The Night-Before Routine That Will Transform Your Mornings
Why preparing the night before is the secret to actually following through on your goals
By
Josh Felgoise
May 30, 2025
"Most of the time I have all that stuff all packed already. I'm like pretty good on that... the more you do that stuff before you go to bed, the more sleep you get."
Luke's insight about evening preparation might sound simple, but it's one of the most powerful habit changes you can make. When you're trying to wake up early, hit the gym consistently, or just start your day without chaos, what you do the night before matters more than what you do in the morning.
The Morning Decision Trap
Here's what happens when you don't prepare the night before: you wake up and immediately start making decisions while your brain is still foggy.
What should I wear to work?
Where did I put my gym clothes?
What am I going to eat for breakfast?
Did I charge my phone?
Where are my keys?
Each small decision drains mental energy and adds friction to your morning. By the time you've figured everything out, you're running late, stressed, and your good intentions (like going to the gym) get abandoned.
Luke learned this lesson through experience. When he talks about his morning routine, the preparation piece isn't an afterthought - it's the foundation that makes everything else possible.
Luke's Evening Preparation System
The Practical Basics
"I honestly, most of the time I have all that stuff all packed already."
Luke's evening routine includes:
Gym clothes laid out
Work bag packed
Everything needed for the next day organized
This isn't complicated or time-consuming, but it eliminates the morning scramble that derails most people's good intentions.
The Sleep Connection
"The more you do that stuff before you go to bed, the more sleep you get."
This is the key insight most people miss. Evening preparation isn't just about morning efficiency - it's about sleep quality and quantity.
When everything is ready for tomorrow, you can:
Go to bed earlier (no last-minute scrambling)
Fall asleep faster (less to worry about)
Wake up calmer (no immediate stress)
Sleep later (if your routine is efficient enough)
Why This Works: The Psychology Behind Preparation
Reduced Decision Fatigue
Every decision you make depletes your mental energy, even small ones. By making routine decisions the night before, you preserve your willpower for things that actually matter during the day.
Lower Activation Energy
The harder something is to start, the less likely you are to do it. When your gym clothes are laid out and your bag is packed, the "activation energy" required to work out drops dramatically.
Stress Reduction
Morning stress often comes from feeling unprepared or behind schedule. When you wake up to everything already organized, you start the day feeling in control rather than reactive.
Consistency Building
Habits are easier to maintain when they require minimal decision-making. The more automatic your morning routine becomes, the more likely you are to stick with it long-term.
The Compound Effect of Small Preparations
Luke's evening preparation might seem like a small thing, but it enables his entire morning routine:
6:50 AM wake-up becomes possible because there's no decision-making required
7:15 AM gym arrival happens consistently because everything is ready
Work preparation is streamlined because his bag is already packed
Without the evening preparation, none of this consistency would be possible.
Building Your Own Evening Preparation Routine
Start Small: The 10-Minute Setup
You don't need an elaborate evening routine. Start with these basics:
Clothing:
Lay out tomorrow's work outfit
Set out gym clothes (if you're working out)
Check the weather and adjust accordingly
Work Prep:
Pack your work bag or briefcase
Charge your devices
Review your calendar for tomorrow
Morning Efficiency:
Set out breakfast items (or prep breakfast entirely)
Put keys and wallet in a consistent spot
Pack lunch if you bring one
Level Up: The 20-Minute Power Session
Once the basics become habit, you can expand:
Week Planning:
Review your schedule for the next few days
Prep clothes for multiple days
Batch prep meals for the week
Goal Alignment:
Prepare materials for important projects
Set out items related to your goals (books, workout equipment, etc.)
Clear your workspace for the next day
Stress Prevention:
Handle small tasks that would create morning stress
Confirm appointments or meetings
Deal with anything that might worry you overnight
Common Obstacles and Solutions
"I'm Too Tired at Night"
Start with just 5 minutes. The energy you save in the morning will give you more energy overall, creating a positive cycle.
"I Forget to Do It"
Link evening preparation to something you already do consistently, like brushing your teeth or setting your alarm.
"My Schedule Changes Too Much"
Prepare the basics that apply regardless of your schedule (phone charger, keys, wallet) and add specific items as needed.
"It Feels Like Work"
Frame it as a gift to your future self. You're literally giving tomorrow-you extra sleep and less stress.
The Morning Transformation
When you consistently prepare the night before, your mornings become:
Calmer: No frantic searching or last-minute decisions Faster: Everything flows smoothly from one task to the next
More Predictable: You know exactly how long your routine takes Less Stressful: You start the day feeling prepared instead of behind
Luke's experience demonstrates this perfectly. His ability to wake up at 6:50 AM and be at the gym by 7:15 AM isn't about superhuman discipline - it's about removing friction through smart preparation.
Advanced Strategies
The Weekly Prep Session
Spend 30 minutes on Sunday preparing for the entire week:
Plan outfits for each day
Prep meals in batches
Review your schedule and prepare accordingly
Handle weekly admin tasks
The Seasonal Adjustment
Update your evening routine as your life changes:
Different clothes for different seasons
Adjustments for new jobs or schedules
Modifications for new goals or priorities
The Emergency Backup
Keep backup items ready for when things go wrong:
Extra phone charger at work
Backup gym clothes
Emergency snacks or lunch options
Your Evening Preparation Action Plan
Week 1: Start Simple
Choose one morning routine you want to improve
Identify what preparation would make it easier
Spend 5 minutes each evening preparing for that one thing
Week 2: Build the Habit
Add evening preparation to your existing nighttime routine
Track your consistency
Notice how it affects your morning stress level
Week 3: Expand Gradually
Add one more element to your evening prep
Start preparing items for multiple days
Refine your system based on what's working
Month 2 and Beyond: Optimize
Fine-tune your routine based on experience
Add seasonal or situational adjustments
Help others in your life implement similar systems
The Bottom Line
Luke's insight about evening preparation reveals a fundamental truth about building good habits: success happens in the setup, not in the execution.
"The more you do that stuff before you go to bed, the more sleep you get."
When you prepare the night before, you're not just organizing your stuff - you're organizing your future self for success. You're removing the friction that kills good intentions and creating the conditions where following through becomes the easy choice.
The goal isn't to become obsessively organized. It's to make the things you want to do as easy as possible to actually do. When your gym clothes are laid out, your bag is packed, and everything is ready, the gap between intention and action shrinks dramatically.
Start tonight. Pick one thing you want to do tomorrow morning and prepare everything you need for it before you go to bed. Notice how different your morning feels when you wake up ready instead of scrambling.
Your future self will thank you - and you'll wonder why you waited so long to start this simple but powerful habit.
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