Good morning!
Wait… are your mornings even good ones? Tell me honestly…
For many men, the typical morning is spent skipping his breakfast, triple-checking his phone and then putting his clothes on frantically.
These men feel pressed for time …the whole time. Can you relate to this?
If only there was a way to make your mornings longer, to give yourself some more breathing room in between tasks and chores.
You’re in luck, gents. I’ve written this article to give you 10 time-saving morning style hacks that enable you to do just that.
Style Hack #1 – Tie Your Necktie The Night Before
Let’s start with a simple one. We all know how challenging it can be tie your tie in the morning. You’ve gotten out of bed groggy, pressed for time, and anything that requires some focus and attention to detail is best done beforehand.
It’s an amazing feeling when you discover – even in the most hectic of mornings – that your necktie has already been pre-tied with the appropriate tie knot. And all you have to do is pass the loop through your neck and tighten it up.
Trust me when I say it’s quite a lifesaver to get your tie done the night before. In fact, have it squeezed into your normal routine before you hit the sack. Set aside time each night to ensure everything’s set for the following day wardrobe-wise. That means following this next hack…
Style Hack #2 – Lay Out Your Clothing The Night Before
Don’t you hate wasting precious time in your mornings just to pick out stuff and put them on, only to realize:
A. Your suit has a button that’s loose?
B. Your shirt still has that coffee stain from last week?
C. The whole thing doesn’t match?
That’s why it’s extremely useful to have tomorrow’s clothes laid out and checked on before going to bed. With a fairly relaxed state of mind, you’ll figure out which sports jacket, which belt, and which pair of shoes best go together. You’ll spot any red flags in your clothing and find the right alternatives. Come the following morning, all that’s left is the wearing part.
One item that’s quite handy for this is a clothes valet (also known as a valet stand). This free-standing piece of furniture has features such as jacket/trouser hangers, tray organizers, shoe bars, and some also include a jewelry box. If you buy one, the process of laying out and preparing your outfit becomes much smoother. Use the closet to store and sort out all your stuff. But let the valet stand serve as your day-to-day wardrobe assistant.
Bonus Tip: Have A Set Uniform
Wouldn’t your days be far more hassle-free if you always get out of bed and wear what’s right? The thing is you can make that happen, even if you don’t have a specific uniform for work. Understand the level of formality that’s expected of people in your office.
Based on that, work within those boundaries. Build yourself an interchangeable wardrobe in which almost every clothing item can be matched with one another. The goal here is to “automate” the dressing-up part of your morning. The less thinking you need, the better.
Style Hack #3 – Shave At Night NOT In The Morning
Similar to #1. Shaving demands patience and accuracy, especially with traditional types of razors like straight or safety razors. And the majority of us would concentrate better while using them at night.
You can delay the exact moment to fall asleep, but you can’t disregard the time you arrive at the office. So again, figure out how to logically fit shaving in your evening routine. Perhaps it can come right after you brush.
Style Hack #4 – Have A Designated Area For Your Valuables
I get it. Sometimes you’re exhausted from all the hustle and bustle of a hard day’s work. So once you’re home, you end up leaving your valuables in random locations. But here’s the problem: you might forget where you last saw those items next morning. Each and every one of them.
Great – who’d want to start their day with missing car keys or a misplaced wallet? Don’t allow yourself to become a victim. Learn the habit of placing all your valuables (wallet, keys, sunglasses, watch, etc.) in one appropriate “home.” Options include valet trays, trinkets, and certain kinds of jewelry boxes if you’ve got multiple watches. The key here is you do NOT put anything else. Keep the area exclusive to essential non-clothing items to prevent any losses.
Style Hack #5 – Sleep In Your Suit Gym Clothes
Do you really think I’d advise you to sleep while fully dressed in your suit or office attire? No! That may technically save you some time, but it’s not worth seeing all the folds and wrinkles that formed overnight.
Instead – go to bed in your gym gear so the minute you wake up, you’re a bit more eager to exercise. That doesn’t just mean you get to skip one round of switching clothes. There’s a real psychological benefit to it.
