How to Hack Your Morning
I don’t know about you, but if I’ve got somewhere to be early in the morning (though my definition of early is probably different than yours), there’s usually a manic rush as I try and get everything done on time before I head out.
That rush is easy to avoid, even if you get up not long before you need to leave. It just takes a bit of planning. Here’s how to fly through your morning routine like it didn’t even happen. This is designed to capitalize on your time in the evening or night when you aren’t rushed to optimize your morning routine. The order of items is important, by the way.
Also, this is just a rough guideline with ideas on how one could set up a morning routine that’s fast and effective; there are undoubtedly thousands of hacks you could apply to make things faster, or just get more done within the same time frame.
And finally, I will say that I’m not making this up as I go along; I’ve done this before within the time allotments set out below.
Getting Out of Bed
Stick an alarm clock by your bed and another across the room (or even in another room) that goes off a minute later. The second one forces you up even if you miss the first one, and it makes the first alarm even more effective if you don’t live alone – you’ll have to turn the second alarm off before it wakes anyone else up!
Walk directly to the bathroom.
My time: ten seconds.
Showering
Grab a two-in-one shampoo and conditioner, chuck it in your hair, and use a scrubber with body wash to clean yourself up while you brush your teeth with the other hand (you can store a toothbrush and paste on the ledge of the shower wall if it’s wide enough – and if you can reach up there!). From the time you’ve got the temperature right, you can be out in 90 seconds without sacrificing any cleanliness.
My time: ninety seconds.
Getting Dressed
Jump out of the shower and dry off with the towel you put on the towel rack the night before. Your deodorant, cologne or perfume, and anything else you put on after your shower (moisturizer for the ladies, for instance) is lined up on the sink ready to be applied in rapid succession.
Your clothes for the day are lined up on a rack (or whatever you have available in the bathroom) in the order that you put them on; items that require ironing were done the night before.
You don’t need to shave, because you did that before bed—there’s nothing wrong with a bit of overnight stubble. Fortunately we live in a time when stubble is even considered trendy; I imagine this routine would be much harder in a more “clean cut” era. I don’t pretend to know about shaving one’s legs, but I imagine (and this is a wild guess) that it’s fine to shave the night before. Feel free to correct me!
Walk to the kitchen.
My time: two minutes.
Breakfast
Leave breakfast until last, because if you eat breakfast first and then start losing time, there’s not many other corners left to cut. You shouldn’t skip this important meal but it’s more expendable than a shower if you’re going to be around other people.
Some people will refuse to change their breakfast habits to make things happen faster, but in any case, it’s possible. If you eat cereal, put some in a bowl the night before and stick it in the fridge, requiring you to just add some milk and eat in the morning.
If you have a shake for breakfast, there’s no noticeable difference in taste if you prepare it before bed and stick it in the fridge until morning—in fact, the time it has to cool down will probably improve the taste.
If you eat a fairly complex breakfast, say bacon and eggs on toast with hash browns, that takes time to cook, you can get all the refrigerated ingredients on a plate. In the morning, get the plate out of the fridge and you have everything you need to start cooking; no messing around with packaging or finding an ingredient you forgot about.
I like miso soup for breakfast. Since it’s already prepared, there’s nothing easier to heat up in the microwave, and it can be eaten quickly.
My time: two minutes.
Getting Out the Door
My laptop is ready in its bag, sitting by the door; in that bag is my wallet, and on a hook by the door are my keys. My shoes are also by the door, and I can slip them on as I grab my bag. Unfortunately, I haven’t yet learned to grab the bag, slip the shoes on and get the keys all at once!
The only thing I have to grab before I leave that’s not by the door is my phone, as I charge it over night via USB in my desktop. No wasted time there, though, since I scan feeds and email for a minute or two as I eat breakfast and can take the phone with me as I go to put the bowl in the kitchen sink.
Notice I said scan and not read; it’s really just to pass the time between mouthfuls!
My time: ten seconds.
How long does it take me to get out the door on an early morning? Just under six minutes.
In short: spending fifteen to twenty minutes preparing for the morning before bed can mean you spend only five minutes getting ready in the morning. No more morning rush! Of course, I like to take my time where possible and if I’m not going to be rushed, I take the longer, more relaxed route to morning preparation.
But if I’m working late and I want to maximize my sleep without pushing back my day, this is the model I use to get my night’s work done and still get up early without feeling exhausted.
WRITER'S BIOGRAPHY
Joel Falconer
Offering a unique perspective and insight on productivity based on his experience as a writer, musician, family man and manager, Joel Falconer has been published online and off, and brings to Lifehack's readers practical advice you can use to be more efficient and effective.
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Comments
Daisy says on October 6th, 2008 at 9:53 am
I love taking my time in the morning, but then I usually don’t have much trouble listening to my alarm. I tend to take an hour to wake up, eat and get myself ready for the day.
Just one note about your guide. Switch around the shower and the breakfast or save the brushing of teeth till after breakfast. You can brush it before to give you a nice fresh feeling, but it’s kinda meant to clean your teeth after a meal, preventing tooth decay.
