1 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura, Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 1: Today's tip is going to sound a little counterintuitive. Don't 4 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:22,639 Speaker 1: move too much of your morning getting ready routine to 5 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 1: the night before. It sounds smart to make lunches and 6 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:30,160 Speaker 1: layout outfits, but in the grand context of time, I'm 7 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 1: not sure it is. Over the years, I've been interviewed 8 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:37,440 Speaker 1: for many articles on shaving time off morning routines. People 9 00:00:37,479 --> 00:00:39,839 Speaker 1: have to get ready for work or school most mornings, 10 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:42,519 Speaker 1: and so being able to compress the routine sounds like 11 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 1: a great way to save time and sleep later. Inevitably, 12 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 1: other experts will suggest doing things the night before, prepping lunches, bags, breakfasts, outfits, whatever. 13 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:55,920 Speaker 1: This is often presented as a time saving technique. But 14 00:00:56,000 --> 00:01:01,480 Speaker 1: here's the thing. This doesn't save time. Minutes at night 15 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:04,640 Speaker 1: are just as real as minutes in the morning. When 16 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:07,040 Speaker 1: you do stuff the night before, you don't save time. 17 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 1: You just spread you're getting ready over the night and 18 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:13,479 Speaker 1: the morning too, And in fact, you'll probably spend more 19 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 1: time getting ready. Because all activities have transaction costs. To 20 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 1: lay out your outfit at night requires two clothing events. 21 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:24,639 Speaker 1: One to pick out the outfit at night and another 22 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:26,840 Speaker 1: in the morning to put it on, Whereas if you 23 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 1: just get dressed in the morning, you've only had one 24 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 1: clothing event. Similarly, making lunches the night before means you've 25 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 1: gone into the kitchen to do that. Then you'll likely 26 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:38,400 Speaker 1: go in the kitchen in the morning to to make breakfast. 27 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 1: Why not combine the two if you plan to make 28 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:43,760 Speaker 1: lunches and throw something together while your eggs are cooking 29 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,400 Speaker 1: or your coffee is brewing. This is straightforward enough, but 30 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:50,040 Speaker 1: I think there's a deeper downside to spending time getting 31 00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 1: ready the night before. It often makes us feel like 32 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 1: we have no free time, or else it pushes bedtime later. 33 00:01:57,680 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 1: A lot of people spend time getting ready for the 34 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:02,559 Speaker 1: morning after their kids go to bed, but this could 35 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 1: be time to read or relax or do something else 36 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 1: you like. We all like to read or relax, And 37 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 1: if you go through a whole routine of morning prep, 38 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 1: you'll start the reading and relaxing later in order to 39 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:17,920 Speaker 1: get enough me time to feel satisfied. You'll stay up later, 40 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 1: and then your morning will start off on the wrong 41 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:23,400 Speaker 1: foot because you didn't get enough sleep, or else you 42 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:24,919 Speaker 1: won't be able to get up a little bit before 43 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 1: your family to exercise or journal or something else you'd 44 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: really like to do. Perhaps it would be better to 45 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 1: get enough sleep and get ready in the morning when 46 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 1: you're actually you know, getting ready in the morning. Now, 47 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 1: I know that mornings can be chaotic. Longtime listeners know 48 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 1: I have four school aged children, so I know they 49 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 1: can be chaotic, which maybe one reason people move stuff 50 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:46,440 Speaker 1: to the night before. If you have to hunt for 51 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 1: shoes the night before, you go to bed late or 52 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:51,360 Speaker 1: cut unto leisure time, Whereas if you hunt for shoes 53 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:53,840 Speaker 1: in the morning, you might be late to school or work, 54 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 1: and this has more obvious consequences. But rather than moving 55 00:02:57,360 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 1: things to the night before, it might be wise to 56 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 1: for ways to simplify. Do you really need to make lunches? 57 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:07,320 Speaker 1: My kids buy school lunch and it works great for us. 58 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:10,040 Speaker 1: It's gotten a lot healthier and better in recent years. 59 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 1: Do your kids need to lay out their outfits? Why? 60 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:16,519 Speaker 1: If they're old enough to dress themselves, then this probably 61 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 1: doesn't need to involve you. You can control what comes 62 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:22,079 Speaker 1: into the house, but once it's there, this can be 63 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 1: a matter of personal expression. As for your own outfits, 64 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 1: why not pare down your wardrobe to a smaller number 65 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:31,639 Speaker 1: of outfits that you know fit and are flattering than 66 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:33,680 Speaker 1: anything you pull out in the morning will be an 67 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:37,360 Speaker 1: excellent choice rather than pack bags at night, Maybe you 68 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 1: just don't ever unpack them. I have one person a 69 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 1: neutral color that always has my stuff in it. My 70 00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 1: kids homework is either in their backpacks or actively being done. 71 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:50,480 Speaker 1: There is no place else to hunt for it. Their 72 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 1: shoes and coats are also always in the mudroom. By 73 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:57,120 Speaker 1: simplifying the get out the door process, we by which 74 00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:00,080 Speaker 1: I mean I don't have to spend my pressure, is 75 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:04,160 Speaker 1: free time the night before getting ready for the morning. Now, 76 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 1: I'm guessing of all the episodes Before Breakfast I've recorded, 77 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:09,880 Speaker 1: I'm going to hear from the most people about this one. 78 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 1: I bet a lot of people swear that spending time 79 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:15,000 Speaker 1: getting ready the night before is key to a better morning, 80 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 1: or even that it saves some time. So feel free 81 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:19,360 Speaker 1: to use a stop watch and let me know. I'd 82 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 1: love to hear from you. You can reach me at 83 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast podcast at iHeart Media dot com. I will 84 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:27,240 Speaker 1: be happy to do an episode on the reasons people 85 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:29,719 Speaker 1: do get ready the night before or the situations in 86 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:33,040 Speaker 1: which it might potentially save time. But I also want 87 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 1: to share what works for me. I love that I 88 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 1: get to spend my evenings relaxing or reading, and none 89 00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:40,600 Speaker 1: of my kids missed the bus this year either. If 90 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:42,360 Speaker 1: you spend a lot of time at night getting ready 91 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:44,279 Speaker 1: for the morning, maybe you want to try pairing that 92 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 1: back a bit and see how it goes in the meantime. 93 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:51,040 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making 94 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:59,919 Speaker 1: the most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to 95 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:02,919 Speaker 1: here from you. You can send me your tips, your questions, 96 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:06,760 Speaker 1: or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook 97 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:12,360 Speaker 1: and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod that's B the number four, 98 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 1: then Breakfast p o D. You can also shoot me 99 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:20,320 Speaker 1: an email at Before Breakfast podcast at iHeart media dot 100 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:23,320 Speaker 1: com that Before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters. 101 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:26,000 Speaker 1: Thanks so much, I look forward to staying in touch. 102 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:34,960 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is a production of I Heart Radio. For 103 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:38,080 Speaker 1: more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit the i Heart 104 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 1: Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your 105 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:42,240 Speaker 1: favorite shows.