How often do you wake up in the morning and want to snuggle back under the covers to get more sleep? Or, maybe you decide to scroll through your phone to see what’s happened in the world during the night? The next thing you know, you’ve been laying in bed for an extra couple of hours. Does this happen to you a little too often?
If you’re like me, when you finally get out of bed, it’s more than a little challenging to get moving and be productive for the day. As my mother would say, you just lollygag around all day when you don’t get up and get ready for the day!
In this article, we’re going to examine the many benefits of getting ready for the day as soon as your alarm goes off every morning. Stop pushing that snooze button! Your morning routine can make a difference in your productivity, confidence, happiness, and more. So let’s discover the many reasons ‘why getting ready for the day is important?‘
Getting Ready for the Day Meaning
What does it mean to get ready for the day? You’re probably not going to find an exact definition in a dictionary, but there are characteristics that support what it looks like to get ready for the day. Let’s examine some.
Getting ready for the day means you start your day by getting out bed at a regular time and follow a morning routine that leads to a productive day. You train your brain to rise and shine in preparation for a great day!
You don’t turn off the alarm or hit the snooze alarm a half dozen times. You don’t scroll through social media. In fact, you shouldn’t scroll through social media at night either because it can be bad for your health!
You get dressed every morning as part of your regular routine because getting dressed in the morning holds the key to productivity. It also helps you maintain your routine and focus on tasks that need to be accomplished throughout your day.
No two people will have the same morning routine, but the important part is waking up and getting ready for the day. Otherwise, time slips by and you can waste away the entire day. How many times have you done that?
A healthy morning routine sets the tone for your whole day. It helps you get energized, focused, and ready to tackle whatever comes your way. So imagine something like this:
- Wake up at a consistent time to help establish your internal clock.
- Have a tall glass of water to jumpstart your metabolism.
- Do some stretches or light exercise to increase blood flow and wake up your muscles.
- Eat a balanced and nutritious breakfast with foods from all the food groups.
- Practice mindfulness or meditation to calm your mind, reduce stress, and increase focus.
- Take care of your personal hygiene (brushing your teeth, washing your face, taking a shower, doing your make-up, etc) so you feel refreshed and ready to face the day.
- Get dressed. Don’t forget to accessorize because it will help boost your self-confidence and mood.
- Get some natural light by opening your curtains or windows.
- Take a few minutes to review your schedule, prioritize tasks, plan your day, make a to-do list, pack your lunch, etc.
- Spend time with loved ones (family, friends, or even pets) to boost your mood.
In summary, getting ready for the day generally refers to the process of preparing yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally to face the day ahead. It involves a series of activities (like those above:) that help you feel awake, refreshed, and mentally prepared to tackle your responsibilities each day. Rise and shine with confidence, motivation, style… and a SMILE!
Getting Ready for the Day Helps Boost Your Confidence
Taking time for your morning routine will give you time to focus on YOU every day. Use this morning time to make yourself feel beautiful and accomplished. Empower yourself for whatever comes your way each day.
Even if you have no place to go, grooming and getting dressed will help you feel more energized and confident. It will make you feel better about yourself when you walk by a mirror.
In fact, proper hygiene and grooming is an important aspect of our daily lives. It greatly impacts how you feel about yourself and how others perceive you. When you take time to groom yourself well, such as styling your hair, applying make-up, and wearing clothes that make you feel confident, it positively impacts your self-esteem.
Feeling put-together and well-groomed boosts your confidence, which in turn can positively impact your interactions with others, your performance at work or school, and your overall mood. You come to truly believe in yourself.
When you feel good about your appearance, you increase your self-assurance, self-esteem, and develop a more positive outlook about your abilities. Therefore, taking time to get ready for the day can be a simple yet powerful way to boost your confidence and set the stage for a successful day.
