My favorite time of day is the morning and even though mornings around here can feel a little hectic as I try to cram in some work before Chase wakes up for the day and we hit the ground running, I still find myself enjoying the early hours of every day the most.
There are a few things I do to try to streamline my morning routine and keep the first few hours of the day (mostly) pleasant and enjoyable and today I’m teaming up with bareMinerals to share a few of them with you. I’d absolutely love to hear any tips and tricks you guys might have for streamlining your mornings and alleviating some of the stress of a rushed morning in the comments section of this post!
Little Ways I Simplify My Mornings
- Prep Breakfast The Night (Or Several Days) Before
Preparing breakfast the night (or even several days before) I’m going to eat it is the biggest time saver for me and pretty much the only way I can ensure I’ll eat something healthy first thing in the morning. I realized this was a necessity for me a couple of months after Chase was born when I found myself relying on granola and snack bars for breakfast time and time again. (And, let’s be real, there were multiple times I’d find myself digging into whatever sweet treats we had on hand before 8 a.m.)
I quickly realized that putting a little extra effort into breakfast prep the night before made me excited to dig into a more nutritious meal in the morning. A lot of the breakfasts I prep ahead of time yield multiple servings, so I can often stretch them out over multiple mornings.
A few favorites: Chicken sausage and spinach frittata (I’ve actually started to make this one with kale and prefer that to the spinach since it holds up a little better!), peanut butter baked steel cut oatmeal, overnight oats, customizable egg muffins
And you can find more make-ahead breakfast ideas in this post: 10 Make Ahead Breakfast Recipes
- Dry Shampoo Is My BFF
When it comes to getting ready, there’s nothing that helps me save more time than dry shampoo. It’s amazing and allows me to get away with not washing my hair every day. My hair is very fine and looks greasy after one day but I’m amazed at how dry shampoo can bring my hair back to life and disguise greasy roots.
Oh! And I also have a few go-to hairstyles that seem to hide limp/greasy locks better than others. I love the half up-half down top knot when my roots are super flat and you can never go wrong with a messy bun, low braid or casual ponytail.
- Use No-Crease Hair Ties or Scrunchies to Prolong Styling
This is a handy dandy magazine tip I use all the time! Whenever I curl my hair, I want to get a couple of days out of the styling and in order to “save” the waves, before bed, I pull my hair up into a ridiculously high ponytail on the top of my head with a scrunchie (‘80s style!) or no-crease hair tie. I can usually get away without re-curling my hair (or I may need to refresh a couple of curls which takes less than five minutes) and will just hair spray my hair again once I take it down from the ponytail which definitely helps save time!
- Use Multi-Purpose Beauty Products
By now you guys probably know I like to keep my makeup routine short and simple. I’ve always been fairly low maintenance when it comes to my beauty routine and seem to gravitate toward products that serve multiple purposes.
I’ve professed my love for rose hip seed oil on the blog a number of times and use it daily because it not only does a great job at removing stubborn eye makeup, but its also praised by many for its ability to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, correct dark spots and hydrate the skin in a natural way. It’s the best!
I was also recently invited to try out bareMinerals’ new Complexion Rescue, a hydrating BB Cream, CC Cream and tinted moisturizer in one and have been using it daily for a month or so now.
The gel is lightweight with a dewy-sheer finish (it doesn’t look thick or cakey at all which is crucial for me) and also offers mineral-based broad spectrum SPF30 for increased sun protection. (<—That is also important to me since I’ve read that rose hip seed oil can make your skin more sensitive to the sun.)
(Chase gave the packaging rave reviews during a shopping trip to Ulta. Haha!)
It helps even out my skin in a way that still looks natural. When I’m in a rush, my makeup routine includes a base of the Complexion Rescue gel, a dab of concealer over any blemishes, a light dusting of bronzer and quick sweep of mascara and I’m out the door!
And in case you need a little help in the makeup department, bareMinerals also recently created a video of a 3-minute makeup routine for busy moms featuring the cutest little girl, which you may see here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzV0J1FVMig
- Don’t Look At My Phone Right Away
It’s so, so tempting to grab my phone and immediately check my email and start working on blog-related stuff the minute I wake up, but then my whole morning routine is fouled up since I’m pretty sure it’s impossible for me to check my phone and put it down after a minute or two in the morning. I try hard not to check my phone until after I’ve brushed my teeth, put on my workout clothes and brewed a much-needed cup of coffee. Looking at my phone almost always makes me feel a little overwhelmed by everything I want and need to do in the day ahead, so waiting even five minutes to check in after I wake up allows me to breathe and ease into the morning a bit.
- Make A Daily To-Do List
This is a huge one for me! Do I get everything done I want to on a daily basis? No, but a list helps keep me on track and allows me to feel a sense of accomplishment when I check things off my list! I also try to prioritize my lists so the items at the top of my list are “must dos” related to blog work that need to get done and items after that trickle down in importance. Lists help prevent that frazzled feeling for me and keep me on track and organized (well, as much as life working from home with a 10-month-old will allow, anyway).
Question of the Day
Now I’d love to hear about your mornings and little things you do every day to make your mornings feel a little less hectic!
- What is one thing you do to help streamline your morning routine?
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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of bareMinerals. The opinions and text are all mine. Thank you so much for your support. I truly appreciate it!!