I shower at night before going to bed, wash my hair and everything. In the morning I just rinse off quickly, stand in the water for a minute. Hot water cleans as well (and is sometimes even better for most skintypes) as soap.
greg says on October 6th, 2008 at 10:07 am
90 second shower. That is crazy!!
Anything less than 20 minutes, you will find soap left all over.
Shanel Yang says on October 6th, 2008 at 10:30 am
I had to smile at your comment about shaving legs! : ) We usually don’t need to do that every day. It’s certainly not as burdensome as men shaving their faces.
But one important difference is that most women don’t know what they want to wear on any given day till the morning of, so laying it all out the night before can be a waste of time. That’s why it’s so important to have very well organized closet that you can see everything in at a glance and choose what you want in a few minutes. See “How to Organize Your Closet in 5 Simple Steps” at http://shanelyang.com/2008/04/.....ple-steps/
victor says on October 6th, 2008 at 10:33 am
Interesting idea, but the thought of hitting the ground running so fast first thing in the morning that I’d need to rub myself down while brushing my teeth seems too much; I don’t really want to cause myself stress first thing in the morning.
I’d rather get up 15 minutes earlier and have time to have a hot coffee with breakfast and the kids.
Jane says on October 6th, 2008 at 11:29 am
The police in the UK advise not leaving keys and wallet next to the doors – sometimes burglars break-in and do the ground floor of a house while people are asleep upstairs.
This has happened to a couple of people I know and I since keep my wallet and keys next to my bed. I tend to keep the laptop stashed out of sight too.
John says on October 6th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Are you human being?
Silke says on October 6th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
You need to add in “put on deodorant” – that’s another 10 seconds, if it’s handy.
Miguel de Luis says on October 6th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
I don’t know about everybody else but I don’t want to be that efficient. I love having breakfast, I consider shower a treat.
I’d rather wake up earlier rather that leaving those little luxuries in life.
James Frazer says on October 6th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
I agree that all preperation should be done the night before, but rushing around is just crazy. You can’t leap out of bed and expect to wake up fully within 6 minutes, otherwise you’re not fully concentrating early on at work and a danger to others if you drive.
Just get up an hour before you have to leave and enjoy a proper shower, then eat breakfast whilst reading your RSS feeds.
Nah says on October 6th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Miso soup for breakfast? Dude. That’s a drink in a bowl, not breakfast.
Kate Saltfleet says on October 6th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
That’s outrageous, I definitely need more time than that. Kudos to you if you can pull it off, though!
Joel Falconer says on October 6th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
It’s probably worth reiterating that this is not for the average morning :D. Just for when you need it.
But it is possible!
JBJ says on October 6th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
The Title of the post should have been
“GONE IN 350 SECONDS” :)
anyways…i still loved it..thanx
Steve says on October 6th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
Great post. Keeping the alarm away from the bed is the most important idea – too easy to keep hit the snooze button which is a killer for getting out of the house on time!
Pearl Alexander says on October 6th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
And then what, you barrel down the highway to your workplace like a maniac?
The best morning hack is waking up earlier, period.
Aliza Garofalo says on October 6th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
I thought I was the only one who brushed their teeth in the shower in the morning!
I also have a coffeemaker that I can fill and preset to have a hot cup ready when I go in the kitchen to feed the cats.
Teaching my 12 year old daughter to get herself ready also adds to less stress in my morning.
And as I lay on my bed after I hit the snooze button (for 7 minutes) I think about what I might want to wear that day after hearing the weather on my clock radio.
My lunch bag is on the floor in the kitchen to remind me to pack my lunch.
Anything I need to take with me in the morning (library books, sweaters to the cleaners) is propped up against my front door.
mmhan says on October 6th, 2008 at 10:55 pm
Exactly the hack I’d need for my morning!
Not really sure I could follow it exactly though.
Flo says on October 6th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
I have to say, I cannot think of a worse way to begin a new day. The routine described just wouldn’t work for me. Shampooing while scrubbing while brushing my teeth…no, I don’t think so. Don’t misunderstand me, I am NOT a morning person, not even a bit, but I would much rather set the alarm 10 minutes earlier than having to hassle like that.
The double alarm trick is a good one though !
Nicole says on October 7th, 2008 at 1:07 am
Damn, if my mornings were only that simple. But, great post – I’ll keep some of these hacks in mind.
povilas.panavas says on October 7th, 2008 at 1:57 am
Well, just wanted to remind, that you must brush your teeth after meal, in this case after breakfast. Otherwise you risk to get dental caries :(
Actually, nice plan ;)
altgrave says on October 7th, 2008 at 6:01 am
ninety seconds to soap up, rinse, AND brush your teeth…
even were this advisable (simply the brushing should go longer, as advised by dentists, and i can’t imagine how you could actually get clean in such a time), if still find it difficult to believe it possible.
sooo… video evidence, or it doesn’t happen. you can wear shorts and a t-shirt.
altgrave says on October 7th, 2008 at 6:05 am
three witnesses to the acceptable smell of body and breath would be nice, as well.
