A productive morning begins with a purposeful evening. When I take the time to gear up for the morning, this helps me wind down for the night. Here are 10 evening tips you can use for successful morning – each take less than 15 minutes to do! You can even incorporate these tips into your evening routine.

Tip #1:

Tie up loose ends. Even if you didn’t get your to do list done today (and let’s face it, most of us don’t complete everything on the list), make a conscious effort to reserve time to do those items at another time. This will give you peace of mind and permission to begin your evening routine.

Tip #2:

Reflect on your morning needs. Write down your plan for the next day. This will take the worries of the morning away so you can get a good night’s sleep, and help you wake up with a sense of purpose and order.

Tip #3:

Prepare your lunch for the next day. A healthy lunch is easier to eat when you have healthful items packed and ready to go! Not sure where to start? Check out my post on healthier lunches.

Tip #4:

Set up your coffee or tea. Whatever you drink in the morning, make it easier for yourself to get hydrated by setting up what you need. Fill the kettle with water and put it on the stove, or measure out your coffee grounds. Some coffee makers are programmable to begin brewing at a certain time!

Tip #5:

Tidy up. Picking up your living space and clearing your kitchen countertops and sink will make breakfast a breeze. It can feel deflating to wake up to a messy space. In her book The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin talks about one strategy to happiness is the “evening tidy up” – taking a short time in the evening to pick up the house.

Tip #6:

Put out your clothes. Minimizing decision-making in the morning means that you have less to do and think about when you are groggy and trying to wake up. For example, setting out your workout clothes (and don’t forget socks and shoes!) gives you one less excuse to not exercise in the morning.

Tip #7:

Set a wakeup time (and a bed time). It is incredibly important to get enough sleep. Calculating a bed time and wakeup time to give you the recommended amount of sleep – 7-8 hours for adults – is incredibly important.

Tip #8:

Create an ideal sleep environment. As you wind down for the night, make sure your bedroom is dark and the temperature is set to what feels best (for me that’s 68 degrees Fahrenheit). Try blackout curtains to really make your room hospitable for sleep.

Tip #9:

Relax. Find a ritual that puts you in a relaxed mood, ready to sleep. Enjoy something as simple as bedtime tea before bed for relaxation and gentle hydration. Or, you can practice yoga – like Episode 76 from the 20 Minute Yoga Sessions Podcast: Yoga for a Good Night’s Sleep. If these don’t appeal to you, draw a warm bath and take 10-15 minutes to relax in it. You can add essential oils like lavender or muscle-soothing epsom salts for even greater relaxation.

Tip #10:

Disconnect. This is probably the most important tip of all. We know, from a recent Harvard Health Letter, that the blue light from various screens can mess with our sleep cycle. Instead of ending the day in front of a screen, turn down the lights and try writing in a journal or reading a book.

What tips do you practice during the evening for a better morning? Let us know by commenting here!

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