Are your weekday mornings spent maniacally hunting for homework, fixing hair that won’t behave and scrambling for a nutritious breakfast? Check out these helpful tips for stress-free living at 7 a.m.

De-Stress Your Hair-Care Routine
First step — get the right haircut. If you are the wash-and-go kind, don’t ask for a high-maintenance style. If your hair is naturally curly and you live in a rainy or high-humidity city, don’t dream of that sleek Hollywood look for rushed weekday mornings. If you’re pushed for time in the morning, wash your hair the night before — you’ll find it far more manageable than freshly washed hair — and you can wet it just before styling.

Do More the Night Before
Instead of waking up earlier, take 15 minutes the night before to prepare for the next day. Right after dinner, set the table for breakfast. Pull out the toaster, cereal, bread or presliced bagels and, of course, the coffeemaker. Set up a slow cooker with oatmeal. Or make some pancake batter and refrigerate it for quick flapjacks.

Family Departure Lounge
Create a “departure lounge” — a place at the front door where everyone can organize important items (homework, keys, shoes, backpacks) for the morning. Buy colored plastic bins and assign one to each member of the family.

Refrigerate Your Keys
If you’re forever forgetting special-occasion items on your way out the door (like the brownies you made for the school bake sale), here’s a trick: Leave your house or car keys in the refrigerator along with the brownies. When you try to find your keys, you’ll remember to take the brownies along too.

-- Making Life Better

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