(”if still”, above, should read, “i still”)
Sonja says on October 7th, 2008 at 9:49 am
On my ‘in a hurry’ mornings I make sure to have some simple sandwich ready for on the go. Eating while walking to a bus, a car, or even while driving saves the two minutes breakfast time.
A shower is not something you need on a daily basis, every other day is plenty and much better for you skin, just wear clean clothing and use deoderant.
Now, if you’re really in a hurry, pack your toothbrush in your bag and slip off to the bathroom during a (coffee) break and brush an hour later.
When the need really arises I go from the first buzz of my alarm clock to leaving the house in under a minute.
Chris says on October 7th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
How about 10 mile drive to work: 7 minutes, or 8 hour work day: 5 hours. Neither are wise choices, but they are possible. Don’t know why this bothered me so much, maybe I need to see an article about realistic task estimation skills next.
Anonomya says on October 7th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
So THAT’s what having short hair is like. For me, it’s at least 20 minutes to blow dry (to get it to the point where I don’t look like I just got out of the shower) or an hour to air dry.
Sheryl says on October 8th, 2008 at 12:28 am
Six minutes from bed to door? Wow. I would like to see video of this routine. Seriously. I’m impressed by the efficiency, but I don’t think I could physically move fast enough in the morning to do all of those things in six minutes. You have some great suggestions about eating breakfast last and spending time the night before to get ready, which I will try to incorporate into my routine.
Anthony says on October 8th, 2008 at 7:12 am
Ah Ah! You don’t have kids :)
My morning 10 minutes in the shower is the only peace I get. The morning is chaos from then on…
pro_extra says on October 8th, 2008 at 9:16 am
Good grief! That’s ridiculous. As a nurse I work 12 and a half hour days plus a 45 minute commute either side and despite having as little as 10 hours between shifts sometimes, I could not compromise on my mornings. This, my friend, is nuts, but if it works for you, great.
Tim says on October 10th, 2008 at 10:24 am
Early to bed, early to rise, makes one healthy wealthy and wise. I wake with two hours to prepare for work. I take my time, less stressful. I cycle to work so I am not at the mercy of traffic jams. The fresh air wakes me up to and puts me in the good mood to start the day. I do a puzzle after breakfast to rate my brainpower for the day.
I don’t have kids, but if I did, they probably wouldn’t object so much to an early night, if you are leading by example.
Tuplad says on October 11th, 2008 at 9:48 am
This sound very handy :)
Lunak says on October 12th, 2008 at 10:59 am
my way for ultra-fast healthy breakfast for sigles :)
I put muesli, 2 eggs, honey, some cottage cheese, different nuts, some seeds (pumpkin, sunflower), some milk – then blend it all together and… drink.
Not perfect, but OK as for taste (sweet), and ULTRAFAST :)
My time without hurrying: 2-3 minutes :)
mitch says on October 13th, 2008 at 11:48 am
It’s probably worth reiterating that this is not for the average morning :D. Just for when you need it.
But it is possible!
if its just for special occasions, will our body be abe to remember how to do all these things that fast? and right after waking up?
maybe it needs some rehearsing. if i were to do that id probably get really anxious the night before making sure everything is set up properly.
Rod says on October 14th, 2008 at 10:01 am
Yes it does work. I however have trained my self to wake up without an alarm. Haven’t used one in 15 years. The biggest issue is just getting out of bed. Like the writer packing and preparation the night before is key.
Manisha says on October 19th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Don’t you exercise? and what about preparing lunch?
Matt Parrott says on November 12th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
Jesus Christ! Do you have a crack pipe already stuffed with crack the night before beside your alarm that you puff on with your left hand while you’re shampooing with your right hand?
LoafingOaf says on December 8th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
That’s impressive but you still could cut some time out of this, in articular in the showering and the breakfast stages.
Breakfast is easy: Just have a prepared snack and single-serving orange juice ready to grab as you dash by the fridge, and consume it in the car.
Showering: If I know I’ll be in a rush in the morning, I just make sure I thoroughly wash myself the night before. I may even soak in a bath for a bit and then shower, shampooing my hair well, shaving well. The next morning, all I gotta worry about is getting my hair wet so it’s not sticking up from bed, and brishing my teeth. I might use a wet towel to wipe my underarms before applying antiperspirant. Although one of the plusses of a shower is that it helps wake you up. But you can just throw some cold water on your face from the sink.
One thing you left out, though, is going to the bathroom. Surely you need to at least do #1 in the morning.
Also, you can have a few groomng items in the car just in case you notice something on your commute. Nail clipper, comb, listerine strips, maybe even an electric razor.
Sofia says on August 30th, 2009 at 10:27 pm
thanks for the great post! Amazing!
Skeptical says on October 12th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Am I the only one here who needs to poop in the morning? And has body hair that requires me to dry thoroughly after a shower so I don’t feel sticky/yucky after putting my clothes on? And would fall down, smack my head, and have a concussion if I tried to move that fast while only half awake? And needs coffee in the morning? Say, how many of you are human? Raise your hands.