Mornings can be rough. Sometimes, before I even open my eyes, I see my morning to-do list scrolling faster than I can read. I jolt up in a panic and start my days in one of the worst ways possible: in a rush. Getting bogged down with my tasks in the morning leads to me hitting the traffic I try my best to get ahead of, getting to work more stressed than I should be, and spending the day in a rotten mood. After doing this for years, I decided to take action!

I found that moving some morning tasks to the night before goes a very long way! I began experimenting with overnight breakfasts and meal prep, creating a cleaning schedule, and even bringing out the slow cooker so I don’t have to rush to make a healthy lunch.

Here are some nighttime hacks that’ll help make your mornings a little more chill.

1. Cut Veggies and Fruits For Your Smoothie

I didn’t realize how much time cutting fruits and veggies took until I decided to it at night. In a sealable container or freezer bag, I cut up celery, kale, carrots, and seasonal fruits (mostly strawberries, blueberries, bananas, or whatever I can get my hands on) and pop ‘em in the fridge. In the morning I simply toss ‘em in the blender, add Greek yogurt and apple juice, blend, and then clean up!

 

2. Get Your Coffee Ready

Whether you’re a french press type of person or reliant on your coffee maker for that fresh cup of joe in the morning, you can get some prep work done at night. If you don’t already have ground beans, you could grind ‘em up and portion them out into airtight containers to avoid the daunting task of measuring coffee first thing in the morning. If you have a coffee maker, your life can be even easier! I highly recommend that you use the auto-brew function, which is available on almost any coffee maker on the market. There’s nothing better than walking into the kitchen to a fresh pot of coffee already brewing.

 

3. Make/Pack Your Lunch

I cannot stress this enough. Pack. Your. Lunch. At. Night. If making and packing lunch is one of those things you do if you “have time in the morning,” then packing your lunch the night before will save you both time and money. It’s one less thing to do in the morning, and it’s a guarantee that you won’t go hungry in the middle of the day and have to buy lunch. They don’t have to take very long to make either; follow our guide to make quick, healthy lunches that’ll keep both you and your wallet full.

 

4. Overnight Oats

Breakfast in a jar may seem odd, but it’s incredibly functional! One of the most popular breakfast-in-a-jar recipes is overnight oats. This on-the-go breakfast is perfect for those who aren’t ready for a meal first thing in the morning, but hungry the second they step into the office. Simply take some rolled oats, almond milk, and chia seeds, mix ‘em in a jar, and pop it in the fridge. Then in the morning, top it off with some fresh fruit and you’re all set! Check out these 5 tasty overnight oat recipes!

 

 

5. Set Out Your Clothes

In my sleepy morning state picking out a an outfit that I feel like wearing can be a frustrating experience. Somehow my ability to easily pick a shirt and pant combo that go together doesn’t seem to kick in until later in the day. Maybe you don’t have this struggle, but it can still save time to have a outfit that’s set out and ready to go.

 

6. Clean Your Kitchen!

With making food, you also have to think about the mess. Waking up to find all the dishes you need in the morning are sitting in your sink is an absolute anxiety inducing nightmare. Cleaning and putting away all my dishes the night before reduced a lot of my morning stress. Even if you’re tired and just want to crawl into bed, tough it out. Morning you will thank you!

 

7. Pack Your Bag

You already made your lunch, now put it in a bag that’s easy to grab from the fridge. Gather any other things you might need for your day and put them in your bag. Are you going to hit the gym? Set out the gear you need. I am way more likely to forget something crucial (like yoga pants…) if I grab things quickly in the morning. Having your bag ready to go is easier and saves time in the morning!

 

Start each morning off right by following using these simple tips. Imagine no longer having to rush out of your house with no coffee, breakfast, or lunch simply because you did roughly 30-60 minutes of work the night before. It’s a lot easier than you think!

Have any tips that make mornings easier that you’d like to share? Comment below!