Calling early birds! Morning routine tips? - YouLookFab Forum

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Calling early birds! Morning routine tips?

catgirl

Veteran

My new job requires me to be in and presentable at what is for me an ungodly hour. I have been wearing quick, brainless but boring outfits and not managed to accessorize, plus the same pair of shoes every day! Kind of pathetic.

I can't shower the night before as the shower is what wakes me up at all, and I have hair that can go three days without washing. I've started pulling my outfit the night before. Any other tips from early risers?

Dressing

35 replies

Latest reply was from Ornella

Parsley

Veteran

Another early riser here- by necessity of my profession, not by choice.
I need to be at work a little after 6am many days- UGH!
I'm afraid I can't give you any tips on looking good, though, because I wear scrubs, a hat, and a mask, so the only thing I do to make a difference is to put on a little eye makeup. I don't even need to brush my hair in the morning!

Sending lots of sympathy, though, because I know it's tough to combat your body's innate biorhythms.

Oh, and my only other answer is lots of COFFEE! I couldn't start my day without it!

rae

(website)

Veteran

I used to have to be at the bank at 6:30 for stock market opening. In those days, I would sometimes try on a whole week's worth of outfits over the weekend and have them hanging ready in the closet. Then if I wasn't feeling one option I could at least grab another prefab look.

From what I remember at Shoptoberfest, I don't think your makeup routine took a lot of time, but I know in those days I wore less than I do now... BB cream, blush, lipgloss, done. If I skipped an am shower, I could be out the door in 10 minutes.

Anonymous

I get up between 5:30 and 6am every day. (Today 4:30 thanks to my son). I get up, take medication (I can't eat until an hour after), and jump in the shower or take a short bath. Then I do face cream, comb hair to airdry, and brush my teeth.

I try and plan out my clothes the night before so I don't have to think about it too much. Get dressed, and put the kettle on for tea, and pack a lunch (I freeze lunch portions so all I have to do is grab one and stick it in my bag). I have breakfast while getting the kids their breakfast, pour tea, make a travel mug of tea, and then I am out the door to walk the kids to daycare and from there to the bus.

The key for me is to have that 20-30 mins in the morning where I am just on my own to wake up and get clean/dressed. That is my optimal length of time. If I don't have time for a shower, I do a quick wash at the sink with a washcloth. The biggest thing for me is getting the kids sorted -- I get stressed when they are dawdling getting dressed or their shoes on etc. In the Fall, I am going to start driving to work, so I will be going in for 7am instead of 8am, so I will have to tweak my routine a little.

Having lunch, clothes etc. done in advance is a lifesaver for me, because I am pretty much just on autopilot in the morning. Make sure anything else you need to take to work is on or by your bag the night before.

Anonymous

All of my tips revolve around one concept: Minimize the amount of choices you have to make!

- I do shower the night before and quickly wash my hair in the morning, but it sounds like that won't work for you.
- Have a streamlined hair and makeup routine.
- Try to do your work laundry on the weekends so everything is ready to go and you don't have to spend precious mornings or evenings ironing, steaming and washing.
- I don't always manage to do this, but I like picking out 5-7 outfits for the week, shoes and accessories included, and choosing from those in the morning. It feels less restrictive (and burdensome) than picking them out every night.
- Have a few FFBOs. I don't know if it works for you, but there's something to be said for having a work "uniform" or at least a few foolproof formulas.
- Honestly, having work clothes I really like -- but fewer of them -- is most helpful for me. This works for me because I don't want to make many choices in the morning!
- I LOATHE switching bags. It wastes time, and I always manage to forget something important. Choose one that's amazingly versatile and organized, and just go with it.

kkards

Veteran

well, i'm an early riser by choice, although i do not arrive at work early. i use my morning time to balance my checkbook, load/unload the dishwasher, check in on ylf, send emails etc.
but on mornings that i have to be at work early, i set the coffee maker on timer, so its done as my alarm is going off. that gets me going.

DonnaF

Veteran

Get as much out and pack as much as you can the night before. And make a list of what needs to be packed in the a.m. If you want to wear accessories, get them out, too, and stick in a baggy which in turn gets stuck on the hanger of what you plan to wear. And if it is a combo you haven't worn before, then try it on before the a.m. to make sure you like it. And per Rae, also get out a fallback outfit, esp. if the weather changes unexpectedly overnight.

If getting DS out the door is part of the equation, do the above for him, too. For those with younger kids, DD's preschool teacher used to suggest that kids wear their (clean) next day clothes to bed instead of jammies since it removed that struggle in the a.m.

ironkurtin

Veteran

It depends on your body rhythms. I find I can skip the shower if I bathe the night before and wash my face with very cold water. Then I dress. Usually I figure out generally what I want to wear the night before, but I don't lay it out or anything. While the kiddo eats breakfast and gets ready, I eat a small amount of lean protein (nuked eggs, or some salmon) and pack her lunch. Then we are out the door. I eat a bigger breakfast with coffee after she's off.

