Tips for Getting out the Door Faster

Weekday mornings can be a hectic experience as you try to juggle a million things at once. No one enjoys being crunched for time and rushing around getting ready leaves you arriving at work stressed and hurried. Whether you are headed out all day to work or simply getting your children ready for school in the morning, the best way to ensure that mornings flow a lot more smoothly is by preparing as much as you can the night before and streamlining everything else.

Start on Sundays

If you work a normal Monday through Friday work week, then the best way to streamline your mornings is by preparing as much as you can before the week begins. If you pack your lunch, consider meal prepping on Sundays for the entire week, so that when you head out the door in the morning you can easily grab your prepared lunch and be on your way. If you eat breakfast, you can prepare this ahead of time as well. Try cooking a big frittata, making batches of baked oatmeal or muffins, stocking frozen waffles and smoothie packs, or preparing individual jars of overnight oats to grab.

The Night Before

The night before the work day, set out everything you can possibly get ready ahead of time for the morning. This might include the outfit you’ll wear, shoes, jewelry, accessories, or any thing you’ll need. If your outfit needs to be ironed, this is the time do that as well. If you hit the gym in the mornings before work or pack a bag to go straight from work, then prepare that the night before as well. Pick a convenient spot by the door to assemble everything you’ll need to get out the door, which might include things like your car keys, purse, laptop bag, lunch bag, or gym bag. If you enjoy a cup of coffee or tea in the morning, set the timer on your coffee maker ahead of time so it’s ready for you to quickly grab and go.

Simplify Your Routine

After you eliminate as much as possible from your morning routine by laying the groundwork on Sundays and the night before, it’s time to simplify and streamline the rest. If you shower and wash your hair every day, try washing it every other day instead. This is actually better for your hair as washing it daily strips it of the natural oils your hair needs. If you do have oily hair and feel like you can’t skip daily washes, give dry shampoo a try which can absorb excess oil and keep hair looking fresh. Wear a braid, pony tail, or other hair style if your hair becomes limp on the second day. If you don’t have time for the maintenance of long hair which can take a lot of time to wash, blow dry, and style, but you like the look of long hair, you can use clip-in hair extensions to save additional time. When it comes to make up, use products that eliminate multiple steps, such as a BB cream which combines foundation, moisturizer, and sunscreen into one, shaving precious minutes off your routine.

My name is Matthew Boley and I write for The Lauren Ashtyn Collection.