8 things to do at night to jumpstart your morning

The success of the morning depends on the night before.

While I love my slow morning routine as much as anyone else, let’s be real – some mornings are just busier than others. I don’t always have the time to enjoy a slow morning, but I still try to make sure I have a good one.

Because I’m just one of those people who can get really grumpy (though my family would surely use another word) if something goes bad right at the start of the day. And for me, the best way to ensure a smooth morning is preparing the night before. So, these are the little things I always do to make my mornings a little less difficult (for me AND my family).

8 things to do the night before to avoid morning stress

Pack your bag //

While I don’t talk to my bag like Marie Kondo every night, I do take the time to declutter and make sure I have everything for the next day. I quickly pack it and put it on the sofa, all ready to go.

Check the weather forecast //

No weather surprises, OK? This way, you can also pack either your umbrella or your sunglasses. Chances are you’re going to need one of them, and if you don’t plan ahead, as a general rule it’ll be always the one you accidentally left at home.

Plan your outfit //

How come most existential wardrobe crises happen in the morning? When the carefully selected and curated collection just suddenly turns on you and offers absolutely no options at all? Been there, done that. To avoid this, I try to plan my outfits the night before. Even if I don’t go all the way to lay them out, I at least try to come up with an idea of what I’m going to wear to save precious morning moments. Check the weather, check your daily program, and select your outfit. Also, it’s much better to realize the shirt you wanted to wear needs ironing or it’s desperately lacking a button the night before, rather when you’re already in a rush.

Prepare breakfast //

If you’re one of those people who cannot think about eating at least for 3 hours after waking up – I’m with you. No coffee? No way. No breakfast? Shrugs. But this is a very bad habit I’ve been trying to change for a long time. One of the main reasons most of us skip breakfast is that we’d rather spend that valuable time on something else in the morning. So, plan ahead. My cooking skills are somewhat limited, but even I can manage an overnight oats. Just mix together some oats, a yoghurt, milk, honey, chia seeds and put it in the fridge the night before. It literally takes 45 seconds. Throw in some fruits in the morning and you’re good to go.

This is the time to write lists //

I’m not a big fan of writing to do lists in the morning or at the start of the workday – I much prefer to do them the night before. It’s a way to recap my day, to see what I managed to do and what still needs to be done, and plan my next day accordingly. I can also mentally go through and prepare for any programs, meetings, events, or after work activities (going out, chores, gym etc). I feel much more focused, productive, and in control this way.

Plan your wakeup and forget the snooze button //

The snooze button is not your friend at all. It is actually bad news all around. It delays the inevitable, is incredibly annoying, and usually just simply makes you oversleep and there goes the whole nice morning idea. I usually wake up naturally around 6.30-7am, but even if I don’t, I never use the snooze option. Set your alarm around 1,5 hours before you have to leave. In my experience, that is ample time to fully wake up, get prepared comfortably – even for 20 minutes reading or news scrolling with your coffee. And put your phone out of easy reach. It’s a simple trick, but can be quite effective.

Clean – just a little //

I don’t mean a full cleaning session each night, but fill the dishwasher, put away the dinner remains, and clean the critical decluttering points of your home (aka one of the smart hacks and secrets of minimalist homes). It really makes a difference when the first thing you see in the morning is a nice, clean living room and not something that looks like a battleground.

Unwind //

The last, but most important thing to do? Unwind. Relax. Create a nice evening routine and let your body and mind recharge. No emails, no work, use this time to do what makes you happy – whether it be reading, spending time with friends or your partner, a nice bath, or some Netflix. How do you expect your mind to be in top form if you never let it rest?

How do you prepare for the morning?

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