Prepping on Good Days for Future You: A Love Letter to Low-Energy Mornings

How does a "bad" morning start for you?

For me, some mornings hit like a freight train. I open my eyes and already feel behind. The thought of facing my to-do list makes me want to roll over and disappear into my pillow. On those days, even the simplest things - finding a clean mug, deciding what to wear, replying to a text to a good friend - can feel impossible.

That’s why I prep on my good days.

Not because I want to be ultra-productive.

Not because I’m trying to “finally get ahead.”

I do it because I know that future-me will unevitably have mornings where everything feels too loud, too hard, and too much. And I want to leave her a trail of little kindnesses to help her make it through.

❤️ A Love Letter to Low-Energy Mornings

Let's set the tone:

The shirt you wanted to wear feels like sandpaper.

The dogs won’t come in.

Your kids are talking before your brain has finished buffering.

You checked your school email too early and now you’re emotionally short-circuited before you’ve even peed.

Low-energy mornings are brutal. But prepping on good days makes them softer.

When I walk into a reset kitchen, find clean dishes, remember that I've already planned dinner, and notice a good playlist queued up? I don’t feel like I’m drowning. I feel...supported. And like someone (past me!) was looking out for me.

✨ Prepping on Good Days: What I Do on High-Energy Days ✅

When I’m feeling good - usually midday, with a quiet house and hot coffee in hand - I ride the wave. I don’t try to do everything, but I do try to do what will matter most later.

My pups are enjoying the freshly made bed. Don't mind the torn quilt - it's my favorite and I'm going to use it until it falls apart!

Here are my favorite sparkle-day preps:

• Bake up some chocolate chip cookies or our favorite brownies (priorities - am I right?)

• Unload and run the dishwasher

• Chop and freeze any veggies that are about to go bad

• Wash my bedding (who doesn't love the smell and feel of clean sheets and blankets at the end of the day?)

• Declutter my craft table for future unexpected bouts of creativity

📝 My Low-Energy Task Lists (a.k.a. My Reset Menu)

On the flip side, I have a short list of doable things I can pick from when my energy is running on fumes. I keep a different one in three places: a little notebook, sticky notes on my desk, and the Notes app on my iPhone (specifically for things that require digital access).

Here’s a peek at one:

Each one is bite-sized. Just enough to remind me that I can do something, even if it’s not everything.

📱 How I Use Tech to Make It Easier

• Reminders: I set phone alerts for things I forget (like taking meds or defrosting meat).

• Shared grocery list app: My family can add what they need, which saves time and spoons.

• Google Calendar: I use it to share plans and appointments with my husband (and now my teen children), and it keeps me from double-booking myself out of habit.

• Shared chores app: Once I set up all of the chores and the intervals that they need to be completed, the app does the rest of the work, assigning daily chores to all family members according to my settings. This takes "me" out of the picture and helps my children build responsibility and increase ownership of the house.

I don’t use these to chase productivity. I use them to reduce friction. Anything that helps me not think about 27 things at once is a win.

💬 Mindset Shift: It’s Okay to Go Slow

Here’s what changed for me one day:

There will always be more to do. Always.

But now I use my good days not to get ahead, but to get ready - with soft supports, small wins, and systems that hold me up when I can’t hold much.

And if I miss a sparkle day? If I scroll instead of reset? That’s okay too.

We're all human, and we can’t change the past. But we can try something different next time.

Photo by Max van den Oetelaar on Unsplash

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🧠 TL;DR – For the Overwhelmed or ADHD Brain

• Prepping on good days is how I support my future low-energy self.

• Focus on wins that reduce friction: clean kitchen, planned meals, visible reminders, and treats in the freezer.

• Keep a reset list with small tasks for foggy mornings.

• Use tech (phone reminders, shared lists, calendars) to remove pressure from your brain.

• Don’t aim for perfect. Aim for gentle.

• Your energy is allowed to ebb and flow. So is your effort.

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💬 What's one thing you could prep today to help future-you tomorrow?

Leave a comment or email me - I’d love to hear what works for your low-energy mornings. Let’s swap tips like exhausted-but-loving-it grown-up pen pals.