Life Life Strategies 5 Nightly Habits That Lead to More Manageable Mornings Snooze more (and stress less) with these time-saving tricks guaranteed to streamline your morning. By Rachel Sylvester Rachel Sylvester Instagram Website Rachel Sylvester is a senior lifestyle editor at REAL SIMPLE, and has been writing and editing lifestyle content for more than a decade. Before joining REAL SIMPLE, Rachel began her editorial career at The Knot, where she served as an editorial intern, editorial assistant, associate editor, and finally, real weddings editor for the brand. Her writing has been published in Marie Claire, Women's Health, Food & Wine, Southern Living, and Travel & Leisure. She has also appeared as a guest on Good Morning America, The TODAY Show, NBC News, QVC, Pix 11 News, Fox 29 News, Yahoo! Finance, Cheddar, and Good Morning Arizona. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on April 4, 2019 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: LightFieldStudios/Getty Images Anyone (ahem, everyone) who has ever hit the snooze button out of sheer exhaustion understands the struggle to get a head start on your morning routine. Even if you've already mastered the art of waking up on time, ready and able to tackle every item on your to-to list, it's safe to assume that night owls and early birds alike all battle to escape the comfort of their own beds. With minimal time to consume coffee and breakfast before getting dressed and out the door, it's no wonder that the early hours before your morning commute often feel reckless and rushed. In order make the most of your morning routine, we rounded up five life-changing nightly habits to practice before bed for a more seamless wake up. 01 of 06 Stash Your Phone Across the Room Jorg Greuel/Getty Images Repeatedly hitting snooze comes easy when your cell phone is within reach, so put some distance between you and your smartphone for a seamless wakeup call. Think about it: The further away your phone is from the comfort of your own bed, the further you'll have to scramble to silence the blare of your alarm. 02 of 06 Rid Your Outfit of Wrinkles kupicoo/Getty Images The concept of laying out clothes for next day wear is nothing new, however you can get a head start on ensuring your outfit is wrinkle-free by hanging blouses and dresses in your bathroom before bed. Steam heat from a hot shower effectively reduces wrinkles in clothing, allowing you to remove creases without assistance from a bulky iron or handheld steamer. 03 of 06 Meal Prep Your Breakfast samael334/Getty Images Make-ahead meals are your friend when you're in a hurry to get out the door. This recipe for overnight oats with strawberries and toasted almonds only takes 10 minutes to assemble, meaning you can set it and forget it until you're ready for breakfast. Prep five jars of the no-cook oats on a Sunday, and you'll have enough morning fuel in your fridge to last you the entire week. 04 of 06 Prepare Your Coffee Pot LightFieldStudios/Getty Images Get a head start on your caffeine fix by prepping your coffee pot before bed. Add water, a new filter, and a few scoops of your favorite brew to kick-start your caffeine routine with the simple push of a button come morning. Better yet: Program your smart home device to brew coffee with a verbal command. 05 of 06 Write a Reminder cheonlijyang/Getty Images Some everyday items on your to-do list simply need to be written down. Take the old-school approach of committing your most crucial morning tasks to memory by strategically placing reminders in an easy-to-reach location. Need to remember to pack a lunch or to simply turn off your straightener? Stick a Post-It note to the back of your front door as a reminder. 06 of 06 Embrace Air-Dried Hair sephora.com Rather than busting out your blow dryer to style your tresses in the morning, shower before bed and opt for air-dried hair to save time. If frizz is a concern, prep your locks before catching some shut eye with this smoothing hair cream, which adds texture and tames flyaways for sleek locks without the heat or hassle. To buy: $31; ulta.com. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit