If your mornings feel like a blur of shouting “We’re late!” while searching for shoes and skipping breakfast, you’re not the only one. I used to feel stressed before 8 a.m. most days. No matter how early I woke up, it still felt like I was behind.
Then I made one small change that fixed it: I started doing just one thing the night before.
The Change: Prep One Thing Every Night
I know—”get ready the night before” sounds obvious. But I was trying to prep everything and burning out. So I picked just one thing to start with. One task that made my mornings smoother.
It started with packing lunches. Then it was laying out clothes. Now, I rotate based on what causes the most chaos.
Some ideas that helped me:
- Lay out everyone’s clothes (down to socks and shoes)
- Pack lunches or snacks
- Set the coffee maker
- Prep breakfast (even pouring cereal counts!)
- Pack backpacks and place them by the door
One small win at night means less scrambling in the morning.
Why This One Habit Works
It works because it gives you a head start without the overwhelm. Instead of waking up to a to-do list, you wake up already ahead.
It also:
- Cuts down decision-making when your brain is tired
- Helps kids move faster when things are already set
- Lowers your stress because you’re not starting the day behind
Once I saw how much smoother mornings ran with just one thing prepped, I started building from there. But even on weeks when I’m tired or sick or just over it—I stick to prepping one thing.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to flip your whole routine upside down to fix your mornings. Just pick one thing—anything—and prep it the night before. It sounds small, but it makes a big difference.
Now our mornings feel calmer. We still run late sometimes (life happens), but I’m not sprinting through the house half-dressed. And that alone is worth it.
