6 Helpful Hacks for a More Efficient Morning Routine

Self-control and energy levels are intrinsically linked to productivity and positivity, according to a study from researchers at the University of Nottingham. As the researchers suggest, our daily self-control and energy are finite resources that can become depleted at different rates depending on how we utilize these stores throughout the day. As self-control dwindles, energy levels decline, fatigue sets in, and our minds tend to turn toward the negative. However, if we take advantage of morning hours, when self-control levels are at their highest, we can boost overall productivity and encourage a more positive mindset as we make the most of the energy stores we have. In other words, a smarter morning routine is the foundation of a more productive and positive lifestyle.

For those of us who aren’t self-proclaimed ‘morning people’, getting up and about, and hacking into a time so early in the day for improved productivity is much easier said than done, particularly for those of us who get a good use out of our alarm’s snooze feature. But we’re here to help! Here, we’ve gathered some of the top time-saving tips that can help you get the most of your mornings.

Start with a Sleep Schedule

While it might be tempting to stay up later in the evenings binging a new television show, devouring a good book, or spending time with friends and family every now and then, you’re essentially borrowing time from your next day. Work to balance these fun activities with a set sleep schedule that helps your body to sink into routine and more naturally awaken the next morning feeling refreshed and ready. It might take some time for your body to adjust, but going to bed just 15 minutes earlier each week until your body is getting a full eight hours can prove significant in boosting the productivity of your mornings.

Further, for those who rely on the snooze button, try researching your body’s natural sleep cycles—you can do this using any one of a dozen phone apps—to narrow in on a time that might better align with your body’s natural rhythms. When we sleep, our body cycles through stages of deep and light rest. While the REM sleep stage is essential to brain activity, it’s best to avoid waking up during this stage, as it will take longer for the body to wake. Instead, aim to adjust your sleep and wake times to better flow with your body’s sleep cycle, so you wake in a period of lighter rest for a more energetic morning. Bonus: Be sure to give your body the beauty sleep it needs to keep skin looking its best and skip the extra makeup steps.

Wake Up and Work Out

Getting out of bed can be an issue for those not so fond of mornings, and it can be even more challenging to get up and get active right away. While you don’t necessarily need to leap out of your bed, studies suggest that weekday workouts can increase energy and positivity levels, leading to increased productivity. In fact, even a quick 10-minute workout has its benefits, releasing GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) neurotransmitters that soothe brain activity and help to increase focus. While every type of workout can have its own separate health benefits, it may be best to simply aim to move your body for 10 minutes when you get up and work your way up to longer, more intense workouts or simply schedule them in later in the day. For your morning workout, try an easy cardio circuit that might include jumping jacks and squats, or opt for a more soothing yoga sequence that can also target stress, improve mood, and even trigger weight loss.  

If your goal is to incorporate a more thorough workout routine in the a.m. to stimulate productivity all day long while making the most of your mornings, group fitness classes can help to keep you accountable. This option is also beneficial for those who tend to get bored often with workout routines or who are looking for more social time to energize the mind and body, among other reasons.

Don’t Skip Breakfast

Your coffee isn’t cutting it. Often dubbed the most important meal of the day, for those who are currently skipping out on breakfast, you’re actually making your morning less efficient. Preparing and eating breakfast may take time, but those who do opt for even a light breakfast show greater productivity, improved short-term memory, and increased energy and focus throughout the day. In other words, skipping breakfast to save time is costing you in the sense that tasks take longer and you’re much less likely to excel at each. For the greatest benefits, opt for a protein-rich breakfast to boost energy and keep your stomach feeling fuller for longer. Prepping chia seed pudding or overnight oats the evening before can make it easy to grab breakfast on the go without impacting your morning schedule. You can even bake mini omelettes in muffin tins on the weekend so your workday breakfasts are ready and waiting.

Get Organized with a To-Do List

As you sit down to eat breakfast and enjoy your morning coffee or tea, use that time effectively by also writing out a short to-do list of the day’s top priorities. Keep the list simple with three to four tasks at most, even adding the approximate amount of time each may take to accomplish to ensure the list is realistic. Larger tasks should be broken down into smaller to-dos to prevent overscheduling and overstressing yourself. In just five minutes or less, you can create a streamlined list of priorities that can better help to keep your day on track and zap stress levels that can wreak havoc on your mental well-being and physical appearance in the form of wrinkles, weight gain, hormonal imbalances, hair loss, and more. If you’re concerned about your commitment to the day’s priorities, see if there are any tasks you could use a helping hand on and make plans with a friend, family member, or colleague to tackle the task together.

For those who worry this task may feel overwhelming each morning, consider creating your daily to-do lists for the week each Sunday, merely adjusting each morning as you move through the week if priorities shift. This way, you’ll be able to work ahead if you happen to finish a task early or can better see how you might be able to fit in all the important items without placing too much stress on achieving it all in one day.

Work with Your Hair’s Natural Texture and Tendencies

After you’ve covered the basics, the next step in most morning routines is to get ready to head out the door, and that means refreshing tired tresses. Investing in a good haircut can be one of the most time-saving hacks you can easily incorporate to get more out of your mornings. For those with naturally straight locks, heavier, blunter cuts can give hair a little more weight, making it easier and quicker to style by accentuating the natural smoothness. Alternatively, those with curly hair should avoid bangs, as they can be finicky to style to your natural curl and may require excessive trims. Longer, slightly curved layers are also ideal for naturally curly hair, as they make it possible to simply apply a gel to damp hair and move on to the next step in your morning routine, blow-drying optional.

