How To Create A Nighttime Routine To Keep You On Track In The Morning

It’s Monday morning, the alarm rings, and you peel one eye open to see a pile of clutter at the edge of the room.

Your purse is spewed open with junk & knick-knacks, you have no idea what you’re going to wear to work, and the thermostat reads a frosty temperature that makes you want to bury yourself under the covers. Oh, it’s just another manic Monday.

Does this sound familiar?

When you also consider the endless amount of tasks on your to-do list and the fact that you got a terrible night’s sleep, it’s no wonder you dread getting up in the morning.

But what if I told you the secret to having your best morning ever actually starts the night before?

Life is absolutely too beautiful to only live for the weekends. With a couple of easy routine shifts, you can make every single day feel like Saturday. Are you with me?

1. Unplug

Ok, this one is huge! And if you can only make one lifestyle change, it needs to be this.

Constant scrolling before bed isn’t just bad for your mental health it’s also detrimental to your sleep. In fact, a Harvard research team found that the blue light emitted from our phones, tablets, and laptops actually tricks our body into thinking it’s daytime.

No wonder it’s so hard for us to fall asleep!

How can you truly rest when you constantly hear the dings and see the email alerts from your boss, co-workers, and businesses sending you promotional offers?

Some of the world’s most successful CEOs live by the ‘no tech before bed’ rule.

As soon as you start to notice that you’re up late staring at your device, snooze your notifications (or if you’re really bold, turn the phone off altogether), stand up, grab a book, and maybe even enjoy a cup of tea.

You’ll notice that you’ll start to really unwind.

Media mogul, Arianna Huffington even went as far as completely banning electronic devices from her bedroom. Honestly, can you blame her?

Your bed is not the place to finish emails or scroll through Facebook. Your bedroom should be an oasis for sleep.

2. Prep for the Day Ahead

This one seems like a no-brainer, but as we all move through our chaotic lives with the mentality of, ‘I’ll do it tomorrow,’ all of those tasks tend to add up. They also induce unnecessary stress onto our mornings.

As the night starts to unwind, dinner is finished, and the kids are getting ready for bed, take this time to focus on the next morning.

Find a clean space to lay out all of your clothes—even your socks! You’ll thank yourself in the morning when you don’t have to rummage through your closet looking for that blue blazer you planned on wearing.

If possible, you can also take this time to prepare your lunch for work or the kids’ snacks for school.

Set the timer for your morning coffee, make a short to-do list of anything you need to pick up before going to work, and even decide on what you’re going to eat for breakfast.

Every task you can finish ahead of time will alleviate the stress of the morning rush! You’ll slowly start to realize that your mornings can become a productive, peaceful time, rather than a dreaded, groggy rush to get out the door.

3. Create the Ultimate Sleep Haven

Close your eyes and remember what it feels like to rest on freshly washed sheets. It’s like sleeping in a hotel, right? Actually, it’s even better than snoozing in a resort because it’s yours!

Don’t underestimate the power of having a beautifully made bed and clean linens.

Appearances matter and how you’ll feel crawling into a fresh bed is going to be a total contrast to trying to rest on a bed that hasn’t been made all week.

Taking pride into creating a sleeping sanctuary can totally transform how you wake up. Invest in comfortable pillows and a cozy comforter. You can even try spritzing your pillows with a bit of lavender essential oil to help you drift into effortless slumber.

4. Keep A Bedside Journal

Whether you love to doodle or cringe at the thought of writing, keeping a journal could help you stay grounded for a successful morning.

If you’re not one for words, start out by simply writing three things you’re grateful for that day. This will not only help you ease into sleep, but it will also allow you to end the night on a positive note.

We all have so much going on in our lives. It’s easy to get caught up in the negativity and clutter.

When you take a few moments to acknowledge all that you have to be thankful for, you’ll realize you have so much.

5. Tidy Up

Have you ever woken up to a sink full of dirty dishes? Yikes! There’s nothing worse than waking up to a house that is a mess.

If you didn’t already feel stressed in the mornings, having to shuffle through an untidy home will certainly drive you to madness.

Grab the kids, your partner, and even the dog (ok, maybe not the dog), and get the entire house involved in a little late night cleaning action.

Light some candles, put on some music, and really make this cleaning time enjoyable for all.

When you get to wake up to a clean home, your family will thank you!

For roughly an hour each night, you can absolutely transform your mornings. With work, kids, household duties, and the holidays, there’s always going to be something on your plate. Get ahead of the madness, and enjoy every minute of your busy life!

​Do you have a nighttime routine I didn’t mention above? I’d love to hear how you keep your priorities in check. Leave it in the comments below!