Motivational gurus wax lyrical about your morning sets the tone for the rest of your day. As much as it may be cliched, it couldn’t be truer. The moments after you wake, and prepare to face the world, are often a precursor to what lies ahead. It’s easy to get caught mindlessly scrolling through social media, which is why we’re here to show you six tips to hack your minimalist morning routine and make you more efficient.
Plan Out Your Day The Night Before
Self-explanatory as it may seem, a simple spot of pre-planning can save you from scrambling in the morning. Knowing what you’re going to be doing for at least the first half of the day means that you’re far more mentally prepared and composed than being thrown in the deep end. It will take some time to establish a routine, but it's a great habit to chase. Check out these minimalist daily habits that will make your life way better.
Even if you aren’t completely sure of your movements for the coming day, simply breaking down your time into allocated categories (e.g. deep creative work vs administrative tasks) can put you in the right mindset, so that when morning hits, you have a clear roadmap for the day ahead.
Try Fasting
Hear us out on this one. Not only is intermittent fasting beneficial to your health, but it’ll save you a bunch of time in the morning, too. The premise behind intermittent fasting is simple: After 12 hours without food, your body taps into fat stores for energy.
You could eat your last meal of the day at around 8pm the night before, and break your fast at 12pm the next day, giving you a 16-hour fast and saving you the hassle of fixing a morning meal. If you’re averse to going without breakfast, then keep the opening meal of the day simple and quick – smoothies are usually a good option, or a simple meal of scrambled eggs if you need your protein fix.
Organize Your Washroom
You could save a good few minutes on your morning routine simply by keeping your washroom in order. Knowing which products to use means less indecision when it comes to grooming.
Check The Weather Forecast
This tip comes down to preparation once more. The time you spend deciding what to wear and searching for clothes all adds up. The easiest way to get over this hurdle is to check the weather forecast the night before and choose an outfit that you’re comfortable with. Keeping your fashion repertoire simple but stylish will also save a bunch of time.
We’re not saying you need to go full Zuckerberg and only rock charcoal gray tees, but trying to pick an outfit from a wardrobe with more than 50 options is not the most efficient way to start your morning.
Choose A Low Maintenance Hairstyle
A pompadour is always going to take more time to groom than a tapered fade or crew cut. If your hairstyle’s costing you time, it’s time to consider going another route.
Create Zones In Your Home
While this might not be specific to your morning routine, creating specific ‘zones’ in your home can save you time when you’re looking for something in a rush. These needn’t even be zones per se, but simply drawers that hold specific items. Looking for a specific hard drive? Keep it in a dedicated electronics ‘zone’.
Need to find medication? If you don’t have a specific medicine cabinet, create one. Naturally, some zones are created by default (e.g. your grooming area), but if you’re particularly scatterbrained then keeping specific items together can be super useful for finding them quickly.
The best minimalist morning routine will ultimately come down to your personal preferences and needs, however, with these six tips you’ll be more productive and more prepared. Whether you’re the proverbial early bird or you dread the sound of your alarm, these small, incremental steps will make you more efficient and set you up for daily success.
Written by Stuart Hendricks