What would you do if could steal an extra fifteen minutes in the morning? You could squeeze in that at-home workout, actually meditate for once, spend some quality time with your kids, or tackle that niggling work task you’ve been putting off all week.
It might not sound like much, but in reality an extra fifteen minutes could completely transform your day. And it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to change your alarm clock….
1. Shower in the evening
Showering the night before is one of the easiest ways to save valuable time in your morning. Not only that, but it can become a ritual that mentally marks the end of the day and increases your body temperature — two benefits that will help you switch off and relax before bed.
2. Have breakfast on the go
The latest nutritional research from the Dietitians Association of Australia highlighted huge pitfalls for students who start school hungry. The same goes for adults — depriving yourself of a nutritious breakfast may shave off a few minutes in the morning, but that time saved is time wasted later in the day when your brain is foggy and your energy stores low.
If a sit down breakfast just won’t happen for you, keep a stash of pre-prepared breakfast options (like the new Weet-Bix GO, fruit, a coffee or yoghurt) at the office or handy so that you can eat on the go.
3. Keep curtains open
If your bedroom is equipped for it, leaving your curtains open at night can help you wake naturally and get you up and about. Waking up to sunlight is the best way to naturally set your circadian rhythms and kick your body into gear.
4. Don’t hit snooze
A recent Sanitarium Newspoll survey showed 29% of Australians[1] would opt to sleep in a little longer if they had more time in the morning, if you’re one of them, know that while a sleep-in can have its health benefits, hitting snooze doesn’t actually grant our body valuable rest. In fact, it disorients our brain chemistry and can leave you even more tired throughout the day. If you have trouble getting out of bed, place your alarm out of arm’s reach, somewhere you need to walk to. You’ll thank us later (probably after your morning coffee).
5. Double Duty your Beauty
Speed up your morning beauty routine by using double-duty beauty products like tinted moisturiser or bronzer as your eyeshadow, blush and touch-up product. Keep the leg-shaving, hair-washing, blow-drying, and in-shower masks to the evenings or weekends to minimise your morning ritual.
6. Skip the socialising
The Instagram trap is real. What starts as an innocent check in ends a half hour and a whole lot of beautiful breakfasts and workout selfies later. Don’t even start checking your social feeds or responding to your text messages until you’re out of the house and on your way.
7. Plan and pack your lunches
It could be as simple as putting your dinner leftovers in a container, or as complex as making a gourmet sandwich — in either case, prepping your lunch before the morning you’re going to eat it saves time and calories.
Rescu. Loves: Sanitarium’s delicious new Weet-Bix GO comes in a range of flavours — Wild Berry Burst, Honey and Oat Crunch, Apple Cinnamon Twist and Apricot Coconut flavour Fusion — and scores a health star rating of 3 to 3.5 across the range and is very high in wholegrain and a source of fibre. Available now from Coles supermarkets and nationwide from August. RRP$4.49
[1] The Newspoll Research was conducted in May 2015 among a total representative sample of 1261 Australians aged 18-64 years.
Sanitarium are a commercial partner of RESCU.com.au