The pre-preparation stories:

 

I love optimizing everything. The lamp wick is fixed, the oil is poured in, and a matchstick is kept ready right on top of the matchbox—the only thing left to do is light the lamp the next morning. The pulses are washed, put into the vessel, and placed inside the cooker, crowned with the whistle; all Sudhi have to do is turn on the gas. The rice is measured and kept in its vessel, and the exact quantity of water is kept ready in a steel bottle next to it—once the rice is washed, the water is poured in and it's ready for the cooker.

The veggies that Sudhi must chop are all washed and kept ready. The measured quantity of milk for our coffee/tea after brekky is kept ready in its vessel. The plates are all set out by Sudhi. The tiffin boxes are completely set, with the spoons already placed inside for both Puttu and me. Even my buttermilk with chia seeds is kept ready in the fridge from the previous night.

All of this happens the night before. Even the podcast I love listening to is kept ready and loaded so I can just hit play while doing my kitchen chores.

Our clothes for the next day are kept ready. Puttu’s dry snacks are packed. If it’s a Wednesday(Bake Day/Steamed Brekky’s like idli, unde) or Thursday(Whole grains/millet rottis), the pulses that need to be soaked are measured and left right on the counter so I don't forget to soak them, meaning the moment I get home, I can immediately start grinding. A week's menu is planned, and the veggies needed are always decided a day ahead.

Sundays are a different story—I absolutely do not want to be busy. So I plan the week in such a way that the sprouted green moong is ready exactly on Sunday morning. That way, I don't need to cook anything elaborate or spend ages in the kitchen.

I never knew that these little pre-preparations could help me save those tiny microseconds. But they really do add up, giving me peaceful breakfast sessions and calm mornings. It takes a lot to run a home, but a little bit of planning keeps the chaos in check. 🤍

 

Daily Micro-Habits:

• Toothbrush Squats: Squatting while brushing teeth in the morning.
• High-Shelf Reaches: Keeping everyday kitchen items on high shelves to stretch and stand on toes.
• Commute Foot Movements: Lifting and dropping feet/heels while traveling to work.
• Backward Running: Incorporating reverse running into runs with Puttu.