eliminate the morning rush

Whether you are married or single, have children or no children, getting ready in the morning can be very challenging to say the least. Putting a little routine into the day can make all the difference in turning a chaotic morning into one that is calm, smooth and more streamlined.

1. Prepare lunches; pack your purse, briefcase, backpack, duffel bag, etc; and plan out your wardrobe the night before!

2. Coordinate bathroom schedules with the people you live with.

3. Consider getting a low-maintenance haircut. Did you ever time yourself to see how long it takes you to do your hair in the morning?

4. Invest in a coffee maker with an automatic timer. Set out your insulated travel mug near the coffee maker so you are ready to take a cup of coffee on the road with you.

5. If you have young children, use the morning television programs strategically. Save a favorite program as a reward for when clothes are on, breakfast has been eaten and all of their things are ready to go.

6. Wake up earlier. This may not be something you want to do, but it doesn't have to be much earlier, say 15 minutes. To make up the difference, consider going to bed a little earlier as well. Remember that getting a good night's sleep is very important in helping to give you that good start to your day.

Put these tips into practice and you might even start to look forward to the morning rush…or maybe not…but at least you will have less stress!

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