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Much of my routine is the same as yours. The night before I also double check the calendar to prepare the next days to do list. I set out book bags, shoes, coats, have lunches packed and ready. We even set all clothes out which is a huge help. I also set out my running clothes, shoes and ear buds. When I don’t, it’s too easy to hit snooze and go back to sleep if it feels like a ‘chore’ to get ready. When I know its out and ready, I always go for my run, and half way through it I’m so glad I did. All the prep the night before makes my day go so much better. Bad prep = a bad day for me. My to do list and calendar are probably most crucial for me. I haven’t found a dry shampoo I like yet, I’ll have to give that one a try.
Dry shampoo is great! I use the Kenra brand and LOVE it – it also smells great! To keep my morning streamlined, I pack mine and my husband’s lunches at night (or Sunday’s for the week if I’m extra organized!) and pack my gym bag and work items in my car the night before! If I have to pack my gym bag in the morning, I often forget something crucial – tennis shoes, sports bra, socks, or the WORST – headphones! 🙂
I’ve heard great things about Kenra! I loooove Living Proof dry shampoo but would love to give Kenra a try!
I have to be at work by 5:45 so prepping the night before is crucial! I set the coffee pot to turn on automatically, have my clothes in the bathroom, my lunch is packed and in the fridge to grab, and my breakfast is as ready as I can make it-blender out or pan on stove.
Wow! That’s definitely an early work day start time. I love your tips! An automatic coffee pot sounds crucial. 🙂
I have a one cup coffee brewer, and it takes several minutes for it to heat up enough to brew my morning coffee. I recently took the time to figure out the auto-on function of it and have set it to turn on about 5 minutes before my alarm goes off and it’s made a huge difference! I don’t need to remember to turn it on right away, and it’s ready to brew coffee as soon as I get up for the morning!
I also love a prep ahead breakfast- keeps me sane and for some reason, I’m more excited to hop out of bed knowing I have a delicious breakfast waiting for me! I also need to write out a to-do list and love my Happiness Planner because it’s a daily reminder of my to-dos so I stay on track! On a different note, I adore your off-the-shoulder crop top and skirt combo! Where are they from? You have great style!
My must do is packing my gym bag before bed and I need to get better at packing more of my lunch (non-refrigerated items) as well. I swear everything takes 5 times longer in the morning. In college I put the measuring cup, bowl, spoon, oatmeal container on the counter before I went to sleep, I should do that again!
Trying to remember to wash bottles and make them ahead of time for daycare is huge for us, otherwise we’re rushing around in the mornings and it takes forever to get out the door!
I about to start a bullet journal. I am hoping it will incorporate my planner, calendars, to do lists. etc. all in one tidy journal. You can google it but the best webpage that I have found for it is…..
ww.thelazygeniuscollective.com/blog/how-to-bullet-journal
Prepping food the night before, avoiding the phone and wearing a hair tie on my wrist when I go to sleep is SUCH a life saver. I also wear workout clothing to bed sometimes so I can just go straight to my exercise when I wake up!
I love the idea of not checking your phone right away. I need to work on this!
If I am planning a morning run, I sleep in my workout clothes and set anything I can’t sleep in (keys, shoes, headphones) by the door so it is easy to get out and go. Also, as others have mentioned, prepping kids lunches, packing bags, and setting out clothes the night before help mornings run smoother. With two kids in daycare + two adults working out of the house, evening routines are crucial to a successful morning!
Loved that you had blog posts everyday this week. It was great to check the blog and have something new to read everyday.
Thank you, Kari! I actually *almost* always post Monday through Friday! 🙂 Saturdays and Sundays are the two days I don’t usually post!
Great tips! Where is that adorable off the shoulder blue top from!? It is so pretty!
Two things here : 1. I just bought the same exact water table for my 3 YO and 18 month old. So far so good. I think Chase will love it 🙂 2. I have 0 beauty routine, and am never one to go to ulta or even the beauty aisle in CVS, BUT this Bare Minerals complexion cream actually caught my eye, and I’m tempted to purchase some. Thanks!
I’m so glad to hear your little one likes the water table!! 🙂 And the complexion cream really is great! Super lightweight and great for someone who isn’t into a full face full of makeup look!
I’ve been making quick egg white scrambles the night before (minus the cooking par) and putting all of my ingredients into a Tupperware so in the morning I can just pour into a sprayed pan. Super easy!
Also- Julie, can you tell me where your off-the-shoulder crop top is from? It’s adorable!
Picking out my clothes the night before has saved me so much time in the morning! I’ll usually check the weather, choose clothes accordingly, and lay out everything before heading to bed! It has saved me so much time, especially on work days because I don’t have to scramble around for my uniform. 🙂
I try to do as much as I can the night before so that mornings are only about the most minimal of tasks. I basically get up, and get dressed, and that’s all I have to do. Everything else (including breakfast or lunch or both) is already done. If I’m at home, I spend my time leisurely enjoying my start of day activities, and don’t jump into anything productive until I feel awake enough!
Loved these ideas! I am the same with my phone…it is so tempting but I try to not grab for it first thing in the morning!
These are such great tips. I need to start making daily lists- I get so overwhelmed with the ‘to-do’s’ in a day sometimes, and with three little gals under 4 and life on a farm, guaranteed things get thrown in the mix and I’m still learning to go with the flow!
I tried out the rosehip seed oil because of your post and love it! I cancelled my order of a way more expensive product and am so happy for that.
While I’m not great at breakfast prep the day before, I often set out some toys or set up a ‘scene’ using the girls toys so it’s the first thing they see and gravitate to- keeps the asking for tv to a minimum and gives me a few mins to get the house in order !