How to Get Ready in the Morning

Co-authored by Lucy Yeh

Last Updated: February 25, 2023 References Approved

Do you hate getting up in the morning? Do you wish you had a fool-proof plan to make yourself look great and more importantly, feel great in the morning? Do you wish your parents would stop nagging you to get up earlier? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you're in the right place. This article will show you how to do it all.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Preparing at Night

1
Go to bed at a reasonable time. Most studies suggest that teenagers should get between 8-10 hours of sleep per night in order to function best.^{[1]
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Research source}It mostly depends on you. Some people can function on 7 hours while others need 11 hours of sleep.
2
Set your alarm. A lot of people like radio alarm clocks. It's always great to have your favorite song to wake you up in the morning.
- A lot of people need about an hour to get up, get dressed and eat breakfast. If you take a shower in the morning, reserve at least 30 minutes to an hour for showering and blow drying your hair.
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3
Gather what you need for the next day. You'll probably need different items to get through your day. A purse, a backpack, homework, books, paperwork: you name it. Make sure that you've gathered everything that you need. Staying organized is very important.^{[2]
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Research source}
- It can help a lot to make a list of everything that you'll need daily and then leave yourself post-it notes for the unusual items that you need to remember (like a class project).

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Adding Time in the Morning

1
Wake up. Try to get up as soon as your alarm sounds. It's hard, but try.
2
Use the bathroom first. Do everything you need to do in the bathroom before you get dressed. It's less messy. Take a shower if you didn't shower the night before.
3
Get dressed. Wrap a towel around your hair to get it started drying and then start getting dressed. Pick out your outfit for the day and then put it on. If you have to share a bathroom with a lot of people, it might be a good idea to get dressed in your room, so that someone else can have a turn with the bathroom.
- Try to choose a layered outfit, if you can, because that will let you easily adjust to temperatures throughout the day.
- If you need help choosing what to wear, wikiHow can help.
4
Commence your grooming routine. With your clothes on, start going through the rest of your grooming routine. This is what takes the longest for most people, so it’s important to look for ways to reduce the amount of time you spend grooming. Look for products that will save you time, like a combined moisturizer and foundation cream.^{[3]
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Research source} You should also think about what grooming activities you can cut. Some things might seem important, but are really unnecessary, like applying a lot of makeup. To get ready, you can do things like:^{[4]
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Expert Source

Lucy Yeh
Life Coach
Expert Interview. 21 November 2019.}
- Brush your teeth.
- Take care of your skin.
- Do your hair.
- Do your makeup (if you wear makeup).
- Shave your face if you are a guy or you can pluck your eyebrows if you are a girl
5
Do your hair and, if you wear it, apply makeup after getting dressed. Some people object to applying makeup before getting dressed, because you might get makeup on your clothes, but as long as you're careful you should be okay. Besides, you'll smudge your makeup pulling your shirt on.
6
Eat breakfast. If you have time to (and you should make the time), eat breakfast before you start to get ready. Telling you that breakfast is the most important meal of the day is clichéd and actually wrong^{[5]
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Research source}, but eating a healthy breakfast will help wake you up and get your mind nice and sharp for the day.^{[6]
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Expert Source

Lucy Yeh
Life Coach
Expert Interview. 21 November 2019.}
- Eat something simple like a cereal bar to save time. Or, If your feeling extra motivated, make a nice hearty breakfast! If your in school and have a test that day, a nice breakfast is always good for your brain!
7
Get out the door! You're ready to go. Try to leave a few minutes earlier than you think you need to. This will help keep you from getting stressed and keep you prepared for when things don't go according to plan.
- One trick is to set the clock next to your front door, so that it is about 10 minutes fast. This will help motivate you out the door.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Adjusting Your Routine

