Chaotic Mornings
Are you running from one thing to the next in the morning and
feeling overwhelmed? You are not alone! My mornings for
years have been driving me crazy. I run
from this thing to that trying to get the kids ready for school, get myself
ready for work, lunches, hubby, dog, baby!
Oh my! As a Mom we can sometimes
feel like we are doing a juggling act in a circus. The truth is we are! We are constantly trying to do too many
things at once (like trying to carry in all the groceries with one trip), which
is great, but it can also build up unwanted tension and pressure. I don’t know about you, but some mornings
that spilled cup of milk which normally wouldn’t be a big deal, is enough to
throw me over the edge. Stop the
insanity! I would like to share some
tips with you that have helped me turn my chaotic mornings into sweet mornings
of bliss (for the most part).
MOMMY TIME-Get
up ½ hour to an hour early for yourself.
Take this time to get yourself ready to start the day. Getting ready
before the kids get up gives you a chance to get ready without having to
multitask. I like to start my pot of
coffee, get ready and start my day with devotion and prayer. I love just those few minutes to myself to
reflect and get a healthy dose of Word to start my day.
BE PREPARED-Waking
up to an already messy kitchen makes mornings difficult. I try to spend a few
minutes the night before getting things ready for morning. Again, after the kids go to bed, I finish up
any dishes in the sink and empty the dishwasher so it’s ready for me just to
throw in breakfast dishes in the morning. Empty the garbage, (good chore for
the kids) and throw any used towels in the laundry. I will even try to get a couple extra loads
of laundry done, so that favorite shirt isn’t left in the washer.
TEACH KIDS TO BE
PREPARED-I have my kiddos get their backpacks ready to go the night
before. I don’t know how many mornings
we have been searching for the paper they worked on the night before, or
looking for their take home folder. I
have them get books and folders together and in their backpacks. In the winter we make sure all the gloves and
mittens are put in the special spot so we aren’t searching for them.
LUNCH TIME-I
pack lunches for myself, my hubby and also my kids. It is really important to me that my family
eats good nutritious meals when they are away from home. To ease the morning stress I pack what I can
the night before. I wash out their lunch
containers from that day with supper dishes so they are ready to go. When I put
away supper leftovers, I will put them in lunch size containers so they can be
easily grabbed the next day.
BREAKFAST-A
great day is started with a healthy breakfast.
I like to make good wholesome food for breakfast. I’m not a huge fan of cereal, so we do a lot
of hot meals. It can be done without adding
too much stress to the morning. The main
thing is giving yourself enough time.
This is another thing I try to have done before the kids get up. That way it is cooled off and just ready for
them to dive in. When you prepare things
like oatmeal, it takes a little while to cool down.
EXERCISE-Another
great way to start your day is 20-30 minutes of exercise in the morning. Whether it be taking your dog for a walk or
going for a quick jog, you will feel refreshed and taking care of
yourself. For those of you that are
unable to leave, you could do a quick workout routine at home. You can find workout routines on Pinterest that need no equipment at all. It is ok to take time out for yourself to stay healthy. If you
are not a morning person and one more thing adds too much to your morning
routine, be sure to make time later in the day.
Your mind and body will thank you!
SLEEP-Be sure
to get to bed at a decent time (which is tough if you have a newborn, but try
your best). If you are starting your day
already sleep deprived, it will be hard to be peppy and get the kids going with
a smile. 8 hours is a good amount to
start with and see how you feel.
Different people can function on more or less, but if you are heading to
the coffee pot to keep your motor running, chances are you're not getting
enough.
These are some tips that have
helped me get through the chaos. Take
each day with a grain of salt. Nobody is
perfect. Not every morning is ever going
to run smoothly. The main thing is
realizing you are only human and there are bound to be hiccups along the
way. We can only try to diffuse some of
the tension and stress with changing the way we do things.
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