Further, investing in quality, multi-purpose hair care can help to streamline your beauty products shelf as well as your morning beauty regimen. A cleansing conditioner can help to gently remove buildup from styling products in the shower while nourishing hair, all in one step. (Different from a two-in-one shampoo and conditioner, a cleansing conditioner is less sudsy, is gentler on all hair types, and offers extra nourishment that helps hair recover from heat styling.) For curly hair, a shine spray can help second-day styles appear bright and fresh, while a texturizing spray can benefit sleeker, smoother styles by adding volume and texture. In both instances, a dry shampoo or dry conditioner can help refresh roots and strands and reduce how often you need to wash your locks.

Skip the Makeup Altogether

There are some makeup hacks that can help us to recover from a night or two of poor rest, but there are some skin concerns that aren’t so easily covered. With pore-refining creams, concealers, foundations, bronzers, highlighters, powders, and more, creating the appearance of glowing, flawless skin that looks gorgeous and natural can be the most time-consuming aspect of any morning routine. Regardless of age, we all have our insecurities and aspects of our skin we wish we could change. Rather than waking up to the lengthy and disheartening routine of covering up what we dislike, why not opt to wake up to skin you love with a custom aesthetic treatment plan that can target, reduce, and refine skin flaws. The result is skin that naturally appears healthier, smoother, more radiant, and even-toned, allowing you to skip the makeup altogether and begin your day feeling confident. For those interested, the following treatments can help address some of the most common facial skin concerns while supporting a more productive and positive morning routine.

RF-Based Skin Resurfacing Treatments

Addressing skin texture concerns with makeup can be a tricky and time-consuming process. Applying creams and makeup products to establish a smoother base while applying correcting creams and concealers to address discoloration in scarring and, finally, another layer of setting spray or powder to keep it all in place. The process can be stressful and exhausting to say the least, not to mention all the skin care needed to counteract the effects of potentially heavy, pore-clogging makeup. Instead of adding all the layers of makeup, consider addressing skin texture concerns and scarring with non-surgical skin resurfacing treatments. Safe for all skin types, skin resurfacing treatments from Venus Concept utilize advanced radio frequency (RF) technology to heat tissue deep below the surface, spurring your skin’s natural collagen and elastin production cycles for a firmer, smoother appearance and accelerating skin cell renewal. A few short treatments often result in a noticeably and naturally smoother, more radiant, and healthier-looking complexion that doesn’t just wash off at the end of the day like your makeup routine.

IPL Acne Treatments

Getting acne breakouts and inflammation under control can doubly quicken your morning routine, cutting down an extended skin care regimen to treat redness, irritation, excess sebum, and more, while also eliminating the need for multiple layers of makeup to hide breakouts or scarring. Utilizing Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) technology, acne reduction treatments effectively target both the cause and visible symptoms of acne-related skin concerns. A dual-light system, Venus Versa™ acne reduction treatments work to target pigmentation in the skin, reducing the appearance of redness and inflammation, while also working to target and destroy acne-causing  bacteria, helping to control future breakouts. Treatment sessions are quick, typically lasting just 15 to 20 minutes with no downtime needed, meaning you can get right back to a more productive morning routine right way.

IPL Photofacial Treatments

Skip redness-correcting makeup or brightening undereye concealer each morning. Pigmentation concerns, including those that may be causing the appearance of dark circles around the eyes or deep red or purple visible veins along the nose and cheeks, can be treated with IPL-based photofacial treatments. Photofacial treatments utilizing IPL technology deliver bursts of targeted light deep below the skin’s surface, targeted and destroying the hemoglobin pigment inside visible veins and blood vessels, as well as dark pigmented spots, for a brighter, more even-toned appearance. As with any treatment, it’s best to seek out the professional recommendation of a certified provider prior to treatment, particularly around the eyes.

TriBella™ Three-in-One Facial Rejuvenation Treatments

It’s quite common to want to cover up and correct multiple skin concerns. While separate treatments can help target each concern, if you want a quicker, all-in-one solution, Venus Versa™ TriBella™ treatments may hit the mark. TriBella™ treatments combine three facial treatments—photofacial, anti-aging, and skin resurfacing—all in one complete facial rejuvenation treatment plan. Delivering all three treatments in one appointment, TriBella™ treatments are a powerful solution for those looking to make an impact on their morning routine. Beginning with a photofacial treatment, TriBella™ addresses discoloration, age spots, sun damage, and uneven skin tone. Next, TriBella™’s  anti-aging treatment harnesses the power of RF-based technology to smoothen fine lines and wrinkles while improving skin elasticity. Finally, TriBella™’s skin resurfacing treatment tackles skin texture concerns, including scars, rosacea, enlarged pores, and more. You can access a more detailed summary of how Venus Versa™ TriBella™ treatments can help you achieve your aesthetic goals and ditch the heavy makeup here.

Find a Customized Treatment Plan

Of course, everyone’s concerns are unique and skin has many different needs, meaning there is no one treatment plan suitable for everyone. The best solution is to seek out a customized treatment plan from a certified professional who can better assess your unique needs. Ready to get started? Discover your perfect treatment plan and reclaim your mornings by locating a certified treatment provider near you today using the search field below.