I joined the corporate world about a month ago, and the transition has been interesting to say the least. I basically needed to figure out ways to stay productive throughout the course of the day without going practically insane, and I knew the starting point was going to have a smooth morning. I’ve always felt that when I my mornings go in the right direction, the rest of my day falls into place. I should add that I used to also use these tips before going back to work, but now I’m a stickler about it since I know it can make or break my day potentially!
I wanted to talk about the 5 tips I have for mamas who are working, or who are just looking to have a smoother day by getting their day kickstarted in the morning!
1. Wake up at the same time every day and don’t hit snooze.
This is crucial you guys hence it being numero uno. Try to go to sleep at the same time every night, and it’ll help create a routine of waking up at the same time everyday. I can’t really give you a time because we all have such different schedules. Some of you start your day at 4 AM (yikes!) and some start it at 8 AM. Just whatever you time you start, stay consistent. I totally understand if you’re a “snoozer”. Who doesn’t want an extra 9 minutes of shut eye? By the way, why is it 9 minutes? Who decided that was the perfect number instead of 10?? Anyone else have these weird thoughts go through their brain? Is it just me?? But I digress…
Nonetheless, try to NOT hit snooze. If you do it the first few days, I totally get it. I was there at some point, but now I totally avoid it, and instead I get up and sit in bed. I give myself about 10-15 minutes to catch up on any emails/social media before I step out of bed, and it helps to not constantly check it or have the urge to know what’s happening while I finish up the daily morning tasks.
2. Wake up and get ready before your kids.
My kids wake up going a million miles an hour, and I’m basically never prepared for that kind of energy if I’ve woken up at the same time as them. They are literally bouncing off the walls, asking me a million questions about breakfast, why I’m still in pajamas and if they can play with their markers and playdoh and legos, all the while I’m just trying to brush my teeth and get my eyes fully open. NOPE. No thank you. I like to have quiet time to get ready, do my hair and makeup, and have a little bit of time to become a functioning human before they pounce on me. And like I said before, I tried to follow this rule quite a bit even before I started work. I would still get ready, because it would give a me a sense of feeling ready to be able to tackle the day!
3. Start your coffee and have some breakfast.
This sounds simple enough, but I can honestly say that drinking some hot coffee and eating breakfast in the morning is a sure fire way to get on the productive track. Plus, it helps get your metabolism started, and who doesn’t want that! I absolutely love drinking a cup of hot illy coffee to get my morning jolt! I love a rich, smooth taste to my cup of joe, and illy is perfect for that! You can actually visit illy now and receive 20% off by using coupon code COFFEE17.
4. Prep lunches the night before.
I know this sounds like a pain, but putting in that extra 10 minutes before you go to bed is so worth it when you don’t have to do as much when you wake up! I have to send lunch everyday for Aria and Rishi, so I always like to do a little prep work the night before. It could be as simple as cutting up fruit, making sandwiches, or just getting everything ready to go in the morning. If I know I’m sending them pasta, I’ll make sure the pot is already out on the stove, with the measuring cup and pasta right next to it, so that all I have to do is just cook it and add the sauce. Takes time out of having to go and get the pasta from the pantry, and getting the pot out, etc. Sound like it’ll only take 30 seconds? Well doing this the night before, I just saved you 30 seconds in the morning!
Same goes for me…I try to take lunch most days, which normally means that I need to do a little bit of planning the night before. Sometimes it’s just leftovers, and sometimes it’s as simple as assembling a quick salad with dressing on the side. But, being able to just grab it before I head out to work, really helps me to stay on track for eating healthy, and saving money! Eating lunch out daily can add up so quickly!
5. Unload/Load the dishwasher. Start a load of laundry if you can.
As breakfast is getting eaten, and we are all hanging around the kitchen before we all rush out the door to start the work/school day, I try to clear out the sink. Any random dishes that are out need to go into the dishwasher, and if I happened to run the dishwasher the night before, I’ll try to empty it. I love coming home to a clean kitchen that’s ready to be cooked in, because I really despise coming home and seeing the sight of dishes piled high when dinner still needs to get to the table. It literally makes me want to cringe. No like seriously…I HATE it.
Another quick thing I do is maybe start a load of laundry. And more often than not, I’ll be able to put it into the dryer before I leave, which basically leaves folding and putting it away when I get home, versus having to start in the evening and fold late into the night…pass.
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I know some of these tips may seem daunting or silly, but they have really made a difference in turning around my morning to be more happy and fruitful. I’m excited when my kids come downstairs, versus being in a crabby mood and just not fully awake or alert to meet the crazy demands of my toddlers. I mean, they really are tiny tyrants right?
Give these tips a try! You just never know what you may learn, like how you love being a morning person!!!
Do you have any tips or tricks to help you in the morning??
The Comments
Anna
Waking up and getting ready before the kids is SO KEY! Even if it means I have to get up at 4:00am. On the mornings I hit snooze and have to get ready while Ava is awake is so hectic!
Alfa
→ AnnaOmg yes! I absolutely hate getting ready while my kids are running around me! It just throws my entire morning and mood off. =/
Virjinia Harp
I never hit snooze because it does throw off the whole morning for me. I really like your dishwasher and laundry tip. I may have to incorporate that into my routine!
Alfa
→ Virjinia HarpI love that you don’t hit snooze!! That’s amazing! It’s definitely taken me some practice to do get used to it. =)
Michelle
I need to be better about waking up at the same time every day and getting things done before the kids wake up. I tend to stay up way too late and get things done than and than I am exhausted the next day. My routine is obviously not working.
Alfa
→ MichelleGirl! I used to be the same! I used to stay up so late but then I started putting am alarm on my phone to tell me to go to bed! HAHA. Sounds crazy right? But it totally works! =)
Kate
Love these tips even as a SAHM! And that coffee looks amazing!
Alfa
→ KateI used to do most of these too when I was at home with the babies!! I think the only one that didn’t fully apply was making the lunches but goodness, everything else really helped me be on top of it for most of the day! And thank you!
Brie @ A Slice of Brie
Oh man, I’m a SAHM but I could benefit from most of these! Especially the getting up before the kids. I’m a terrible night owl so it’s so painful for me to get up early lol. It’s not so bad getting up when the baby wakes up, but everyone’s day seems to be better if I’m actually awake and have made my coffee before the toddler wakes. Somehow I need to make myself get up early every day! Great tips!
Alfa
→ Brie @ A Slice of BrieOh girl, I used most of these tips when I was a SAHM! Now, I just have to live by them rigidly…that’s really the only difference! And I’m with you on being a night owl! It’s just me time and I never want to give it up!
Aly Funk
These are such great tips! Not hitting the snooze button is definitely a big one for me
Alfa
→ Aly FunkYes!! Not hitting snooze is truly a game changer!
Tabitha Shakespeare
These are all awesome tips! I know I should get up before my little one but she wakes up SO EARLY lol!