The alarm clock goes off and you hit snooze for the third time, or maybe that was the fourth. You roll over thinking of the twenty different things on your to-do list. I want to share a few things that can help turn hectic mornings into gentle ones. Here are four small habits I incorporate at night to make the mornings seem less like a chore and more like a day worth starting. Small, practical habits can pack a big punch!
- Create a sustainable nightly routine. One example might be starting the dishwasher and washing machine before bed each night. An empty sink and laundry room floor will quickly become a welcoming sight in the morning.
- Get others involved. Assigning a job to people in the home will not only give you less workload but also an important sense of responsibility to younger ones.
- Ready, set, tidy! Discover the power of time blocking and set a timer to see how much can be in 15 to 20 minutes (You might be surprised!) Take it up a notch by including littles and make it a game.
- Prepare Yourself. Set up the morning at night! This could mean having the kids' school clothes out, water bottles filled, or field trip forms signed and ready to go. It's small things like this that allow for more mental rest in the mornings and a brighter day ahead.
Setting yourself up for a gentler morning eventually leads to calm evenings. And these changes in habit don't have to be drastic in order to make a difference, they just need to be consistent. You've got this!