After a long day at work or school, most of us just want to sit on the couch and relax. But with all the chores waiting for you at home each night, the idea of relaxing in the evenings might seem impossible. Here are five productive things to do in the morning, so you can get more downtime at night.
Do a Load of Laundry
Washing clothes or sheets can be time-consuming. Throw your laundry in the wash as soon as you wake up, then go about your usual morning routine. Before heading out for the day, toss everything in the dryer. When you get home in the evening, run the air-fluff cycle for a few minutes to get rid of the wrinkles.
Pay Your Bills
Give yourself one less thing to worry about during the dinner-bath time-bedtime rush when you get home from work. Schedule a reminder on your phone or tablet if you think you may forget, and knock out those bill payments while you eat your breakfast.
Pick Up Ingredients for Dinner
If you usually swing by the supermarket before heading home, try the trip on your way to work. You’ll not only avoid crowds, but you’ll get home faster and start dinner sooner. If you’re buying perishable items, stick them in a cooler with an ice pack and store them by your desk or take advantage of the company fridge.
Tidy Up After Breakfast
Once everyone has scarfed down their morning meal, it can be tempting to put the used dishes in the sink and worry about it when you get home. But no one wants to walk in the door to a messy kitchen after a long day. To keep morning cleanup easy, make it a rule that every family member clears his or her own dishes from the table, rinses them and loads them in the dishwasher.
Get a Workout In
At first, it can be tough to motivate yourself to work out the minute you roll out of bed, but it’s one of the most productive things you can do in the morning. According to SparkPeople, exercising in the morning helps you burn more calories throughout the day and assists you in getting better quality sleep at night. Sweat sessions also flood your body with feel-good endorphins, so you’re more likely to start your day in an upbeat mood.
Being productive in the morning may take a little extra effort, but coming home at night with nothing on your plate but relaxation is worth a few extra early tasks. In fact, you may never want to go back to nighttime chores again.
What do you do in the mornings that make your nights easier? Share your tips.
Get more information about specific health terms, topics and conditions to better manage your health on bcbst.com. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee members can access wellness-related discounts on fitness products, gym memberships, healthy eating and more through Blue365®. BCBST members can also find tools and resources to help improve health and well-being by logging into BlueAccess and going to the Managing Your Health tab.
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