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Last time, we talked about Simplifying Your Evening Routine.

Have you started putting any of that into place?

I know it can be a lot, especially when there is so much else going on in your life.

But really, it’s worth some time to put a good working evening routine into practice because in the long run it will save both your time and your sanity.

I told you that a good evening routine will simplify your mornings, and that’s true, but when you add a morning routine to the mix, you’ll wonder what to do with your extra time!

Before we get started, I want to mention something that I should have included in Simplify Your Evening Routine: laying out your medications.

Now depending on your household situation, you may not want to do this in the evening. In that case, I would suggest getting one of those weekly containers for your meds (unless you don’t take many) and sorting them out each Sunday.

Now let’s take a quick look at your morning. If you have followed an evening routine, you should wake up to this:

• Your clothes are already laid out
• Your bag, tote bag, and shoes are ready to go near the door
• You have an umbrella or whatever you need for the weather by the door
• Lunches are made

All you need to do is take a shower and have breakfast!

So how can we possibly simplify your mornings any more?

Let’s start with breakfast.

I am a firm believer in eating breakfast. Your body needs the nourishment in order to start your day and your brain could benefit as well. ADHD brains benefit from water, protein, and colorful fruits and veggies.

So when I say “nourishment” I mean real food.

Two things that you should always remember:

1. Stay hydrated throughout the day
2. Eat some form of lean protein at each meal

So what can you do to get a healthy breakfast into your body ASAP?

Spend some time on the weekend to prep breakfasts and then toss them into the freezer. Pull one out and microwave as needed.

Here are some easy ideas:

• Breakfast burritos – scrambled eggs and the fillings of your choice on a tortilla
• Breakfast quiche – I make these in a muffin pan. I don’t bother with a crust, but some people use a slice of ham in the cup. Eggs (whisked), a little milk, cream, or sour cream, and whatever toppings you want. Bake at 375 for 10 – 20 minutes, depending on the size of your muffin cups.
• Soaked oatmeal – this is apparently a very old idea that has gained popularity again. Be sure to use plain oatmeal, not one minute or instant. Put an equal amount of oats and liquid into a bowl. You can add other things like raisins, now or later. Liquid could be water or juice. Store in the fridge, not the freezer. Soaked oatmeal keeps for 5 days in the fridge, so you could pretty much get through the week if you make it on Sunday. There is no need to cook it.
• Smoothies – put smoothie ingredients in a zip loc bag. You could do one big bag for the week, or individual ones. These should not include liquid or yogurt.

How else can you simplify your mornings?

Here are some ideas:

• Make a rule: once your clothes are laid out (the night before) no changing your mind. Make sure you are checking when you lay them out for stains, missing buttons, etc.
• Get up the first time the alarm rings. If it’s a problem, you should probably go to bed earlier. Another idea – get an alarm that wakes you gradually. This isn’t an alarm, but it works with your bedside lamp t gradually wake you up with light and it’s less than $20.
• Make your hair and makeup simple and easy. Save the more complicated stuff for the weekends. Find some tips on makeup here.
• If you can go for a week on a tank of gas, make a habit of filling up on Sundays.
• Need cash for the week? That’s a Sunday thing too.
• Have a designated place for things like keys and cell phones so you’re not searching for them when you should be leaving. This cool little gadget attaches to your key ring or things like your cell phone and comes with a sort of remote control. If you lose your keys, you hit the button on the control that is the same color as the one on your key ring. The one on the key ring beeps until you find it. And it works through walls, under seat cushions, and more.

Just think about how much better your life will be when you put both morning and evening routines into place!

Do you have any great ideas for mornings? Be sure to share!