Imagine mornings when things run smoothly at home. Imagine a home where every room is reasonably tidy in the morning and there is less drama about getting to school and work on time. You can bring peace and harmony to your morning routine with a few consistent strategies you can implement this week. Here is how to make mornings less stressful for everyone at home.
Do Things The Night Before
One way to make mornings less stressful is to do things the night before. Have the older kids pack their lunches and backpacks before bedtime. Iron the little ones’ school clothes and comb and wrap the the girls’ hair at night with scarves. Tidy up each room before going to bed. Put coffee grinds in the coffee machine so you’ll be ready to make coffee in the morning.
Cut Out Screen Time Hours Before Bedtime
Don’t let the kids engage in screen time all the way until they fall asleep. It will make it harder for them to wind down and get in the mood for sleep. Cut out screen time a few hours before bedtime, preferably after they take a bath and eat dinner. Replace screen time with calmer activities such as reading, talking, praying together, and cuddling if you have little ones.
Wake Up Before The Kids
This is something I do every morning to ensure a smooth morning routine for my daughter and I. I start by having quiet time and reflection then I enjoy coffee. I also use this time to wash my face, brush my teeth, get dressed and do my hair. Around 5:30 a.m., I wake my daughter up and help her get ready for school. At 6:30, we walk to the bus stop and she gets on the bus right before 7 a.m.
Assign Nightly Chores to the Kids
You and your spouse shouldn’t be the only ones keeping the home tidy. Kids need to contribute to the home, and you can reduce burnout by assigning nightly chores to the kids. When everyone does chores at night, there is less to do in the morning and you can focus on getting out the door on time.
Put on Music
Music brings everyone together so why not use it in your morning routine? Grab your phone and wireless speaker and play the kids’ favorite songs or Youtube shows while they get ready for school. It makes time go faster and you can also put on a timer while the music plays to create a challenge for the kids. The child who is the first person to get ready will choose the after-school snacks for everyone to enjoy.
Teach The Kids Organizational Skills
As your children become teens, they’ll need solid organizational skills to be prepared every morning before school or work. Teach them organizational skills regularly. Work with them to create a daily schedule they’ll follow, and come up with rewards and consequences for following or not following their schedules. Consider a block schedule where they complete tasks at specific times of the day.
Use Technology to Your Advantage
Make mornings less stressful by using technology to your advantage. Get on Chat GPT and request ideas for breakfasts that you can prepare the night before and freeze until the next morning. Purchase a robot vacuum and schedule it to clean the floors overnight so you won’t have to do it in the morning.
Simplify Your Breakfasts
If you have a hectic schedule, you won’t have time for a long leisurely breakfast. Save those for the weekends and instead look for breakfasts you can make ahead of time that freeze well. Some weekday breakfast ideas are
- Overnight oats
- Smoothie packs
- Breakfast burritos
- Granola bars
- Sausage patties
- Pancakes or waffles
- Yogurt parfaits
- Bacon and egg sandwiches
Add Exercise to Your Morning Routine
Exercise helps reduce stress and you can add it to your morning routine. Before the kids and your spouse wake up, head to the living room or basement and do short workouts on YouTube. Go for a walk around your neighborhood or ride your bike for 30 minutes.
Revamp Your Sleep Schedule
Don’t give your kids sugary drinks and treats before bedtime because this makes it hard for them to get the sleep they need. Dim the lights in their rooms to create a relaxing atmosphere. Soft music can also help your kids sleep well. Place your phone in a different room before going to bed to avoid late-night scrolling. Avoid caffeine right before bedtime since it decreases your ability to sleep.
Set Up A Morning Grab-And-Go Station
This is an effective way to reduce morning stress if you can’t prepare breakfast. Some breakfast foods you can store in the grab-and-go station are granola bars, parfait cups, cartons of milk, bags of fresh fruit, juice boxes, and grits or oatmeal packets that everyone can fix in the microwave. Grab-and-go stations can also be set up for other things you need to make mornings less stressful. For example, you can have a grab-and-go station for everyone’s jackets, backpacks, house keys, and car keys.
Teach The Kids Life Skills
Kids should learn life skills as early as possible to have stress-free mornings. Show them how to make their beds, prepare breakfast, organize their bedrooms and backpacks, comb their hair, iron clothes, and clean other rooms in the house. The more independence kids have, there is less for you to do in the morning.
Mornings should be peaceful and in order. By incorporating these helpful tips consistently, your mornings won’t need to be chaotic.
