When my kids were younger, I was a morning person and could jump out of bed as early as 4:00 a.m. Nowadays, I drag myself out of bed at 6:00 a.m. after hitting snooze twice. I’m no longer a morning person. Here are some tips and tricks I’ve discovered that make the mornings easier to manage.

Before You Go To Bed

1. Make sure your dishes are finished.

When I wake up to a dirty kitchen, my first thought is I already have work to do today. It tires my mind before it has a chance to wake up, let alone begin processing the day. When I wake up to a clean kitchen, I know I can start my day without having to clean first. Waking up to a clean kitchen relieves stress.

2. Set your coffee pot.

If you have an automatic pot, set the timer. If not, set up the pot so that all you have to do in the morning is push the start button.

3. Check your calendar for the next day.

What appointments do you have? What calls do you need to make? What errands need to be run? By checking your calendar, you know what to expect. And it allows you to be prepared for any surprises that may surface.

4.Prioritize your tomorrow.

Now that you’ve checked your schedule, what order will you complete things so that you are best managing your time? Is there anything on your to-do list that can wait if you need it to? Is there anything you need to accomplish that wasn’t on your list? Plan your day the night before so that you can prioritize what is necessary, what can wait, and what isn’t necessary at all.

5. Set out what you, your spouse, and your children need for the next day.

This helps to avoid the last-minute “Where are my socks?” and “Where are my keys?” It also teaches our children how to keep track of their belongings and the important things they’ll need throughout the day, such as their homework or instrument. Avoid the chaos and frustrations that come with not knowing where things are and trying to find them last-minute.

6. Sign paperwork that needs to be signed and turned in.

Field trips, permission slips, report cards, etc. Then put them in the appropriate places so that they go to school and get turned in the next day.

7. Schedule lights out and quiet time.

If you start this routine when your kids are young, it’ll be easier to maintain when they are older. Mine are teens and young adults, and because we got out of routine while “staying at home” earlier this year, we’re still trying to get back into it. This week, I had to set lights out and quiet time for 10:00 p.m. because a couple of them want to stay up later and play video games with headsets and microphones on, keeping others awake when they need sleep. Getting plenty of sleep helps to reduce stress.

In the Morning

8. Set your alarm for at least 15 minutes earlier than everyone else’s.

Give yourself 15 minutes of peace and quiet and time to reflect before everyone else wakes up. This can affect your entire day in a positive manner.

Things you can do in that 15 minutes:
– Read the Bible
– Pray
– Deep Breathing
– Drink a Cup of Coffee
– Take a Picture of the Sunrise
– Meditate
– Let the Dogs Out

9. Wake your kids.

This may sound obvious, but what may not be obvious is that you, the mother of the house, the wife of your husband, set the tone and mood of the day for everyone. If you are grumpy, they will be grumpy. If you are happy, they may become happy even if they wake up grumpy (or they may not, but at least you didn’t let their grumpiness affect your joy). So use your softest, happiest mom voice and wish everyone a good morning.

Keep in mind which kids don’t mind being tickled or gently nudged to get them to wake up and which don’t. An otherwise happy morning kid may become a grump if you nudge them out of bed. Know your kids. Limit everyone’s stress levels.

10. Set timers and a routine.

If you have multiple kids and limited bathrooms, you can imagine how handy this tip could become. Give each child a set time for the bathroom. It may seem natural that girls would take more time than boys because of makeup routines and hair styles, but this isn’t necessarily the case. My husband takes far longer than me to get ready in the morning. And some boys take after their dads. Set a timer for each child as they enter the bathroom. Give them that long to shower, brush their teeth, and primp.

What About Packing Lunches?

There are two ways to handle packing lunches. You could make them the night before, but then the sandwich will be soggy. Who likes a soggy sandwich? Not me! You could make them in the morning, but that takes a chunk of time out of an already busy part of the day. Here’s my best lunch-packing tip:

Pack the entire lunch except the sandwich the night before. In the morning, make the sandwiches and add them to the lunchboxes/bags. This way, you aren’t spending your entire morning packing lunch, and the sandwiches aren’t soggy. Win-Win.

Not every morning will be perfect, but by adding these tips to your morning routines, those imperfect mornings will likely be fewer and farther between.

Mama, what tips would you add? We love your fellowship! Please leave a comment below.