The Best Morning Routine for Anyone Who Sucks at Morning Routines

Getting ready in the morning sucks. You’re groggy, light hurts your eyes, you’re stumbling around, and you’re suddenly thinking about all the stuff you have to do in the coming hours until you can crawl back into bed. How are you supposed to look put-together under these conditions?

Here are some tips for getting ready faster and more effectively in the morning.

Lay out your clothes in advance

One of the biggest obstacles we all face every morning is finding a nice, coordinated outfit that is clean, appropriate for wherever we’re going, and—ideally—fashionable. Eliminate the need to waste 10 minutes putting on and taking off clothes (that you’ll then need to hurry to put back away) by laying outfits out in advance.

You can do this every Sunday night and treat it like meal-prepping, but check your proposed next-day outfit every evening to make sure it aligns with the weather or any newly-scheduled events for the following morning.

Pick out five outfits, then move them to the front of your closet. Better yet, grab one of these hanging closet organizers. With five spots for hangers, these can help keep your pre-planned outfits separate from your other clothes. Plus, you can unhook one side of the organizer, letting it dangle and saving space on your closet rod.

Waking up in the morning with no stress about what to wear for the day is a game-changer. You just put on the clothes you already selected when your brain was more functional and you had the time for a try-on fashion show in your mirror.

Pre-plan breakfast, too

Keep grab-and-go breakfast items stocked for yourself—and make sure they’re delicious. If you store a bunch of granola bars you hate in your cupboard, you’re not going to eat them. You’re going to stop for a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich on your way to work, slowing yourself down. (If you budget your time correctly, of course, there is no issue with a stop at a coffee shop.)

If you like iced coffee, make sure you have ice in the freezer. Make cold-brew overnight and save yourself even more time. Blend your smoothies in the evening and stick them in the freezer. Do whatever it takes to make sure your sustenance is ready for you in the morning and you’re not stuck trying to crack an egg and put your shoes on at the same time.

Beautify at night

If you’re someone who cares about doing your hair or makeup, you don’t need to wake up at the ass crack of dawn to get it done. Sleep with your hair in rollers or something similar, like Sleepy Tie, a big scrunchie-type tool that helps reduce frizz, maximize the lifespan of your blowout, and keep hair out of your face overnight. Sleep on a silk pillowcase for added hair and skin benefits, too.

Think of your skin, too. You won’t need to glom on nearly as much foundation in the morning if you have nice skin to begin with. Look into slugging so that while you sleep, you’re preparing your skin for the next day.

Finally, you might want to consider some semi-permanent enhancements. Eyelash extensions can help you cut down time on applying mascara or falsies in the morning. Permanent makeup can give you long-lasting brow or lip pigmentation, which then prevents you from spending needless time filling in those sections of your face. If you spend a considerable chunk of minutes each day changing your hair’s texture or growth pattern, consider the corresponding salon option, whether it’s a perm or a relaxing treatment.

Wake up on the right side of the bed

A big part of getting ready and out of the house on time is being well-rested. If you sleep through your alarm, are too tired when you get up, or just awake in a stinky mood, your day is not going to get off to a good start.

Get a timer for your window shades so you wake up to natural light. Or use a gradual alarm clock so you don’t awake with a fright.

The more effort you put into preparing at night for a great day in the morning, the better your entire 24-hour cycle will be overall.