Mornings were one of the most stressful times in my house. I needed to find ways to beat the chaotic morning rush.
“Hurry up! Get out the door. Let’s get everybody in the car! Let’s go!” In the past, you’d hear these statements every morning.
Sometimes, it feels like no matter what I do, we can’t make it less chaotic. But now I know there are things that we can do to make it less stressful. And I want to share a few ideas with you that I have found helped me get through the morning a little bit more smoothly, not just for me, but for my entire family.
Here are some questions you can answer as you think about how to simplify your morning routine and how to beat the morning rush as a working mom.
What can I do the night before?
I know you’ve heard about this advice before, but have you really thought about it?
Can you pack lunches the night before? Can you prep your coffee machine or your clothes?
As a lot of moms say, preparing for the day starts the night before. Doing things the night before lessens the tasks you need to do in the morning, thus making it less hectic and more peaceful.
Reframe your thoughts about the morning and what it means because that is going to help you to reduce your stress.
Is there anything you can do less of?
Of the things you do in the morning, which can you do at another time or even completely stop?
If it doesn’t need to happen in the morning, push it aside. If you run the laundry or the dishwasher in the morning, set that aside for when you get home from work.
You can stop driving through the coffee shop, and just prepare your coffee at home or at the office.
I know it’s off-putting to change routines, but it’s worth giving it a try and seeing if it works for you. You could gain peaceful mornings.
What do you think about mornings?
What’s the story that you’re telling yourself? Do you wake up already dreading the chaos, already worrying about so many things?
It’s easy to get into a slippery slope on how your day might go, and it’s more challenging to reframe those stories. Yes, you need to be on time, but is the five-minute difference really going to blow up your whole day?
You can reframe some of the stories that you tell yourself. You’re not a bad mom if you get out of the house 5 minutes later than planned. You’re not a failure if one of your kids forgets their homework.
It happens, and it’s not the end of the world. Let’s face mistakes and setbacks as they are. There is no need to blow things up in our minds.
I’m not a failure. The mornings are just chaotic.
Take Action
Simplifying your morning routine and reframing your thoughts will help you have more graceful mornings.
So take action and write your answers down. Answer the three questions I mentioned above. Get clarity on what needs to be changed, how you can do it, and commit to change.
You deserve grace, peace, and joy in the mornings, mama.
P.S. If you simply can’t filter your thoughts and you need a sounding board in getting clarity and creating a roadmap toward work-life harmony, my Career VIP Day might be for you. Book a consultation call here.
