There are two kinds of people in the world: morning larks and night owls. If you fall into the latter, you know the tribulations of trying to begin your day. I’m running late.” “Oh no, I forgot that’s this morning.”

“I’ll never be ready on time.” How many times have you thought, texted or whined out loud these phrases? You have been dressing yourself and doing your own hair and make-up for decades and yet it always feels like a marathon. Who needs the extra stress? Certainly not your heart, blood pressure or mood.

If so, you might benefit from having a plan to improve your morning get-ready time that allows you to get ready really fast and hit the sidewalk not long after leaping out of bed. The following suggestions are general ideas for organizing yourself the night before and in the morning, so that you can sleep a bit more and get yourself out the door in ten minutes, give or take a few minutes here and there.

Here are 6 tips or tricks on how to improve your morning get-ready time

get-ready time

Choose your clothes before bed

Eliminate the morning stresses of deciding what to wear by simply doing it before bed. Ladies, we all know that this can strip at least 15 minutes off your morning routine. If you are lazy with that PM routine as well, at least think about an outfit in your head before drifting off.

Pick out an outfit or two plus accessories and shoes the night before so that you won’t be rummaging through your closet in the morning half asleep while trying on multiple pieces of clothing.

If you want to be extra efficient, check the weather online so that you don’t pick out a summery ensemble and you end up running out the door and it’s raining. Get-ready time tip: Be sure to give yourself options when choosing outfits so you’re covered if you’re not feeling your outfit in the morning.

Get your essentials together

Having your beauty basics all together will save a lot of time and make you able to improve your morning get-ready time. Keep all your face wash, skincare items and makeup within reach so that you’re not searching for your new lipstick last minute and waste time looking all over your bathroom for it. You don’t have to have everything out on the counter either; you can also devote one drawer to all your essentials so they won’t be an eyesore.

Optimize the shower and hair process

If you can, shower and wash your hair the night before. I know some ladies prefer to shower in the morning to help them wake up, but try doing it the night before to save your Get-ready time. Doing the bulk of your hairstyling the night prior will also shave minutes off your morning routine and save you the trouble of washing, drying and styling your hair in the morning and avoid feeling rushed.

Shakeup your morning makeup routine and streamline the process to iprove your morning get-ready time. As soon as you wake up, wash your face and apply moisturizer and sunscreen. While the skincare products are setting, start brushing your hair or warm up any styling tools. Proceed with primer and face makeup and style hair in between applying makeup.

Eat a easy breakfast

Don’t forget breakfast! It’s called the most important meal of the day for a good reason. If you don’t have enough time to cook anything, grab fruit or prepare something beforehand. If you eat at work, stash some quick oatmeal in your drawers or pack a yogurt to take with you. Eating might seem like a waste of Get-ready time but it’s essential to fuel your mind and body for your busy day ahead.

Pack your lunch the night before

To improve your get-ready time make your lunch, snacks, smoothies along with anything you take to work and pack it up together the night before. Pay attention to do not forget the lunch bag in the fridge. You can avoid this by putting all your food in the fridge and leaving your lunch bag out on the counter as a visual reminder. Having all your work essentials together is one of the key ways to get ready faster in the morning.

Organize your belongings

All last-minute things you need, keep by the front door! Think ahead to prevent those missing-car-key panics and those morning searches for the other shoe. Keep a dish to place your keys into every time you step through the door, put your purse and coat on a hook in the closet, and lay out your shoes the night before! You’d be surprised how much time is spent in the morning simply looking for the little necessities!