- There are a number of ways to save time in the mornings while still completing necessary tasks.
- Preparing 'batch' breakfasts in advance, meditating, and turning off the news are small habits that can make a big impact on your efficiency levels.
- Scheduling an early-morning meeting can motivate you to waste less time and to get ready quicker.
Even the most die-hard morning people among us may sometimes find that the struggle is real.
Need a wake-up call? We asked some of the nation's leading time-management experts to share their most eye-opening ways to make mornings a little less brutal and a lot more doable.
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1. Don't lay out your clothes the night before
This might seem counterintuitive, but some experts suggest trying to keep things simple the night before. The idea is to decompress as much as possible before bed — not wind yourself up.
"It seems smart to lay out clothes, pack lunches, pack bags, and so on the night before," says Laura Vanderkam, author of "Off the Clock: Feel Less Busy While Getting More Done." But the real problem arises when when you also want to squeeze in some "fun" time before bed.
"If you spend a lot of time on chores, the fun time only comes at the expense of sleep," notes Vanderkam. "And one of the easiest ways to tank your morning is to wake up exhausted."
2. Do a brain dump before bed
Even if you have perfect sleep hygiene — no smartphones at night, a comfy mattress, an early bedtime — you still might be plagued with thoughts that keep you up at night and leave you drained in the morning.
So try this simple hack: "Keep a pad of paper and a pencil next to your bed. Right before you go to sleep, write down anything you're worrying about that might keep you awake," suggests Stever Robbins, productivity expert and host of the podcast The Get It Done Guy's Quick and Dirty Tips to Work Less and Do More. "Your brain will be able to let it go because it knows [those thoughts are] safely written down."
Robbins also suggests scribbling the top two things you want to get done the next day, so your brain will noodle on that instead.
3. Be selfish first thing in the morning
As tempting as it might be to jump out of bed and dive into your day, many experts agree that taking time to connect with yourself as soon as you wake up is as nourishing as eating a good breakfast.
"Wake up 15 minutes earlier, and for the first 5 minutes, just meditate or pray. Breathe and find yourself awake in the world," says Peter Bregman, author of "18 Minutes: Find Your Focus, Master Distraction, and Get the Right Things Done." "It reduces the freneticism and allows you to start your morning without already being behind."
Even just sitting up and stretching "will literally change the mood of your whole morning," Bregman says.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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