One thing about life is that it can go by so fast.  I feel like it happens in the blink of an eye.  Seriously.  When did this gray hair appear? When did my oldest become of legal drinking age?  How is it that Top Gun is a classic and they are talking about a remake? But I digress.  All of us have the same 24 hours in a day and whether we work out of the home, in the home, with kids or without kids, we sometimes struggle to keep up.  The struggle can be real!  Here I want to share my top 5 favorite things that I incorporate into my morning routine to set me up for a successful day.  Perhaps some of these will work for you too.

#1 My Bed: The Split Top California King i8 by Sleep Number

Every good morning starts off with a good night sleep.  Many studies have shown sleep to be the body’s way to reset from the stress of the day.  Heck, I do not need anyone to tell me that!  I know it! My husband and I put up with a sub par mattress for many, many years.  Every morning there was a new pain and new ache to deal with.  In December, we decided to take the plunge and purchase the i8 as a Christmas present to ourselves.

Up front, it was the most expensive bed I have ever purchased.  However, when we did the math relative to the number of years we would have it, the price was a moot point.  Additionally, I physically couldn’t keep waking up and popping more and more ibuprofen.  With this bed, myself and my husband can customize our sides so that we are able to be as comfortable as possible.

The bed even syncs to an app on our phone and lets us know the quality of our sleep.  We probably could have done without the massage option but we got it with all the bells and whistles.  It is worth every penny!  Speaking of penny, if you like the comforter click on the image and it will bring you to where we purchased it: JC Penney.

#2 My Old Fashioned Timex Alarm Clock

I can hear it now.  Don’t you use your cell phone like everyone else?  Well, yes I could but how many times do you think your cell phone is fully charged and then suddenly it dies?  It has happened to me many times.  I also know for a fact that it has happened to people I work with.  Those background apps take a lot of battery power and sometimes you just don’t realize it until its too late.  Nothing starts the morning off more rocky than a late start.

My Mom has a truly old fashioned alarm clock.  Hers has to be wound up every night.  That Big Ben alarm clock hasn’t let her down yet!  I rely on a clock with battery back up. It is easy to tell the time and when we loose power the battery kicks in and so I am never late.  At least, not late due to the alarm!  If you want to look at an alarm clock similar to mine just click on the image.  It has no frills like USB or Bluetooth but it is a workhorse.  Like a Timex should be!

#3 My Coffee Makers

Yes.  You read that right.  It is plural.  I have 2 coffee makers but each one serves a purpose.  I have the Cuisinart coffee maker so that it brews automatically on a timer.  I prep it the night before so that in the AM I can awake to the beautifully tantalizing aroma of coffee.  Since it is a 12 cup machine, there is plenty for my husband and my son as well.  Any leftovers, I put into a glass jug and store in the fridge so I can have homemade iced coffee.

The Nespresso takes coffee to a whole other level.  I am the only one who uses this because it yields a very strong coffee.  Well, I really only buy the strong brews anyway.  The flavor is bold and smooth.  Unlike other single serve coffee pots, the crema that forms on top adds such a richness to the cup of coffee that unless you try it, you will not understand.  It is divine.  It is for those days when I need a little extra pep in my step or when I just want to sit and really enjoy a great cup of coffee.

#4 My Shower Cap

OK.  Now I may be starting to sound a little bit like my mother.  In my defense, my mother has a plain Jane see-through shower cap.  I, on the other hand,  have this really fun Betty Dain shower cap in the print Sassy Stripes.  I never used to grasp the concept of washing my hair every 2-3 days.  For many years, I was a staunch wash the hair every day kind of gal.  What I didn’t realize was how bad that really was for my hair.  Having naturally curly hair already sets me up for dry hair but washing it every day added to it.

This shower cap stays in place while I shower and does exactly what it is supposed to do.  It keeps the water out.  It also looks super cute and fun.  Wearing this allows my hair to have a break in the washing cycle and maintain some of its natural moisture.  I then spritz on my favorite dry shampoo to refresh my scalp and tah-da.  I am work ready.  This really helps my hair maintain its health and helps me get ready quickly.   I try to match my early morning schedules with my no hair wash days.  It really helps me set up for success.

#5 My Planner

I honestly couldn’t keep any of it together without my Erin Condren Life Planner.   Regardless of how much sleep I had or how much coffee I drank.  My EC helps keep me on track with all I have to remember.  Between my work, my husband’s work, my daughter’s school schedule and all her after school activities there is no way I could keep track of it all.  I also track her specials classes, whether she is buying lunch or not, and what we are having for supper.  I refer to it multiple times a day.

I used a planner all throughout high school and college but went away from that practice for many years.  I found myself writing things on pieces of paper and leaving them everywhere.  I would put things on my phone but then it wasn’t accessible to everyone else.  Having a plan and referring to it makes keeping my family’s schedule easier and takes a lot of stress out of my morning.  I review the night before, make sure I have everything ready and in the AM I am ready to execute.

So there it is.  My Top 5 items for a successful morning routine.  What is something that helps keep you on track for a successful day?