Each Morning I Wake Up

Today, at 7:30am, I was woken up by my cellphone ringing.  It was the elementary school calling to see if I could come in to work at 8:00am.  Half an hour to get ready and get to the school.  I think the one thing I had going for me was the fact I only live five minutes away (I Googled it to make sure!).

Incredibly, I was able to get everything I needed done, which included re-scheduling a few meetings, and I remembered everything that I needed for the day.  

This got me thinking that I should really have a dynamic morning schedule in mind, especially since now that I'm a "grown-up", I feel I should be presentable when I go out in public.  This is something that I could have benefited from in college, as well, but I feel there is a little more leeway as to what is acceptable for public and what is not.

So, my proposed schedule is to go through the following list as time permits:

1. Get the essentials done immediately: This includes brushing your teeth, hair, making sure you smell nice, etc.  Oh, and don't forget some clothes!  Picking an outfit out the night before is preferable, but I can't ever remember to set aside that time, so don't feel bad if you can't either.
2. Gather what you need for the day:  The only thing worse than not feeling presentable is to not feel prepared.  Make sure you know what you need to have with you during the day, so that you don't get caught off-guard.
3. Ask yourself if you should pack a lunch: If you're going to be gone most of the day, it's a good idea to bring a lunch or snack with you.  There are always fast food restaurants that you can go to, but wouldn't you feel better if you just grabbed a sandwich or granola bar before you left?
4. Time for Hair and Makeup: If you still have some time, I've found that doing your hair or makeup (for the girls, at least), often makes you feel much more put-together.  If you only have time to do one, you'll have to choose which one you'd prefer.  
5. Take a moment to breathe:  If I'm in a rush, I often get myself so worked up that I'll be stressed the entire rest of the day.  So, it's important to pause and calm yourself down.  This is something you can do on your way to wherever you have to go.  After all, if you're in a car or taking public transportation, you can't do much about your speed at that point anyway.

I hope these tips can help you think about your morning routine.  I certainly think they'll help the next time I'm in a rush.

What do you typically do to get ready in the morning?