The 6 Smartest Things You Can Do Every Night and Morning [infographic]

The key to ensuring a promising tomorrow is to start today — tonight, to be exact. Here are six things to incorporate into your night and morning routines to be a happy camper at work.

(Photo Credit: Andrew Turner/Flickr)

According to the World Health Organization, the average life expectancy for Americans is 79 years, which, if you do the math, works out to about 25,000 mornings in an average lifetime. If you’re anything like most Americans, then much of your 25,000 opportunities to rise and shine are missed ones, and that’s mainly due to a bit of time mismanagement. Amex Open Forum created an infographic to help professionals better organize their morning and evening routines to ensure happy, productive days ahead.

Nighttime Routine:

Here are three simple things you can do to gear up for some shut-eye and prepare for the next day.

1. Make a “Night Before List”
2. Set your clothes out for the next day
3. Forgive yourself

Preparing for the next day is a highly effective way to save yourself time and energy in the morning scrambling to get things done for the day ahead. Tasks that may take you hours of stress and frustration in the morning could only take you ten or so minutes the night before. Use your time wisely so that you can save yourself a headache when you least need it — first thing in the morning. 

It’s important to establish a bedtime for yourself because it will help you better manage your time in the evenings, rather than lying in bed for hours looking at your phone or computer. According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults should shoot for seven to nine hours of sleep per night, but there is no real “magic number” that applies to everyone collectively. For tips on what you can do to help yourself get a good night’s rest, check out the National Sleep Foundation’s recommendations here.

Morning Routine:

Start your day off right with these three productive things to perform each morning.

1. Do something for yourself 
2. Have a routine
3. Start with something big or small 

To better organize your day, Lifehacker suggests following the advice of CEO William Blake, “Think in the morning, act in the noon, read in the evening, and sleep at night.” Mornings are often mismanaged, creating unnecessary stress that carries over into the day. Use your mornings for thinking, contemplating, and light preparation for the day, rather than a time to cram in as much as you can before you hit the road (and get stuck in traffic).