By seeing yourself dressed in the proper gear, you are more inclined to tell yourself: “I might as well go for a run or work out.” That kind of motivation doesn’t exist if you’re in pajamas. Why? Because changing – though it’s not a strenuous task – is something that’s easy to feel lazy about.
Not comfortable sleeping in gym clothes? At least have them ready at the foot of your bed every night. Try it and you’ll soon notice the difference it makes.
Style Hack #6 – Take A Shower & Avoid VERY Cold Water
Depending on the season, you may like to bathe in the morning with a considerably low or high temperature. But try not to push it to either extreme, more so if it’s a cold shower.
The problem with super cold water is it can somewhat constrict your blood vessels. And when that happens, they lose their ability to function as best as they can. The different roles they have such as circulation, carrying nutrients, and removing waste from your skin can be compromised.
To help them stay active, use mostly lukewarm water while showering. You’re recommended to always start with lukewarm so as not to shock your body. Then you can lower the temperature towards the end.
Style Hack #7 – Skip Washing Your Hair
You can save anywhere between 2 and 5 minutes by following this tip. But why would you follow it? Aren’t we supposed to shampoo our hair thoroughly every day? Think again.
If you do a little research and hear what stylists or hair experts have to say, you’ll find out it’s NOT ideal to shampoo on a daily basis (particularly if the shampoo has high levels of detergents and sulfates). It can cause your hair to become brittler and drier over time. Try to limit shampooing to once every 2-3 days or less often.
Instead, use a good conditioner whenever you shower without being in a rush. Conditioners maintain the hairs, replacing the natural oils that have just been washed off. So yes – your hair needs some greasiness to stay healthy. Not all of us feel comfortable with it, but it’s mainly a matter of getting used to.
Style Hack #8 – Brush While Showering
This one is self-explanatory. A clear example of killing two birds with one stone.
Have your body soaped nicely. When it’s time to wash, turn on the shower go brush your teeth. Turn your back towards it and let gravity do its job. By the time you’re done brushing, you should be ready to face forward and rinse off the rest of yourself.
Style Hack #9 – Lay Off Your Gadgets
This is probably among the most challenging hacks in this list. Can you spend your mornings completely detached from your phone, your laptop, and the TV? Can you go as far as turning them off? I dare you to.
But don’t get me wrong. I understand if you’ve got a job that requires checking emails or messages first thing in the morning. It’s fine. What’s NOT okay is spending 30 minutes for it, or doing it multiple times while you’re getting ready. That’s where you cross the line between being aware of stuff and being “sucked” into stuff.
Why is that an issue? Because you have the rest of the day to pore over your messages. You can catch up on the news during your lunch break. You can enjoy TV in the evening. But you’re not turning the morning into a productive one if you let those things distract you.
I’ve actually made it a habit to leave my phone outside the bedroom. I wake up using a normal alarm clock, and my first order of business is to meet my wife downstairs for coffee. We value those minutes – with the kids still asleep – when we both can sit down and talk without interruptions. I don’t want to go through my mornings with a work-oriented mindset. And hopefully, you also try not to. Start the day making time for your loved ones.
Style Hack #10 – Prepare Breakfast At Night (Or Pack It)
As cliché as it might sound, breakfast is your most important meal of the day.
Don’t believe it? Remember that your mind operates through your brain. And the brain is an organ that needs to be refueled, just like the rest of the body. If your body doesn’t get its fuel, there’s nothing to power-up your brain for the workday that lies ahead.
So if your mornings tend to be tight, have all the breakfast duties – cooking, toasting, and saucing – taken care of the night before. Make sure your meal is ready for takeout.
Food types you want to include in your breakfast:
- Protein (120g of protein is recommended for your breakfast and lunch meals; go with white meat or vegetable sources like nuts and legumes)
- Carbohydrates (bananas, cereal, the bread used for a sandwich)
- Vitamin C (apples, red pepper, sweet potato)
Those are my ten style hacks. Do I follow through with each of them regularly? Of course. I’ve learned to incorporate them into my personal routine every morning. And I still reap the rewards that come along with them.
Trust me: these hacks won’t just make your days more productive. They’ll also make you a better man – and a more stylish one at that! So give them try. Invest in simple changes that are proven to be real game-changers in life.