The 13 Life-Changing Hacks You Need To Finally Start Getting To Work On Time

Rise and shine, you beautiful morning glory, you don't have much time to get yourself ready and out the door, so hop to it.

I know, no one is giving themselves that cheery and down-to-business pep talk in the morning. We're all trying to run around the house and get our lives together before traffic or the subway gets too hard to handle.

It's hard to make efficient work of your first hours of the day, so try these hacks to help you get out the door faster in the morning.

1. Listen to your alarm.

This is the hardest thing I'm going to tell you to do. Your morning routine gets thrown off when you repeatedly hit snooze.

Stop telling yourself you can get ready in 12 minutes when you know full well you need at least an hour.

2. Plan your outfit the night before.

Nothing will slow you down more than trying to decide what you to wear when you're half asleep.

Make sure the outfit you want is clean and taken out of that black hole you call a closet.

Bonus: Spray a little wrinkle releaser the night before to avoid accidentally looking like you slept in your outfit.

3. Put your coffee to work.

If your coffeemaker is programmable, don't ignore that magnificent feature.

Delayed brew time allows you to save time during breakfast. It also is an amazing feeling when you can wake up to already brewed coffee.

4. Have a permanent backup outfit planned.

This shouldn't change every day, it should probably just change with the season.

Every once in a while you put on an outfit and something goes wrong . It could be the realization that you hate it. Or maybe it's an unidentifiable mark on the left sleeve that you know is going to make you self-conscious the minute you walk through the doors.

Keep an outfit on hand for these sad moments.

5. Multi-task whenever you can.

If you're blow-drying your hair, turn your curling iron or straightener on so that it's hot when you're ready to use it.

Brush your teeth and listen to the news/traffic reports at the same time. Find makeup products that serve two purposes to cut down on time spent digging around in your bag.

6. Put off checking your phone.

If you tend to get lost in the feeds, save your social media checks for your morning break or for easing into your day at work. The memes and puppy pics will still be there when you sit down at your desk.

7. Put everything you will need when you walk out the door in the same place.

Laptop bag, purse, coat, wallet, keys etc. Keep it all in one spot in the evening so that it's right where you need it when it's time to leave the next day.

8. Set leftovers aside in lunch-portion-friendly containers.

While making a lunch in the morning is admirable, you can skip this step by saving dinner leftovers in small containers that you can easily grab from the fridge.

9. Don't try working before you get to the office.

You will probably get distracted and stressed out if you try to cram reading emails into your already busy morning routine. Keep yourself moving and let those messages wait a few more minutes until you're in the office.

10. Make morning playlists that last the length of your routine.

If constant clock-checking isn't your thing, use a playlist to keep you on time. Use songs or sets of songs to keep you moving from one task to another as you put yourself together.

Eventually, you'll get to know the playlist so well you'll know when you're behind. Knowing your makeup should be done before Kanye comes on will keep you on track.

11. Set reminders on your phone.

If you need to add an extra step to your morning (like taking out the trash) or take something out-of-the-ordinary with you, set a reminder on your phone the night before.

Make sure to have the reminder pop up at a time during your routine that will ensure you don't forget your new lint brush for the third day in a row.

12. Set an alarm for a few minutes before you have to leave.

Sometimes you try hard, but still get bogged down by distractions, or just find yourself moving slow in the morning.

Another alarm 10 minutes before departure will serve as a reminder to get it in gear.

13. Be honest about the TV.

If you know you're going to get stuck in front of the screen watching an episode of "Friends" or listening to the morning headlines, keep your TV off and turn on the radio.

Most morning shows will alert you to the day's headlines, weather and traffic without tempting you to plop on the couch.

Now get out there and conquer your day on time!