I also don't wear makeup. This saves a lot of time TBH. If you can do it at the office, I would.

Sarah A

Veteran

I am a mess in the morning so have no advice but am enjoying the tips here! Upon thinking about it, I didnt used to be though... when I wasnt overtired I quite liked rising early to swim/run etc before work at 7:30 am. I think getting to bed at a reasonable hour is key. Although now I am guilty of staying up far too late to wind down after the kids go to sleep.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

LOTS OF TEA.

hedgiehog

Veteran

I have to be up around 6 and am generally foggy this early in the day. I have to get my two DDs out of bed and fed before school (actually, DH does most of this) so planning is key for me. I generally pack lunch, which I've prepped the night before, and have the lunch bag pre packed with cutlery and drink.
I try to plan a few outfits for the week in advance and pair the accessories as well. If I've done all my laundry and ironing at the weekend I feel like I'm ready for the week ahead. I'm a planner so I feel less stressed if I do it this way. Also, I find that I'm wearing less makeup now that I'm in my 40's so that takes a little less time too.

ETA: a giant latte is critical to all this happening!

Kristin L

Veteran

I second getting things together the night before. I (try) to have my bag packed and my lunch either ready or almost ready the night before. Good luck!

Anonymous

Yes, I drink most of a pot and take the last cup to work

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

I need to be out the door by 6:50 a.m. as my hubby and I carpool together and both need to be at work by 7:45 and we live NOWHERE near where we work.

I get up half an hour earlier than everyone else so I can shower, put on my make up (moisturizer, Bare Minerals foundation, swipe of blush and mascara), by then my hair is dry (yay for short hair!) so I put a bit of wax in it and shape it, get dressed, feed the cats, put on the coffee and quickly take my outfit pic and post it. Then I wake up hubby and the bathroom is all his. While he's getting ready, I have some breakfast and a cup of coffee. Teenage DS looks after himself in the morning. I take my own lunch every day and make that the night before.

I started planning my outfits for the week by trying on various combinations on the weekend and hanging them up in the order I'm going to wear them. This has been a LIFESAVER and actually allows me to eat some breakfast sitting down rather than shoving something into my mouth while running out to the car. And unless the weather has drastically changed, I try not to deviate from the planned outfit.

catgirl

Veteran

Thank you so much! Glad to see I'm not the only one who hates early mornings. And I still can't help being up late at night either.... These are great tips. I'm already giving some
FFBOs a test run! And laying in supplies at the office is my next step - tea, lotion, maybe a mini-flat iron. I am finding that eating out is the only way to take a break from working nonstop, but I need to pack lunch and just go sit somewhere else to eat it so I don't go broke. Thankfully DH has been getting our son up and ready for camp but I do miss seeing my little dude in the morning... Thinking that a bacon alarm clock may be necessary!

Anonymous

Alaskagirl, I don't know if you're a fan of The Office, but I'm having flashbacks to Michael's solution of cooking bacon on a George Foreman grill while he slept just 10 more minutes. Of course, that ended with him stepping on the grill and burning his foot.

http://youtu.be/X73lARR9r3Q

Anonymous

Oh, see, I had to give up late nights (I am by preference a night owl). I am in bed by 9:30pm every night. If I don't get enough sleep, my brain starts doing poorly, so it's something I have had to make a priority. If I had my druthers, I'd be up until 3am every night and sleep in until 10-11am.

MsMary

Veteran

I get EVERYTHING, from outfit to lunch to anything I need to take to work, ready the night before. Are you familiar with the concept of the "launch pad?" It's a place in your house (preferably near the door) where you put the things you need to take with you in the morning -- in my case it's purse, sunglasses, and anything that is going with me that day (e.g. package to mail, gym bag, items to return to the store). Also, I have a hook next to the door where I hang my keys, and I hang them up each and every time I come in so there is never any hunting around for them.

And I don't eat breakfast at home -- I have a stash of protein bars at the office and I eat one with my morning coffee when I get to work.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Oh, yeah, I suddenly have some 6am starts at the golf course this week. 6am for a bartender may as well be the middle of the night. Ugh.
I shower the night before and save the 15 more minutes of sleep. I need half an hour to splash my face, do 5 minutes of makeup routine, attempt a hairstyle, make coffee and breakfast (I will not leave the house without eating my egg and toast every day) and get dressed.
Maybe after a few weeks you'll be in the groove.

catgirl

Veteran

I totally remember that Office! But there is a bacon alarm clock somewhere out there!

