Mornings for working moms can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. Establish a morning routine for an enjoyable and productive day. These 6 tips will help get everyone ready and out the door on time.
Let’s face it, trying to get everyone ready and out the door on time can be a struggle – especially if your kids need a lot of assistance. If everyone knows what to expect each morning, it will become second nature.
I use a morning routine poster with my boys to remind them what they need to do in the mornings. You can download the PDF below!
I am NOT a morning person. The most productive time of day for me is the evening when everyone has gone to sleep. Establishing a morning routine is necessary for me to stay focused and be on time.
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Six Tips for a Productive Day: Morning Routine for Working Moms
1. Start your morning routine the night before
The number one tip I have is to start your morning routine the night before! Have everyone set out clothes, prep lunches, set alarms, and get backpacks together. It is also beneficial to look at your schedule and calendar for the next day – that way you know what to expect the night before and there aren’t any surprises or last minute scrambling.
2. Get out of bed when your alarm goes off
I need to hear this All. The. Time.
Ya’ll, I am the furthest thing from being a morning person and I would love to snooze the alarm until the last minute possible. If this happens, I can expect a stressful morning and the rest of the day will not go as well as it could have if I just got up when the alarm went off. It has taken me several years to arrive here, but I know it is what is required of me to have a peaceful and smooth morning.
3. Drink 24-36 oz water
Before I do anything, I drink a glass of water. This helps jump start my body and makes me feel SO good.
After a little hydration, you can do a quick morning exercise, practice mindfulness, meditate, pray, journal, take a shower, or anything else that your mind and body needs to be productive that day. Since I am not a morning person, I do these things in the evening instead of the morning.
4. Get some sunshine
Open the blinds and curtains in the main living areas of your house. Letting in the natural light and seeing the sun has a positive effect on the body. It is a new day and you can face it head on.
If I am up before the sun rises or it is gloomy outside, I turn on my light therapy lamp to get me going. A coworker introduced this to me. One day, I walked into her classroom during her plan time and she had a bright light glaring in her face. I was immediately intrigued and found myself staring at it with her. From that day on, I was hooked and had to have a couple for my house and classroom. It is amazing how a little light can have a positive impact on your body!
5. Eat a high protein breakfast
So I never get up and fix a large breakfast for the family on a school morning. The kids each breakfast at school for free (they really like it!), my husband leaves pretty early, so that leaves me and the dog for breakfast. High carbs and sweets for breakfast will wear off quickly. Opt for a high-protein breakfast to keep you going longer with more energy.
I don’t go all out, but I always fix an egg with a slice of bacon or sausage. We fix a large pack of bacon or sausage and freeze it on Sunday so we can take out a piece at a time and eat it for breakfast. That makes for a very quick breakfast on weekdays.
I also really love my magic bullet. I make green smoothies (spinach/kale, frozen blueberries, frozen mango, banana, almond milk, flax seed, and protein powder). You can really save time by freezing portions in the blender cups. Add almond milk in the morning and blend for a fast and easy breakfast smoothie.
6. Use a chart with kids to help them remember morning routine tasks
My sons have a hard time staying focused in the mornings. They are like their mama – not morning people! After stressful days of dragging them along in the mornings, I developed an easy to follow chart that helps them know what to do in the mornings.
You can download the chart I use with my 8 year old son using the link below. This helps so much when they wake up to know exactly what they should do to be ready to leave for school. I laminated the paper and use a clothes pin to mark what what step he is on. He feels a sense of accomplishment by moving the clip to the next task.
You might like: How to use essential oils to help kids focus at home.
What are your favorite morning activities? Do you have a tip for a productive day? I’d love to hear in the comments.
