Do you forget things in the morning sometimes? Forget to shave? Forget mascara or another piece of your makeup routine? Leave that important paper you needed? Forget your computer? Forget to take your pills? Ever stood at the front door racking your brain before you leave thinking, “What am I forgetting?”
After all of that, do you find you’re starting your day already feeling a little mentally drained?

I used to do this frequently. I used to be mentally tired even as I started my day. I thought it was lack of sleep, but it turns out, a simple adjustment changed all that. I remember distinctly the morning I was inspired to make these changes, I was almost to work and realized I’d forgotten my work laptop at home. I had to go all the way back for it. It cost me an extra hour in travel time, and I was stressed, anxious, and mentally drained. I decided “This needs to stop. What do I need to do to make my mornings seamless, and never let this happen again.”

I decided to implement some of the visual management tactics I use at work in LEAN Six Sigma, and combine them with the concept of a checklist, inspired by a book that was a productivity game changer for me, Checklist Manifesto.

So what changed?

The Concept: Set up your morning so you don’t really need to turn on your brain until your day starts.

1) Set everything out the night before.

You may have heard this before, but do you do it? I hadn’t been. What will I wear? The shoes, accessories, all of it. What do I need to remember to bring tomorrow? Do I need to pack a lunch? Gym stuff? I now don’t go to bed without looking at tomorrow’s calendar, packing my bag, and prepping for my day completely, so I don’t have to think about it in the morning.

2) Reorganize everything in your shower, in the order you use It.

The book Checklist Manifesto emphasizes that you can’t count on your brain to remember everything every time. “We can do better, using the simplest of methods: the checklist.” I implemented this idea in my bathroom, visually in my shower. I lined it all up, in the order I need it, so that when I’m in the shower, I just go down the line: soap, tooth brush, shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream, all of it! I don’t think in the shower anymore, it’s almost a meditative time. It’s so much more refreshing.

Doing this also meant I needed to get duplicates of a couple of products so now I never need to bring things in and out of the shower, it’s all always there, ready to go.

For you, if space in the shower is tight, you may need to coordinate this with the person you share the shower with. They may try it with you?!

3) Reorganize everything in your bathroom cabinet/Counter so it’s all in the order you use it.

Same thing I did in the shower, I did it with the rest of your bathroom. Yep, all of it, deodorant, face stuff, everything. Ladies, I’m definitely envisioning this working great with your make-up too (though I don’t know anything about that lol). For me there’s two main times I do stuff in the bathroom, morning and evening, I call each of these groups of products my morning routine, and my evening routine. Now I don’t have to think about it, I can just go right down the line.

Also, the products in my evening routine are different from my morning routine, and they’re in a different order, so I keep them separate. There’s a couple of products that apply to both routines, so I bought 2 of those products (or in one case separated it into 2 containers), and keep one with each routine. I have to remember to grab anything else outside these routines.

I’ve also found for this to be most effective, it’s needs to be lined up, without any other products there too. This means I had to move other products that aren’t used daily, and store them somewhere else. I didn’t want to have to think about where to stop, the whole purpose of this is to do it without thinking, letting my mind be able to freely wander while doing these routines.

4) Other Checklists: Lunch, Kid’s Stuff, Day Of the Week Checklist Next To The Door?

Is there more for you to remember? Write it all down. Keep these checklists wherever you’ll check them regularly every time you need them. For some people that may be electronic on their phone, but for most people it may be better to mount it on the door you leave from. You can print a google doc, use a white board, piece of paper and a pencil, whatever is good, just put it up right where you’ll see it. You can always add to it later as things come to you, because these lists will likely change over time. When you leave, run down the list!

Lunch - Did you pack it? What are you going to eat that’s healthy? Will you get it from somewhere? Thinking ahead paves the way for the preparation of healthier food. Thus, a more vigorous you. If you don’t think ahead, you’ll end up grabbing something and the odds are it may not be quite as nourishing.

Kids stuff - I’ve heard from parents there are a lot of things to remember for the kids in the morning too. Write it down for them, and do this with them when you leave. Lunches? Money? Stuff for practice after school? Go through it with your kids before you both leave.

Day of the week stuff - Does the trash go out on a certain morning? Recycling? Carpool on certain days? Write it all down on the door too. It’s your last check before you leave. Now you won’t have to remember it because it’s all right there.

By preparing the night before, using the visual organization tricks in the bathroom, and the other checklists before I leave, I’ve gotten to enjoy getting lost in thought with my mornings, and I’ve ended up more relaxed throughout the day. Plus, it cut down the decision-making for the day. Thus, less decision fatigue, now I start my day fresh!

Will you give this a shot? Let me know if/how it works for you?

Interested in a good rabbit hole on decision fatigue?
As I made these changes in my routines and really felt the difference, I started looking into the concept of decision fatigue. I’d heard of it, and I was curious if much research had been done on this topic. I found they often reference a study about judges being less likely to grant parole after mental/decision fatigue sets in. John Tierney talked about it in a New York Times Magazine article – Do You Suffer from Decision Fatigue. Also, according to a Business Insider article, even the past president of the United States, Barack Obama, prevents decision fatigue by wearing the same things every day – grey or blue suits.

If it’s not on your screen, keep decision fatigue in mind! I’ll keep you posted if I find out even more ways it can affect your mornings!

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I’m Brian. At age 4, I was diagnosed with insulin dependent (type 1) diabetes and told that my life was going to be 10-20 years shorter than everyone else. Time is precious. I created Productivity Gladiator because I saw what a difference it made to share small and specific actions you can take right now, right away, to achieve better work life balance, be more productive, and live your best life right now, today, not wait until retirement. I want you to start doing the things you WANT to do, not get stuck only chasing what you NEED to do. If any of this resonates with you, I hope you’ll subscribe, and if you’re so inclined, send me a note. It brings me joy sharing Productivity Gladiator with you.