Mary, a launch pad is a great idea. Also, I am confirming more and more that I am not a bag lady - switching out is too much for me. I did choose the Tory Burch bag that Parsley picked! Will use that to drag files around and may need to find a clutch to throw in there for the rest.

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

I shower at night, mostly to get hospital ickies off before bed. Also I'm in bed by 9:30pm every night. Yeah it sucks and it was adjustment but it's the only way I could function at work the next day.
I have a super fancy grind and brew programmable coffee maker, I set up the night before with the timer. Breakfast is literally a protein bar on the bus as I drink my coffee in a huge 20 oz stainless steel tumbler.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

http://www.amazon.com/Big-Mout.....83&sr

catgirl

Veteran

Ha! I was thinking of this:

http://bacontoday.com/waken-ba.....arm-clock/

bj1111

Veteran

duplicate all essentials for work, purse and car. this includes toothbrush/paste/floss, the minimal makeup i absolutely need, lotion.

everything i need i put in my purse and, this is the key, i don't change my purse. i have a few lippies, my dupes in a ziplock baggie, my going to work sunnies (i have duplicates for working in the garden or leaving the house without a purse). i also have multiple plugs for all my electronics so i can power up at work. this is not a morning routine per se, but it prevents me from running around at the last minute looking for the charger so i can power up at work.

i hate getting up early with a passion of a thousand suns. my driving commute does not help.

rachylou

Veteran

Omigosh. With the train strike and freeways jammed, I'm back to taking the company bus. Have to walk to the bus stop and be there well before 6:50 am, because otherwise I could get bumped the line is long long long. That's 4 hours of sleep for me, 5 tops. Brutal. I don't do schedule changes well, nor so little sleep. Woozy me lost her nano on the first day.

This is what I've been doing: If I take a shower, it's a 5-min wake-me-up (but I prefer the night before). Work bag is pre-packed. There's a checklist of essentials taped to the front door: wallet, badge, cell, insulin kit. I filled a milk bottle of pre-made coffee for the whole week - so no coffee making. Breakfast is toaster oven stuff, and lunch is "German snackies" (cold cuts, cheese, pretzel - zero prep, stuck in a container) and a pudding. And I trained the dog that it's chop-chop in the morning.

I get up, get dressed, take my shot, pack up lunch, get out the dog snacks, put breakfast in the toaster oven, and fill a sippy cup with my coffee. When I'm packed up, I put the collar on the dog, take her out, come back, grab my stuff, give the dog her wages, and am gone.

I choose my clothes in the morning, but my wardrobe is divided up. I stand in front of the work clothes section and pull from there. Make up, if any, is down to the all-in-one stick.

30 minutes is my time allotment. I feel crazed just thinking about it.

Anonymous

I am the early bird that's always late so I'll be watching this with interest.

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I have a Launch Pad system similar to MaryK. If it's not on the Pad, it's not coming with me.

I also shower at night.

I have everything else set up in a similar order and I set things to work in parallel.

1. Wash face. While face dries, press kettle to boil (filled the night before)

2. Toner and moisturize. Brush teeth while wait for moisturizer to sink in.

3. Makeup primer. Get outfit on.

4. Foundation and blush. Put teabag in tea, put milk in cereal.

5. Check email quickly. Eat breakfast.

6. Lip colour. WIW pic.

7. Out the door!

Glory

Veteran

I start work very early, although not as bad as some. I think the key is to organize the items that are the most difficult for you. If it is clothing (shoes accessories etc), then prep them in advance - a full weeks worth if possible. This will ease much of the morning burden. If it is making lunches then try and do them at dinner before cleanup the night before.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I have no advice as I am an extreme morning person and don't feel right if I don't drink a pot of coffee, work out, shower, dress, eat a few breakfasts, get the kids and DH up and ready, and do the dishes by 7am. And I work from home.

MNsara

Veteran

Oh my gosh, Shevia - I need one of you at MY house!

Getting to work anytime before 9 am is early in my book! So, when early duty calls, before I go to bed, I:
Make sure my personal coffee pot is clean
Try to have clean hair too
Pick out the day's outfit - including underwear, hosiery, shoes, and jewelry
Put whatever I can in the car - ready to leave with me
Make sure breakfast, lunch, and snack are ready to grab and go

If I'm feeling uber organized on Sunday evenings, I'll pack a week's worth of snacks in snack baggies (dried apricots and roasted almonds), or bake an egg/bacon/spinach breakfast dish and divide it up to refrigerate or freeze, or hang together outfits for each day.

If there are leftovers after a dinner, I immediately pack them into containers to grab for work lunch.

I fully endorse a launching pad! Your son should learn to have one too, if he doesn't already!

The microwave is my work friend

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