Yes, you read that right; you only need 30 minutes to get ready every day. This claim sounds so appealing, especially for those who hate mornings. I get it, not everyone is a morning person, and I always have a bit of hate towards those who wake up with a smile every day. Nothing personal, I’m just that person who’s nicer after 9 am.
Depending on your lifestyle, of course, 30 minutes may or may not be enough. Perhaps you don’t need to compress everything in these minutes daily. Or maybe, one morning, you found yourself with only 30 minutes to spare. Some people have a daily schedule that limits them with this time frame, making their morning routine much stressful.
So is it possible for the morning rush to be calm? As I have spoiled in the title, yes, it can be, even if it might seem impossible. Quite frankly, I’m proud of myself when I realized I successfully utilized 30 minutes to do everything I need. I even managed to have my breakfast at home using a convection microwave oven. And no, as you can see in this useful source, microwaves are not limited to unhealthy meals.
But more than breakfast, what else can you do in this very limited time? How is it possible to hack your way and do everything in just 30 minutes?
Plan Everything the Night Before
I feel like this is a rule that everyone knows about but ignore anyway. It feels like such a chore, isn’t it? But setting your priorities the night before is going to be the difference between forgetting or neglecting some things in your morning routine, and doing the routine correctly.
If you don’t have a plan of what you’re going to do in chronological order, you’ll end up forgetting or skipping tasks. You have no idea which will take the most time, or you’ll have to take extra time to do the things you forgot.
It’s actually easy to create a plan for the next morning. No matter what your lifestyle is, you will eventually notice that there’s a pattern in your daily routine. What are the things that you can’t skip daily? But also, are you conscious of your night routine?
Another factor that prevents you from preparing for the next morning is you let your night routine go unplanned. Perhaps you don’t have to spend the night scrolling through social media or catching TV shows on the couch. You can limit your time on weekends for your screen time or at least cut your time allowance for these things.
The next thing to do is identify which parts of your morning routine takes the most time. For example, I know that my skincare and makeup regimen takes the most time. So in the morning, I already laid out what products I’m going to use and in what order. This way, you don’t spend extra time experimenting in the morning, and before you know it, you’re late for work.
If you already experiment your look at night, you’ll feel less pressure. And when morning comes, you already know what you’re going to do and spend time on other tasks instead. You can also do the same thing with your clothes and the things that you have to bring. Imagine being stuck in traffic and suddenly remembering that you left your files at home. Or even small but common things such as forgetting your phone or watch. It’s annoying and will surely ruin your morning mood.
Know When to Shower and Workout
This tip might be a surprise and, frankly, can still vary with each person. Some people prefer showering at night because it helps them sleep. Of course, if you sleep better at night, you’re going to be much more productive in the morning. However, showering in the morning also sparks creativity and basically just gets you out of your “zombie” state.
Know which of the two works the best for you. Showering at night can cut down your 30-minute preparation. However, if you spend your 30-minute preparation as a sluggish, sleepy person, you’ll still be taking more time.
Besides showering, workouts is also something to consider. You might be saying, “But I only have 30 minutes!” I say, “It’s a matter of priority!” Just like showering, you might find working out in the evening helps you fall asleep faster. But for me, I found out that a quick 10-minute workout and a quick shower in the morning makes me feel more energized.
I will only have 15 minutes left to do other things like eating and doing my makeup routine. But for me, this amount of time is enough to do those tasks. Depending on your lifestyle, you can modify these two tasks and find which time works best in doing them.
Avoid Distractions
Probably what takes the most of your time is the fact that you’re distracted. You’re already limited with 30 minutes, and yet you’re still taking 5 minutes or more with things that aren’t important. To be honest, I feel guilty about this. The urge to check my phone in the morning is hard to ignore. And most of the time, this leads me to need 30 minutes more because I realize I’ve been sitting in my robe in the bed for 15 minutes.
It starts off with thoughts like, “I wonder if someone texted me” or “I’m just going to check the traffic.” But we all know that these are not the only things that you’ll be doing. And before you know it, you are already scrolling through your friend’s pictures from her wedding last weekend. Sounds too familiar?
Another thing that you can do to keep yourself distraction-free is by setting a timer. This serves as your second boss that will keep you within your time limits. What I like to do is challenge myself more and try beating the clock. I always feel a small joy when I find out that I have an extra 5 minutes to spare.
If you have a competitive side, this small “game” can keep you excited and not falling out of your dedicated 30-minute morning routine. Oh, and as a bonus tip, try playing some music. Perhaps after finishing 3 songs, it’s time that you do the next step of your morning routine. You can get yourself hyped up by using a morning playlist.