Recently, I shared a nighttime routine for busy moms. In that post, I said that a productive morning starts with a good nighttime routine. If you need a refresher on my nighttime tips click here. So, let’s be honest, not all of us are morning people, which can make mornings even more miserable. However, there are a few ways to make your mornings run a little smoother. Here are my busy mom tips for productive mornings.

Busy Mom Tips for Productive Mornings

As moms, we know there are two different kinds of mornings:

• Summer (non-school) Mornings
• School Mornings

I am going to give you tips for both.

Summer (or non-school) Mornings

Mornings without school can be a little less stressful but routines can be just as useful, especially with little ones.

Get up before the kids

I know this sounds crazy, and I will admit it doesn’t happen every morning and it does take some getting used to. However, I do enjoy having a little time to myself in the mornings, whether it is only 5 minutes or 30 minutes. It is just nice to start my day off with a little me-time or preparation. It helps me get into a good mindset for the day.

Allow yourself some quiet time

If I am able to get up before the boys, I try to use this time for meditation, Bible reading, or journaling paired with a nice big, old cup of coffee, of course. If I am really lucky I get to finish this cup of coffee without having to reheat it even once, which as most moms know doesn’t happen when the kids are awake. I can’t even begin to count how many times I will find my coffee in the microwave later in the afternoon.

Go over your to-do list that you made the night before

Once I am dressed, I go over my to-do list that I have written the night before. If you have forgotten something or if something new has come up then you can use this time to add it to your list. Going over my list in the mornings helps me get prepared for the day.

Get kids up and fed (or allow them to sleep in)

Most of the mornings that we don’t have school, I let my kids sleep until they wake up because they are early risers on their own. I’ll admit we do cartoons in the mornings that we don’t have school. It is something that I like to do with them. We usually watch some of the older cartoons that I love on our Boomerang channel. Breakfast for my boys is usually pretty easy and doesn’t take much prep work. They usually want yogurt, muffins, or fruit. The muffins can be cooked prior and the fruit can be cut up the night before.

Do a few small/quick chores

This is a personal preference. However, getting a few quick chores started in the morning makes me feel good and makes me feel like the day is going to be productive. A few things that I like to do in the mornings:

• Unload dishwasher
• Make my bed
• Start a load of clothes

Mommy eats breakfast

This might sound really far down on the list. However, I am not one that likes to eat as soon as I get up. I like to have my coffee and then eat breakfast. Feel free to move this up on the list if you are someone that likes eating first thing in the morning. This is also a time I like to do a little blogging before the day gets really busy.

Then I start working on the to-do list

Once I get the kids started on a project or activity, I start to work on the to-do list. My oldest usually does some ABC Mouse in the mornings.

School Mornings

If you are like me school mornings seem like it is all about me running around trying to beat the clock. This is why I decided that I needed some sort of routine on school mornings.

Set multiple alarms

This ensures you will get up and try to get up the same time each day. Like I mentioned earlier, I try to get up before the kids. However, it doesn’t always happen.

Get yourself dressed and go over the to-do list.

Once, I am up, I head to the kitchen for my coffee. Then I get myself dressed and go over the to-do list. This way I am ready to go as soon as the kids are.

Get kids up and fed

I have learned to feed the kids before I get them dressed because I just don’t have time for messes on their clothes. I would suggest quick and easy breakfast choices.

Kids dressed and lunches packed.

In my tips for a nighttime routine post, I talked about getting clothes out the night before. This is crucial and saves so much time on school mornings. Lunches can be made the night before too.

Say no to screen time

Screen time is a no for me on school mornings. However, if they get themselves fed and completely ready and we have a few minutes to spare then sometimes I allow screen time. My kids get too distracted with screens and if I allowed them TV or tablets while they were getting ready we would be late every morning.

Designated spaces

I have a spot by my back door that I place everything we need to leave the house in the mornings. For example, backpacks, my purse, and any school projects., etc…I recommend going through your children’s’ backpacks the night before. I can’t tell you how many times I forget to sign something or buy something for a special school project because I don’t check their bag. We also keep our shoes by the back door and jackets for the wintertime.

General tips for productive mornings

You should keep the following tips in mind every morning.

Avoid technology

This is can be hard. I know. However, let’s be honest, it is super easy to get caught up on the latest social media information and before you know it you have wasted 20 minutes and you aren’t even dressed yet.

Use trial and error

Try out a few different morning routine approaches and find what works for you and your family.

Give yourself some cushion time

Things will come up. No matter how much we might plan or prepare, life is going to happen. So I recommend giving yourself an extra 10-15 minutes of cushion time for the unexpected.

In conclusion, just like the nighttime routine, you have to find what works best for you and your family. However, I have learned that some type of routine helps mornings be more productive.

Do you have any busy mom tips for productive mornings? I would love to read about them in the comments.

“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31