I'm a creature of habit, as uncool as that sounds. And there is no time of day when I appreciate a routine more than first thing in the morning. I will never be the person who wakes up one day and decides to mess with the schedule and, like, all impulsively decide to curl my hair and go out for croissants. Not this bear. It's down to a science and I don't like to eff with the flow - especially not before 10:00AM.

Aside from the necessities (brushing of teeth, donning of clothing) there are a few daily musts I need to get the day off to a good start:

[+] breakfast. A no-brainer, but so many people skip this step, and frankly, I don't understand those people. I actually get excited to go downstairs and eat breakfast, and if I have to delay it for whatever reason, I feel like throwing up. I'm OK with eating the same breakfasts for two straight weeks. Give me a toasted English muffin with peanut butter and banana, a bowl of oats with berries and walnuts, or a poached egg on toast.

[+] coffee. This is not optional! I like to bring my travel mug of coffee in the car with me in the mornings. I swear it makes the commute easier.

[+] angry driving music. Everything has its place, including Dave Matthews and Jack Johnson, but my car at 7:30 is not the time for those mellow fellows. In the morning I want loud, fast and offensive. You can't navigate Magazine Hill singing along to Banana Pancakes - it just doesn't work.

[+] BB cream. One product that serves three purposes can't be beat. I like being able to slap one thing on my face and get moisturizer, sunscreen, and coverage.

[+] advance prep work. Every evening after dinner I pack my lunch for the next day and pop it in the fridge, pack my gym bag, and set the coffee maker. In the morning, I can just kind of roll around in a fog and know that I have a bag of food, a piping-hot beverage, and all my gym gear ready to go. It's so much easier to do this at night. The less I have to do in the morning, the better for me.

[+] hugs and kisses. I can't leave for work without big hugs and kisses from both boys. It's the best way to get the day off to a good start and I look forward to seeing them again all day long.

What do you need in the morning to kick-start your day?