Have the Best Day Ever With This 10-Step Morning Checklist

By Sarah Lipoff

Updated on 5/18/2015 at 7:00 PM

The comfort of a warm bed and accompanying soft blanket makes waking up almost impossible, and those few lingering moments can make you late, adding stress to an already lackadaisical start. Want to make mornings the best part of your day? A checklist can help! As you get used to following your new (organized) schedule, adjust the steps as needed to meet all your morning needs. To make things even easier, pin for later and you'll have better mornings starting tomorrow!

  1. Set out clothes the night before: Just do it. You'll save so much time in the morning. You can even pick out a backup outfit in case you feel like something different tomorrow.
  2. Preset your coffeemaker: Set your coffeemaker to brew so it's dripping without any extra effort in the morning. You can also pull frozen foods out of the freezer and place in the fridge for easier dinner prep the next night.
  3. Wake up earlier: Set your alarm for 15 minutes earlier than you're used to. And place the alarm out of arm's reach, which forces you to get up and out of the bed — stopping you from hitting snooze. Once you're up, make your bed.
  4. Go to the light: Sunlight is the best motivator to wake up, but even during dark mornings, turning on a light snaps your brain into action. Pick up any dirty clothes along the way and drop in the laundry basket.
  5. Drink water: A great way to jump-start your body first thing is to drink a glass of cool water. And adding a bit of lemon to the drink can also help aid digestion and weight loss. Open curtains and pick up clutter around your space while you're sipping.
  6. Do 10 minutes of cardio: Studies have shown that a morning cardio session jump-starts your metabolism while giving you a quick energy boost. Don't have 10 minutes? We have two-minute workouts. No excuses.
  7. Get ready: Shower and follow your regular beauty routine. But if you find you are losing time during this part of the morning, it might be time to edit — and cut down on your mirror time. Wipe down the sink and counter once finished.
  8. Set one goal: Stop and meditate on setting one goal for the day. It can be something as basic as finishing a project, or be adventurous and pledge to ditch a bad habit. Write it down, then check it off your list once accomplished. You'll feel awesome and totally motivated to try new things.
  9. Leave on time: Strive to leave five minutes earlier than you normally do for a stress-free morning. You might find having a less harried commute leaves you calmer throughout the day. Double-check you've turned everything off, and turned down the heat, before locking up to save money while you're gone.
  10. Eat breakfast: Breakfast is the most important meal of your day, and there are so many fast options anyone can make or grab-and-go. Take a few minutes to chew, then put dishes in the sink — or rinse and pop in the dishwasher.

Have your own #MorningWin — grab belVita Bites on-the-go as part of a complete breakfast for four hours of steady energy.