Do you find yourself running late to daycare and to work nearly every day? Do your mornings leave you exhausted by 9am? The hurry that takes place between waking up and running out the door can be overwhelming for many families. Our tips will help you to get organized and tame that morning rush.
- Pack lunches the night before. Yes, you may feel like collapsing onto the couch and flipping on Netflix the minute the kids go to bed, but if you take fifteen minutes to pack lunches and snacks for the next day, your morning will feel far less overwhelming.
- Lay out clothing for the week on Sunday night. This one may actually save you more time than you think. Instead of folding the clean, dry laundry you take out of the dryer over the weekend, consider using that load of clean clothes and laying out outfits for Monday through Friday for your kids. No folding or hanging necessary, and getting your children dressed in the morning won’t take as much brainpower or bargaining.
- Set your alarm clock fifteen minutes earlier. Your family probably doesn’t need an extra half hour or hour in the mornings in order to get out the door on time. It’s likely that a fifteen minute adjustment is all you need. Waking up at 6:15 instead of 6:30 is not that much of a hardship, and it may buy you the time you need to make coffee, take a non-rushed shower, or even check a few work emails.
- Don’t feel the need to make a different breakfast every day. When writing this blog post, we recalled reading a bit of online advice in the past that suggested assigning different breakfasts for each day of the week. And if you feel like exercising your culinary prowess every morning, then go for it. But if your kids are happy eating cereal with fruit or yogurt every single day, then by all means, simplify your grocery list and your morning meal prep!
- Make a morning playlist. Do your kids have a few favorite songs that get them moving? Put together an upbeat, energizing morning playlist that will have little bodies getting dressed more quickly and excited to get out the door on time.
- Stay calm. We’ve all had those moments in the morning. Your kids are complaining about brushing their teeth, your dog has decided that he needs to go outside a second time, and you can’t find your phone anywhere. As tempting as it is to slam a door, cry out in frustration, or snap at your family, staying calm will keep everyone else on their usual trajectory, preventing further morning complications.
- Create a home for everything. Don’t search your house frantically every morning for shoes, keys, bags, and coats. Create a station in your home where your kids backpacks, outerwear, and shoes live, and make sure your own items are accounted for as well. Nothing throws a morning off kilter like a missing backpack!
- Stick to a routine. Kids thrive on routine, and it’s not such a bad idea for adults either. Create a schedule that each member of the family follows every morning, and adhere to it everyday. You can even create a chart to post on the fridge, just in case anyone forgets!
How have you gotten your morning routine under control? What are your biggest stumbling blocks? Let’s exchange ideas in the comments section!