Mornings.
Love ’em or hate ’em?
When my children were small, my mornings were chaos.
The alarm would go off and I would hit the “snooze” button until the absolute last second and I had to get up but there was barely enough time left to get ready.
Mornings have always been my nemesis.
My days would start stressed running all over the house to get ready, find clothes and shoes for the kids, rush through breakfast while desperately trying to get out on time, and never planning for the unexpected.
But in the last 2 years, I have learned how to improve my morning routine. Since I changed my schedule, I actually enjoy my morning time and getting things done.
Today, I’m sharing my experience with bad mornings and my best morning routines tips for moms.
Mornings don’t have to be filled with stress and you rushing around forgetting what you are supposed to do. Here’s a plan to fix your morning routine and make it a success.
10 Reasons Your Morning Routine Is Chaotic and How to Fix It
You Start Your Day In A Rush
Are you like me and setting your alarm too late and then pushing the snooze button too many times? Jumping out of bed in a rush because you have already started your day late will cause you stress.
Most of us don’t just wake up and move at our peak performance.
We need a few minutes to wake up. Waking up means turning on a light, getting out of bed and start moving. If you keep pushing the snooze button, you will be late.
To help you stop pushing snooze so often, move your alarm clock across the room. Make yourself get up to turn it off.
This one simple change made a huge difference for me. Once I got out of my bed to turn off the alarm, I was up and moving. I did not hit the snooze button anymore.
Another benefit of getting up a few minutes early is that you will be able to start your day with some personal time.
Allow yourself 10-20 minutes of quiet time to read your Bible and pray or write in your journal. Having a quiet time before you start your morning routine allows you to start your day calmer and not already stressed.
You Skip Breakfast
Do you really want start your day hungry?
Think about it, you have been sleeping for 6-8 hours and you probably have not eaten since dinner. Your body needs some fuel to get it going.
This is why it’s so important to eat breakfast every day.
To make your morning a little easier, choose or prepare your breakfast the night before (like an overnight oatmeal) so it will be ready in the morning.
No time wasted making this decision on what to eat.
Recommended for you: 10 Fast & Healthy Breakfast Ideas
You Can’t Decide What to Wear/Can’t Find Your Shoes
It took me many years to understand a good morning started the night before.
By starting the night before, it means I pick my clothes to wear for tomorrow, find my shoes, have my kids set-up their outfits for tomorrow (or I would set them out when they were babies and toddlers) and most importantly they find their shoes and PE clothes.
Nobody’s got time in the morning to scramble around looking for lost clothing items. Right?
Take 5-10 minutes each evening when you and your kids are prepping for bed and choose your clothes for tomorrow.
Get everyone to set aside their clothes, shoes, and underwear so it’s fast and easy to get ready in the morning.
And you will have no surprises like your favorite shirt has baby spit-up on the shoulder or your pants need to be ironed.
You Failed to Prep the Night Before
In addition to choosing your clothes for tomorrow, you need to do complete prep for anything you need in the morning the night before.
If your cell phone needs to be charged, plug it in (don’t forget to charge your tablet, too). Make lunches, pack your computer bag/work bag, prepare backpacks and diaper bags.
If you have school-age children, make sure your kids have all finished their homework AND put all their homework and books back in their backpacks. You don’t want to be halfway to school when someone says, “Mom! I forgot my history homework!”
Set aside 10-20 minutes to prep for tomorrow. You will be glad you did and you will sleep better knowing everything is ready for tomorrow.
You Missed Your Morning Vitamin D
Light and sunshine help us wake up every morning.
When it’s time to get up, I start turning on lights all over our house. My kids start yelling, “Mom, turn off the lights!” But I just ignore them, because I know that light helps us wake up.
Give yourself 10-15 minutes every day of the morning sun. Natural sunlight helps us wake up and be more alert all day and a natural source of vitamin D.
Anytime you feel tired during the day, try a few minutes of sunshine to brighten your day.
You Don’t Have a Morning Exercise Plan
If you are slow to wake up, try adding a 20-minute morning exercise routine to your morning. Morning exercise helps you feel less stressed and more energetic all day.
Even a short 20-minute exercise routine will make you feel better, stay focused and keep your energy levels up all day. If you are always feeling tired, a little exercise might make a difference.
You Didn’t Have Time for Your Caffeine
I get up early. Morning caffeine makes a difference.
If you need your morning coffee or tea, give yourself a few minutes to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea before you start your day.
Save a few minutes in the morning by prepping your coffee or tea the night before. Prepare your coffeemaker and set the timer to start a few minutes before your alarm so when you get up your coffee will be ready for you.
You Didn’t Finish Your 10-Minute Morning Pick-up
This will sound crazy to a few of you, but I really don’t like leaving my home every morning if it’s a mess.
I don’t like a sink full of dirty dishes, pj’s on the floor and toys left everywhere. I also don’t like coming home after work to a mess (it’s just more work do to later).
If you are like me and like to have a “tidy” house (not perfect, but I don’t want to step on toys when I walk in the door after work), allow yourself 10 minutes for pick-up time before you start your day.
When I get up, one of the first things I do is wash any leftover dishes and unload the dishwasher from the night before.
I also try to make sure everyone has put breakfast dishes in the dishwasher and bedrooms have been picked up before we leave for the day.
You Didn’t Make Your Bed
I make my bed every day.
I’ve had this habit for as long as I can remember. I think making your bed every day is important for no other reason than you have one discipline you do every day.
Make your bed every day, even if you don’t think you have time.
You will feel better when you come home and find your bedroom is a little picked up and not a total mess and it gives you a quick win of getting one small task done every morning.
You Didn’t Allow Any Margin Time
Every mom needs margin time. The unexpected always happens. The dog runs out the door as you are leaving, a shoe is lost, you can’t find your keys.
These unplanned moments happen to all of us.
Give yourself an extra 15 minutes for all the things you have not yet thought of but will still go wrong in the morning. Yes, I need these extra 15 minutes every day, something always happens!
Now you can master your mornings, have time to breathe and not be stressed.
Smart Mom Smart Mornings
If you are ready to end your morning chaos and start your day with calm and success, Smart Mom Smart Mornings is the step-by-step guide you need to transform your mornings from a chaotic mess to sweet success.
In Smart Mom Smart Mornings, you will discover how to:
- Create a morning routine that’s perfect for you
- Overcome the challenges that make your mornings and mess
- Set goals so you can make the most of your morning hours
- Plan exercise, self-care and quiet time into your morning routine
- Create a “to-do” you can actually complete
- Develop the right mindset to make your mornings work for you
- A step-by-step guide to help you transform your mornings
Smart Mom Smart Mornings is a 30-day plan so you can make over your mornings in a step-by-step process. The ebook is only $5 or you can get the Smart Mom Smart Morning bundle that includes the ebook and companion workbook for $7.
Now is the time to end your morning mess and start your day with a smart morning.
Your Turn…
What small change can you make to improve your morning routine?
Nancy Deschenes says
I know reason number one why my morning doesn’t turn out well: I went to bed too late the night before! Sometimes, it’s a better idea to let go of the planning the night before and just get to bed. Unless there’s absolutely nothing to improvise lunches with, of course, then I do have to hit the store before I can sleep.
Now if I could just do something about it, and drag myself to bed at a reasonable time.
Rachel says
Very good point. When I stay up too late, it makes the next day a challenge.