How long is your morning routine? Whether it’s that you never seem to be on time and are sick of rushing around or you want to make more time in your mornings for that yoga session, or you just want to hit the snooze button a couple more times, we all want more time in the AM – without looking a complete mess. With a baby who still gets up in the middle of the night and a husband who travels frequently I’ve learned some tips and tricks to streamline my morning to help it go as smoothly as possible and so I can sleep as late as possible!
Learning how to streamline your morning routines and get ready at double-time is a worthwhile skill to have whether you have children or not. Here are some quick tips to get you on your speedy way:
Cut Down Your Hair Prep Time
If you wash your hair in the shower every morning, then the chances are that you spend a big chunk of your time drying and styling your locks, especially if you have thick hair like me. But there are ways to cut down the time in all this takes. First of all, make sure you’re using the right products for your hair type. It sounds obvious, but if you have fine hair and you’ve overloaded it with too rich a shampoo and conditioner, you’re probably spending way too much time styling any life back into it when it looks limp afterwards. There are guides to matching your hair type like this one – click here to visit website. Another tip is to invest in a micro-fiber hair towel. These are super absorbent which cuts down drastically on time spent with the hairdryer – and heat damage to your hair, meaning less styling needed as well! I actually shower at night, use a micro-fiber hair towel while getting ready for bed, let it air dry the rest of the way, then straighten and curl my hair in the morning (see my review of it here). It takes less time and using less heat on my hair helps it stay healthy. A win-win!
Try Multitasking Makeup
When time is limited, you need the products you use to work hard for you – so make sure your make-up is doing double duty. A multipurpose base that covers many skin needs and works for you is always worth having –something like IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ cream does the work of an anti-aging serum, high-factor sunscreen and foundation in one. With a higher coverage foundation, you may not even need a concealer. Similarly, you can double up and use a bronzer as a neutral eyeshadow, and a pinkish-nude lipstick can double as a cream blush. Add in a quick swipe of mascara and you’re done!
Develop a Work Capsule Wardrobe
How much time do you waste on an average morning trying to put an outfit together, only to find that the top you need is still in the laundry basket waiting to be washed or that skirt just hasn’t been ironed? Even if you are super-organized, putting an outfit together still eats up precious minutes. Claw some back by cutting down on options with a capsule wardrobe. First, start by picking a color palette –two or three neutrals and a couple of accent colors is easiest. The goal is that each separate should go with anything else in there, so no matter what you pull out, it goes together. Stock around 15 classic pieces, well-made items likeblazersand refresh your look using accessories. Take a look at this guide to pulling together the ultimatework capsule wardrobe. I also recommend setting out your outfit the night before and doing any ironing that needs to be done. It really helps to cut down the time spent in front of your closet picking out your outfit for the day.
Grab Breakfast to Go
If it’s eating that slows you down, or you find yourself reaching for a sugary take-out muffin, make mornings easier on your diet, purse and time by prepping a few easy, on-the-move breakfasts. Consider a meal replacement shake as part of your morning routine so that you can take breakfast with you on the go! The dietary supplements by Morning Complete come highly rated as you can see by the reviews! This is a quick, easy, and convenient alternative when you simply don’t have the time to prepare a breakfast. You could also try this no-bake breakfast protein bar recipe or simply buy some frozen fruit and stick it in the blender with a scoop of Greek yogurt and some juice and you have a healthy delicious smoothie that you can run out of the house with! While I like to eat breakfast with my daughter, it always helps to have some on-the-go options just in case we accidentally sleep in or if we are moving a little slower than usual some mornings! I often ask her what she would like for breakfast the night before so I can start prepping it while she is asleep or getting ready. Otherwise she can take quite a while to decide!
I hope these tips help you to shave minutes off your morning routine and maybe even squeeze in a few extra minutes of sleep each day!