A Morning Routine Supports Your Health & Wellbeing
Getting ready for the day is not just about looking good and being stylish. It’s also about supporting your mental health and wellbeing . A good morning routine helps reduce stress and cultivate a positive mindset.
With a good morning routine, you allow yourself enough time to do what needs to be done in the morning and become empowered to SMILE your way through the day!
Rather than get tangled in a bunch of chaos before you barely open your eyes in the morning, you wake up with the alarm clock at the regular time, move through your morning tasks in a routine manner without hiccups, and get on your way with pride — if you are organized and follow-through with your morning routine each day.
It sets the tone for the rest of the day and positively impacts your mental health. It’s a form of self-care. Taking care of yourself in the morning can truly make a difference in how you feel throughout the day.
Getting ready in the morning can also have a positive impact on your relationships and social life. When you make time to groom yourself, you will feel more confident and prepared for all social interactions. Whether you are at work, or home talking on the phone to a friend, you’ll feel more relaxed and comfortable with the interaction.
Your commitment to grooming and hygiene, as well as accessorizing can lead to more meaningful connections with others. When you feel good about yourself on the outside, you feel more comfortable and confident on the inside. This can help enhance your relationships and improve your social health.
So, why wait? First thing every morning, wake up to a healthy morning routine and experience the benefits for yourself. It’s not just about looking good, it’s about feeling good and being the best version of yourself!
NOTE: Part of waking up and getting ready for the day with motivation, confidence, and energy is getting enough sleep. That subject is for another article, but it’s nonetheless important to your morning routine. Be sure to get 7-8 hours of sleep a night so you can manage your morning routine with ease and a SMILE:)
Increase Productivity & Efficiency with a Good Morning Routine
Now that you know some of the many benefits of getting ready for the day, let’s look closer at how it can help you be more productive and efficient. Let’s start by thinking about a morning routine that works well for you!
I’ve never liked to shower at night, and I’ve always washed my hair every day, so I need to plan for these things in my morning routine. In fact, I can count on one hand how many times in my 30+ year teaching career that I went to work without showering and washing my hair.
These are the kind of things you need to consider when you are developing your morning routine so you can be efficient with your time. Go with what works best for you and combine it with a good plan for the amount of time you’ll need to get ready each day.
When you create a morning routine with these things in mind, you are getting a great start on productivity and efficiency every day.
Once you’ve established a morning routine that promotes productivity and efficiency, you’ll realize that you can start your day with a clear and focused mind. You won’t be rushing around in a frenzy each morning. And you’ll be mentally prepared to be productive throughout your day.
With a solid plan to get ready every day, you’ll also be demonstrating good time management skills that you’ll be able to carry throughout your day. It sets a positive tone for your day and helps you approach the day with a focused and organized mindset.
How Can I Get Ready Faster in the Morning?
I’m not naturally a morning person so I’ve had to develop some short-cuts over the years to get out the door in a timely manner without a bunch of chaos. Since I’m not a morning person, I don’t often have much extra time so I must be organized and know how to get ready in a limited amount of time.
For those of you who are wondering how to get ready faster in the morning, these are a few considerations for you:
- Use dry shampoo instead of washing and drying your hair every day.
- Lay out your clothes, shoes, and accessories the night before.
- Turn off all digital devices at night and don’t turn them back on until later the next day.
- Avoid or ignore distractions in the mornings.
- Learn to do your self-care practices at night instead of in the mornings.
- Wake up 15 minutes earlier every day.
- Keep your wardrobe simple so you can mix-and-match quickly.
- Simplify your make-up routine.
- Keep breakfast simple and/or prepare it the night before.
- Meal prep on Sundays so you have your lunch ready each day.
- Set your coffee machine the night before.
- Have a “shortcut” hair style for days when you’re feeling rushed.
- Put all your essentials together the night before (keys, purse, sunglasses, cell phone, etc.)
- Check the weather forecast the night before so you know what kind of outerwear you’ll need.
- Share family responsibilities with your partner and kids in the morning.