How a morning routine saved my sanity

 

Written by Lydia @ Frugal Debt Free Life, Contributing Writer

I don’t know if you’ve heard this quote “mom sets the tone.” I see it on Pinterest all the time and to be completely honest the first few times I saw it I rolled my eyes.

The tone in my house is loud, messy and harried. I feel like I am rushing my kids through the day while carrying this knot between my shoulders. Then one day it hit me, mom sets the tone. It really is true. By the time nap timed rolled around I was a stressed out mess counting down the minutes until my husband got home. 
I needed to slow down, be still and quiet and simplify my home. I did this by developing a good morning routine. This one might not work for everyone, but since doing this I have seen an immediate difference in my home and day. And the shoulder knot.

How a morning routine saved my sanity:

Make a to do lists the night before

I found this helped me rest better. Instead of getting up in the morning and jotting down what needs to be done, I take a few minutes at night and make a to do list for the following day. I swear this helps me sleep better because I am not lying in bed lingering over what needs to be accomplished the next day. My road map is already laid out ahead of me.

Prep for the next day

I make sure that coffee grounds are in the pot and all I have to do is press the on button. I lay out my clothes, even though I am work at home mom. Not falling back on yoga pants or sweats makes me feel more put together.

And I clean my kitchen and wipe down counter tops.

Unload the dishwasher

In the morning when the coffee is brewing I unload the dishwasher. This way as we use dishes they can go directly into the dishwasher and not clutter up the sink.  

Family devotional

The boys and I usually have a family devotion time in the morning using one of our baby Bibles.

We might also watch a Miss Pattycake DVD. If you don’t know who Miss Pattycake is, the DVDs are a fun way to incorporate scripture and praise music into a toddler or preschoolers life. The DVDs usually last about 30 minutes and they are sweet and engaging.

We also say a simple morning prayer that I wrote, “Thank you Jesus for today. Please protect us while we play. Helps us listen and obey. In Your name we pray, Amen.”

I want to set the tone of prayer, that we seek Jesus in the morning. That we begin each day with a clean slate.

And when my to do list is ready and my house is somewhat clean I don’t feel as rushed and stressed. I am not as easily unglued and my home just feels calmer.

That is not to say that this routine gets implemented everyday to the letter. It’s not to say that my house is spotless (far from it!) and that my kids are perfectly behaved.

But having a morning routine to fall back on gives us a good anchor in the chaos of life.

What is your morning routine?