Morning Rush

It's back to school/work this week, y'all! Are you all geared up and ready? I think I am...... NOT!! :p

Going back to work means getting back to a normal, tedious routine - work, sleep, eat, more work, eat more and more sleep, and less fun. No more late nights or morning sleep ins. With family, work and social commitments, it's no surprise that we feel that life is spiralling out of control. You have to wake up as early as 5 in the morning to get ready for work, and when you finally arrive at work, you feel frazzled, and not to mention, your attitude at work and work performance are also affected by the morning chaos at home. Sound familiar? Here are a few ideas to help make your mornings a little less stressful.

The key to manage those crucial morning hours is PRIOR PREPARATION. There, I've said it. As much as we hate to admit it, most of us do better with a routine. For instance, go to bed earlier each night so that you'll feel more refreshed to start the day. It also helps to set your alarms 5 to 10 minutes ahead. This works wonderfully for me. It may be psychological but it certainly keeps me on schedule. 

Next, prepare all the items you bring to work like your work bag, handbag/wallet, mobile phone, laptop, water tumbler etc. etc. before you sleep in one place. You can also use sticky notes on the mirror as a reminder like I do, too.  By doing so, you'll avoid the hassle of trying to track everything down as you're trying to get out the door. 

In addition, it is also wise to plan your outfits in advance. Usually I'll spend some time on Sunday to plan/iron my clothes for the whole week. Besides preventing frantic dressing/ironing in the morning, it also saves electricity. Kalau malas nak iron banyak-banyak baju at one go, iron/put out the clothes you'll be wearing the next morning on the night before at the very least.

Next, if you're a breakfast person like I do (or a parent preparing breakfast for the family), get the ingredients/food ready the night before and put the kettle on before you hit the shower. My mom always does this before she leaves for work and I find it very practical for a morning without rushing. For instance, if she wants to make nasi goreng for breakfast, she gets all the bawang, ayam or ikan bilis and sayur ready in the fridge the night before, so pagi tu terus goreng je.. kan senang plus jimat masa! If you're single or you're on the run, opt for a light breakfast instead. Keep some bread, jam, cereal, cheese, fruits or biscuits handy. 

All in all, failing to plan is planning to fail. You'll be surprised how fast things get done and how much more peaceful it is in the morning once you've established your routine. Not only is your life simpler, but you've also started the day with purpose and focus!

p/s: If you're married, it certainly helps having your spouse to share morning tasks so that you don't bear all the responsibility! ;)