Running late? This guide reveals six ways to speed up your morning routine (without sacrificing your appearance).

Note: Big thanks to Wahl for supporting The Modest Man by sponsoring this post! Their new line of shavers were built for speed, comfort and reliability (I love the Smart Shave).
Have you ever had a morning where you’re running late for work?

I have, and I think that even the most disciplined men have made the mistake of forgetting to set their alarm, hitting the snooze button one too many times, or just accidentally sleeping in.

Running late and feeling rushed in the morning sucks. It’s just a bad feeling. But it happens, and you have to be prepared to handle this situation.

You can’t sacrifice your appearance, and can’t show up late to work, school, the airport or wherever you’re going.

So what do you do?

You move fast. You take shortcuts. You innovate like the handsome, intelligent man you are!

So in this post and video, I’m going to show you six simple ways to speed up your morning routine without breaking a sweat.

The first two tips actually happen before you go to bed at night…

If you prefer reading, read on!

Tip #1: Lay your clothes out before you go to bed.

I know, I know…just like your mom used to do for you in kindergarten. But it worked, right?

And it still works as an adult. Why waste your precious morning minutes figuring out what to wear when you can have it all ready to go the night before?

I do this every time I have an early morning flight. My packed bags ready to go and my “travel outfit” is laid out on my dresser, right down to the socks, belt and watch.

Laying out your clothes before bed is one of the simplest things you can do to speed up your morning routine.

Tip #2: Prep your coffee maker.

This only applies to us who appreciate the magical, 100% legal drug known as caffeine, but it’s a great little tip that anyone with an electric coffee maker can do.