Ep2: Time Management Secret to an Awesome Morning Routine

The Career Woman's Secret Playbook Podcast - with Dr. Dawn

Time management is such an important piece of the “success puzzle” because HOW you use your time and how much time you spend on certain tasks can affect your whole day. This is true because we ALL have the same amount of time each day, and WHAT you choose to do with that time determines what gets done and what doesn’t – if you follow tips like these, you can literally create more time for yourself!

Creating an Awesome Morning Routine is as Simple as 1, 2, 3…

1) Ease Into your Day. If your morning routine goes south, it’s hard to have a good day, isn’t it? What you do before you head out the door can really set the tone for the whole day. Start by “easing into your day,” whatever that means to you. No matter how you define it, the common denominator of easing into your day is the idea of NOT feeling rushed, while also having time to do the things that you need to before your day begins. The secret is to make sure that you not only get to the things that you HAVE to do, but that you also carve out time to get to the things you WANT to do. And notice I used the phrase “carve out the time” …I didn’t say “have the time.” That’s because I believe that since everyone has the same twenty-four hours in a day, it’s not whether you have the time, it’s where you INVEST your time.

2) Plan Your Outfits in 60 Minutes or Less! The LAST thing you want to do in the morning is to scrounge around your laundry room, hoping that you have a clean shirt and pair of pants when you’re trying to get out the door. The good news is that in less than an hour, you can resolve the age-old question, “What am I going to wear?” for the entire week. Block out an hour of time to go through your closet and pick out five outfits for the week. Even if your job doesn’t demand that you dress in anything other than a casual shirt and pants, you still want to make sure you have those ready to go Monday through Friday.

If you have a job like mine that requires that you dress up a tad more, then go ahead and have fun accessorizing as well. I grab a Zip-loc bag, and I will pick out earrings, necklaces, bracelets, scarfs, you name it, and then poke a hole at the top of the bag so I can put the hanger through. If your shoes will change based on what you’re wearing, add a hanging shoe organizer and put your shoes in the order that you will wear them. I have one that holds 10 pairs of shoes. I can’t tell you how fabulous it is to have it hanging up right next to the staging part of my closet (which sounds super fancy but is, in fact, just the front part of my closet).

3) Prep the Day Before. If you’re a coffee drinker like me, there is no better way to wake up and start your day than by walking into your kitchen to the smell of freshly brewed coffee. I love my Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte as much as the next gal, but you don’t want to spend your life savings there (or is that just me), so think about saving your budget and yourself some time on that Monday morning by setting up the coffee pot the night before. THEN make sure that you have a Zone where everything is kept so that all you have to do is grab-and-go. Follow these tips and more, and you'll be inspired by your morning routine, instead of dreading it!

NEW HERE? Do these 2 things first.

1. GET YOUR FREE copy of the What to Do When your Office is Driving You Nuts Cheat Sheet. This fun guide is chopped full of tips/tricks on how to have a fantastic workday no matter what! Get your FREE copy HERE: https://mailchi.mp/60f211dfceab/u9t0yyxuk3

2. Subscribe to the Dr. Dawn ShopTalk YouTube Channel, where you will get to see Dr. Dawn share even more career secrets while also having access to her customized playlist of topics. Subscribe HERE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRIDhk7sor_xo4jxa57aP9A