, so be patient with yourself if you don’t get it right on the first try. What are some rewards you can put in place for celebrating your victories in creating a routine? Celebrate the big and small milestones.
Mornings are always going to happen, and I’m not saying fixing your routine will make you a “morning person” but creating some awareness for what you need to make the mornings more tolerable could help.
