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These 5 ways to keep your morning stress free will help make over your mornings and bring peace to back to school! Getting ready for back to school usually means rushing out the door, but check out my tips to keep your morning stress free.
5 Ways to Keep Your Morning Stress Free
Make Over Your Morning by Planning Ahead!
The lazy days of summer are coming to an end, which means pure chaos is about to unfold!
If your family is anything like mine then you’re summer was probably full of sleeping in, lazy days at the pool, and late nights playing with the neighbors. Summer was a BLAST…but as it is every August…summer must come to an end and back to school prep begins.
Last year Little Man started kindergarten and we were a HOT MESS every single morning! I felt like I was constantly running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to get the kids dressed, make sure they brushed their teeth, find jackets, shoes, make breakfast, grab myself a cup of coffee, and run out the door just in time for school. Until, the last month or so of kindergarten…we finally found a routine that worked and now we’re instituting it from Day 1 this year.
So, here are my 5 ways to keep your morning stress free!
1. Pick Out Clothes on Sunday
Before the week even begins I make Little Man and Miss Jellybean pick out their clothes for the entire week. They gather EVERYTHING….underwear, socks, shirts, jean/pants, hairbows (for Miss Jellybean 😉 ), etc. I set up 5 little cubbies in each of their rooms where they place each day’s outfit.
By doing this I know for a fact we’re not going to be running around searching for underwear or a matching pair of socks….you know you do this. Seriously, what is up with the dryer and missing socks?! I have an entire laundry basket filled with single partner socks….it’s quite sad.
Anyway, to make sure that this gets done every Sunday, I added it to their chore list. This also helps me with keeping up on laundry. I have a tendency to not put the laundry away…because really WHO has time for that?! But, I’m learning that in order to make life easier it’s important to take those extra steps.
I even pick out all of my clothes for the week on Sunday too!
2. Maintain a Single Drop Zone for Backpacks and Such
Last year the kids would come home from school and it would look like a tornado entered the house! Bookbags would be open with papers and books scattered throughout the living room and kitchen. Jackets would be tossed over the couch or on a barstool. Shoes would be kicked off and found under the kitchen table or on the stairs. Please tell me you know what I’m talking about!!
Now, I have a designated drop zone for EVERYTHING! It’s where the kids take off jackets, shoes, backpacks, etc. Then we go through each backpack and take out the important stuff. If Little Man has homework he makes sure to get it done before dinner.
Then, before heading upstairs we make sure backpacks are packed and ready to go right by the door. And, I make them double check that the shoes they plan to wear are with their jackets by the door as well. We make sure that everything is ready to go BEFORE we go upstairs for baths and bedtime routines.
3. Plan a Simple Breakfast Ahead of Time
The kids have a special shelf in the pantry and fridge that houses all of their approved breakfast items. This takes the stress off of me trying to make something for them. Instead, they take care of their own breakfast and I take care of mine.
I prefer a breakfast that’s perfect for on-the-go! Which is why I typically have the same breakfast every morning… lowfat yogurt, fruit, and belVita Breakfast Biscuits. It’s super simple and easy for those crazy mornings when I feel like I don’t have time for breakfast.
I used to just skip breakfast like more than half of Americans but breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day. Eating a good breakfast I feel sets me up for a day of success….I feel better, more alert, have more energy, and am ready to tackle the chaos life throws at me!
belVita Breakfast Biscuits are perfect because they’re already packaged in individual servings so I can grab it and go…plus, they taste REALLY good! I find them at Harris Teeter in the breakfast/granola bar aisles and I always keep a stock on hand in the pantry.
4. No Screen Time in the Mornings
I used to let the kids watch cartoons while eating breakfast but started to notice that once the TV turned on they started moving like molassas. Now we have a strict no TV policy before school…not even the news for Hubs and I.
Our mini-van has a TV in it and we even started a policy on no TV on the way to school either. Instead we talk about the day and our plans. Plus, if the kids are finishing breakfast it helps them stay focused on eating and not watching whatever cartoon is on.
5. Set Your Alarm for 15 minutes Earlier
Waking up before the kids get up makes a difference in our whole morning! Just getting up 15 minutes earlier gives me the head start I need to get moving for the day…plus, 15 minutes is nothing!
Do you have any tips for keeping mornings stress free once school is back in session? Share in the comments below!