Prepare Today for Tomorrow

Sometimes we need a quick win to finish our day strong and feel good about starting the next day. I’ve got a super simple and quick option for you.

What’s the one thing that you can do right now to help end today strong and make tomorrow better? One quick thing that can help you with overwhelm and that can quiet your mind. That one quick task that you can do to give you that feeling of accomplishment. If nothing else in your day seems to be going well (because we all have those days) what is the one thing you can do today to help make tomorrow better? Here's my tip. You can prepare today, for tomorrow.

Prepare today, for tomorrow. I don't mean to prep all of the things. All I mean is to prep yourself for what you need to take to work tomorrow… And do it tonight. I suggest taking some time after dinner time when you have some quiet time. Get out your designated work bag. Begin to put the things in it that you're going to need tomorrow.

Try starting with just 15 minutes. Setting a timer can help this process by letting you concentrate and move quickly on this one task. Begin putting the things in your bag that you're going to take to work with you tomorrow. Any new supplies that you wanted to take, snacks, gym clothes, walking shoes, and so on.
Going to pack a lunch for tomorrow? Get everything ready for that lunch now so you don't have to do everything in the morning. Put it all together. Get your car keys, your purse, all the things that you want to take and put them all together. 

Prepping yourself the night before, when you have enough time, you're not rushing out the door leaves you with a sense of accomplishment and peace. When you get up tomorrow morning, finish your morning routine, grab your coffee, work bag, purse and keys and you are out the door. It's that easy.
Once you get in the habit we just talked about, you can add on a few steps. What do you want to wear tomorrow? Can you get it all out tonight? If you need to wash something up, you have time to wash and dry it the night before so it’s ready the next morning.

This is a super simple, very quick, kind of a no-brainer thing to do. But not everything needs to be complicated to be effective. What we're really doing is taking a step back and taking action on one simple thing that we can do today to get a win for today, and also for tomorrow. Sometimes it just takes those little things to get ourselves together and really help our mindset.

BONUS: This is a great habit to teach your kids. It helps when those kiddos get a great start to their day when they are ready in the morning. By showing them how to prepare the night before, you’re teaching them to take responsibility for themselves. By the kids learning to prepare themselves, it also takes away some anxiety and pressure you may feel as the parent being responsible for everyone and everything. The best part is that preparing everyone tonight for tomorrow, it takes away some of the emotions that happen in the mornings when the family is running behind or is struggling to get everything together and out the door.

Remember that even if you're walking your kids through the process, have patience. They are not going to get it right the first time or maybe even the 100th time. But ultimately, you’re teaching them a life lesson – a habit – that will serve them well.

I would challenge you to do this for a week. Get out your work bag, empty all of the things out from today, pack what I need for tomorrow. Do the same with your kids. It's just one thing. It's one step. Give it a try, see what happens. It’s a mental game changer for everyone!