Back to School Morning Hacks
Are you heading back to the building in September after a year of remote tele-therapy? If you’re like us, you probably have some stress and anxiety about getting back into a morning routine, waking up at the crack of dawn, commuting, wearing actual clothes, etc. During remote tele-therapy, we were able to roll out of bed a few minutes before our work day started, throw on a pair of “comfy work clothes” (aka leggings and slippers) and jump on the computer. We didn’t have to do our hair, put on makeup, or sit in traffic for over an hour to get to work. Going back to school is going to be an adjustment, so we wanted to put together a list of some morning tips to help you get back into the swing of things.
THE NIGHT BEFORE
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- Set a bedtime. It’s important to get a good night’s rest, so push up your bedtime to help ease the transition when your alarm goes off in the morning. We are usually in bed super early, definitely before 9pm. It sounds crazy, but it makes mornings a lot easier! If you’re usually a night owl, practice an earlier bedtime the week before school starts to get back into the swing of things. Your body will thank you!
- Pick out your clothes. Layout your outfit the night before and don’t forget a face mask to match your ensemble (#COVID). Our favorite accessory this year is definitely the face mask chain. They clip onto the ear loops of your facemask and when you take your mask off, it lies on your chest just like a necklace!
- Pack your bag. Don’t waste time in the morning making sure you don’t forget anything. Have your bag packed the night before and ready to go when you head out the door.
- Prepare your lunch. This will help you make healthier food choices and save you money. Leave yourself a note so you don’t forget to grab it from the refrigerator in the morning. We love meal prepping lunches on Sundays so we have a quick grab and go lunch in the morning. Find some awesome meal prep recipes here.
- Check the weather. This can affect your outfit choice and commute time. On rainy days, we always wear our rainboots and make sure to bring our flats to change into when we get to work.
- Set your coffee machine. When you’re ready to leave for work, you’ll have a hot cup of joe waiting for you. K-Cup Pods are the best and they have so many flavors to choose from. If you’re a tea drinker another quick option is setting your coffee machine to heat up water in the morning and have your to-go cup waiting with a tea bag in it.
- Shower. Showering the night before will save you a lot of time in the morning. If we shower the night before, our hair will be dry in the morning so we can quickly run a straightener through it. If you do shower in the morning, check out the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer Hot Air Brush – it dries and straightens at the same time! And if you don’t have time to shower, try using our favorite dry shampoo to keep your hair looking great!
- Set a bedtime. It’s important to get a good night’s rest, so push up your bedtime to help ease the transition when your alarm goes off in the morning. We are usually in bed super early, definitely before 9pm. It sounds crazy, but it makes mornings a lot easier! If you’re usually a night owl, practice an earlier bedtime the week before school starts to get back into the swing of things. Your body will thank you!
IN THE MORNING
- Eat breakfast. If your days are like ours, once we get started at work – we don’t have time for a break until lunch. Make sure to eat breakfast at home, in the car, or even bring something to have right when you arrive at school to avoid getting HANGRY! We love making overnight oats. They are high in fiber and keep you full longer. The best part is, you can prep them ahead of time and grab and go on your way out the door. Another idea is to keep a box of granola bars in your car so you’ll always have a breakfast option.
- Eliminate morning scrolling. Don’t waste valuable time scrolling through social media in the morning. Try charging your phone on the other side of the room to prevent the mindless morning scroll. Make it a habit not to check your phone first thing when you wake up, unless it’s an important text message, otherwise everything can wait until later on in the day after you get to work.
- Set a deadline. We work best when we have a deadline, so why not set a target time to get out the door each morning? If we are on the road 10 minutes after we should be, it can add 30 minutes to our morning commute.
- Morning make-up. Minimal is key. Find products that save you time, like BB cream (moisturizer, sunscreen, and foundation all in one). Also, keep your makeup organized in one easy to access place, this will save you from rummaging around for your favorite mascara.
ON THE DRIVE TO WORK
- Use the Waze App. We love Waze because Waze will find us the quickest navigation route to school. Every morning is a new adventure!
- Podcasts or audiobooks. Podcasts are a great way to pass the time during your commute and you’re sure to learn something new. Just like Netflix, find a podcast and listen to a series of episodes. Audiobooks are also a good choice if you don’t have time to read a physical book. We love using the Audible app for audiobooks.
- Phone calls. Depending on what time you leave for work, you can make important phone calls or catch up with family and friends. To be honest, we usually save most of our calls for the afternoon commute since most people are sleeping at 6:30 am!
- Affirmations. Be in control of your thoughts, remove the negativity, improve your self-esteem, raise your confidence, and improve your productivity. Start your day off by saying 3 affirmations aloud to improve positive thinking and goal setting.
September is going to be a challenge as we adjust back into our morning routines, but planning and preparing is what sets us up for a smooth transition back to work. Leave a comment and let us know what you are going to do to make your transition out the door a faster one!