1
Wake up earlier. If you really want your morning to run smoothly, one of the best things that you can do is to wake up earlier. This sounds awful, but it doesn’t have to be as bad as it sounds. Even waking up just 15 minutes earlier can buy you that extra time you need so that you are not reenacting a 1980s teen movie every morning. If you can manage to get yourself up even earlier you might have time for a nice slow breakfast or even some entertainment to help you wake up. All in all, you will find that waking up earlier can lead to a much less stressful day.
- Move the alarm clock if you are finding it hard to stop hitting the snooze button. Plug your alarm clock in across the room or get an alarm clock that is harder to turn off. Both will help you in getting out of bed.^{[7]
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  Research source}
- Fit in exercise. If you can save yourself some time in the morning, it’s a good idea to ease into exercising as soon as you get up. Just a little light activity can get you feeling more awake and alert than a cup of coffee and it won’t have the crash feeling that comes with caffeine.
- Now, if you don’t get a lot of sleep, you might need to adjust for this by going to bed earlier too. However, if you get the recommended 8 hours a day or more, you might actually want to consider sleeping less. Did you know that oversleeping can make you feel tired and groggy all day too?
2
Eat breakfast in the car. Eating breakfast in the car can save you time, especially if you spend a lot of time sitting in traffic. “But what about driving” you ask? Just be sure to take travel-friendly foods and only eat them when you are stopped at a light or in traffic. Choose a healthy option with lots of protein and you will have a great start to your day.
- You can try making apple and cheese quesadillas. Place a whole grain tortilla on a plate and top with cheese and thinly sliced apples. Top with another tortilla and place in the microwave for 30 seconds, to melt the cheese. Slice and your breakfast is ready to go.
- You can also make a healthy smoothie. Mix low-fat milk, vanilla yogurt, apples, and a little bit of kale into a blender. Stick it in a to-go cup and you’re road ready. This is a healthy meal and you can make 2-3 days worth of smoothie at once.
- Another thing you can do is make a quick 5 minute oatmeal bowl. It fits in a storage able container!
3
Try showering at night. Showering at night can save you time in the morning. This is especially helpful if a lot of people share your house. You’ll have less of a fight for the bathroom and you can sleep in just a little later in the morning if you want to. You can even style your hair a little before bed, which means your hair will only need a little fixing when you get up in the morning.
- You can also use dry shampoo either at night or in the morning if you want to buy yourself some more time. You should still shampoo your hair at least once or twice a week, but dry shampoo can save you some time, especially on particularly busy days.
4
Switch to waxing or stop shaving altogether. Shaving your legs or face can take a lot of time. You might want to consider not doing these things, especially when you know you’re going to have a really busy few weeks or months. For men, keeping a well-groomed beard is just as professional as a clean-shaven face. For women, even skirt weather does not have to mean hair-free legs. Just wear opaque tights or leggings. You will be perfectly stylish and you can save yourself that extra 15 minutes in the morning.
5
Double up where you can. Find opportunities to double up on morning activities. For example, you can brush your teeth while the water for you warms up. You can put on some clothes and do some grooming activities while you sit on the toilet. Do some of your makeup while your hair straightener heats up. There's lots of chances to make use of the time during your morning routine.

Expert Q&A
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Question

What if I always wake up feeling rushed in the morning?

Lucy Yeh
Career & Life Coach
Lucy Yeh is a Human Resources Director, Recruiter, and Certified Life Coach (CLC) with over 20 years of experience. With a training background with Coaching for Life and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) at InsightLA, Lucy has worked with professionals of all levels to improve the quality of their careers, personal/professional relationships, self marketing, and life balance.

Lucy Yeh

Career & Life Coach

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

The easiest thing you can do is get up earlier. I'd recommend using that time to prepare for your day. Plan out what you you're going to do with the day, even if your plan is no plan at all.
Question

What should I eat in the morning?

Lucy Yeh
Career & Life Coach
Lucy Yeh is a Human Resources Director, Recruiter, and Certified Life Coach (CLC) with over 20 years of experience. With a training background with Coaching for Life and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) at InsightLA, Lucy has worked with professionals of all levels to improve the quality of their careers, personal/professional relationships, self marketing, and life balance.

Lucy Yeh

Career & Life Coach

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

I'd recommend something light and healthy. Fresh fruit, veggies, or something green. Even throwing some herbs on your eggs will help.
Question

What should I do if I have extra time in the morning?

Lucy Yeh
Career & Life Coach
Lucy Yeh is a Human Resources Director, Recruiter, and Certified Life Coach (CLC) with over 20 years of experience. With a training background with Coaching for Life and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) at InsightLA, Lucy has worked with professionals of all levels to improve the quality of their careers, personal/professional relationships, self marketing, and life balance.

Lucy Yeh

Career & Life Coach

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

I'm a big fan of cleaning up and putting your home in order if you have the time in the morning. That way, when you come home, you'll walk in to a clean and organized home. It will just feel so much better.