5 Simple Morning Routines for Overwhelmed Moms
Have you ever found yourself making a list of all the lists needed for the day? If you are like me, your to-do list can have anywhere from 15-30 things that need to happen every day. As you grab that first cup of coffee in the morning, it is difficult to know where to begin. Starting small with 5 simple things can help you begin your day with control.
Take Control of Your To-Do List
If I were an artist, I would paint the image in my mind each morning as I start my day- I am on a diving board about to plunge into a giant swimming pool, except instead of water, the pool would be filled with all the items on my to-do list.
By limiting my expectations of the things “to-do” every day and making those “to-dos” smaller, more realistic and concrete, I am much more accomplished and in control of my list.
Five-Finger Focus
Sometimes, as I drink that first cup of coffee in the morning, it is difficult to know where to begin. Since my brain is not usually functioning during that first cup, I use my fingers. It helps to know I only have to remember 5 things.
By starting off the day with these 5 small things, not only will it take less than 30 minutes, but it will bring order to the day, your home, and your mental well-being.
1. Pray
Begin your day with a small prayer, offering your day as a gift to God. This is the most important thing you will do all day. When you do this, you make your whole day a prayer.
A friend of mine says “never waste a sacrifice”. I looked up the word sacrifice: it means to “Make Holy”. Consequently, when you offer your day, including all of your sacrifices, you will be making them holy- giving a profound new meaning to your daily routines. This simple act can transform your entire day into a prayer. Days when this is put into practice may noticeably be the days that are calmer. And likewise, the days you forget will be days when things spiral into greater chaos.
Never prayed before? Don’t worry, I can help! When learning a new thing we all need to start somewhere. Starting small is the best way to begin. Start small, get good, then grow! Simple and small! Remember, God made you and loves you deeply, no matter where you are in your spiritual journey.
Wherever you are in your prayer journey, challenge yourself to focus on one new small prayer that resonates. Work on doing it perfectly for the next two weeks. The key is starting small, doing it well, and then adding on.
Tip: To get you started, I am offering my Ebook for Free -15 Simple Morning Prayers. It is filled with 15 different simple and small ways to begin your day.
2. Make your Bed
I have never been a huge advocate of making the bed, until recently. I am afraid I always agreed with my kids, “Why bother if you’re just going to mess it up again later?” But after being challenged, I discovered that investing five minutes in making my bed each morning can provide an instant sense of accomplishment. It really doesn’t even take 5 minutes if all you do is pull a comforter up over the pillows. Keep it simple.
Consider this: Assuming you sleep for 8 hours- that is 1/3 of your day. Shouldn’t your bed, the place where your body spends 1/3 of each day, be a place of peace? Making your bed not only helps you feel productive but also ensures you have a tranquil space to retreat to.
Tip: I like to batch bed-making routine with morning prayer!
3. Tidy your Kitchen Sink and Counters
Start the day with a clean kitchen! My rule is to clean my sink and counters every morning. Empty your clean dishwasher, move dirty dishes into the dishwasher, put away everything on your counters, and finally, wash the counters and inside your sink. A clean sink and clutter-free counters can work wonders for creating a sense of order in your home.
Minimize clutter “living” on the counters. Stuff on counters seems to multiply exponentially, especially the more people that live there. Everyone in your home has stuff, and somehow it ends up everywhere! By limiting the things that actually “live” on your counters, you will find that when stuff lands on them, it will be easier to control. The less clutter, the easier to maintain tidiness.
Tip: I like to listen to my favorite podcast or morning show while doing this.
4. Plan Your Main Family Meal
Are you like me, constantly struggling with this? I never know what I am going to “feel like” eating 10 hours from now, or who will be home for the meal, not to mention one kid cannot have tomato, another dislikes pork, my husband loves veggies while my kids refuse to eat them. Dietary limits, likes and dislikes can make decision making the worst part!
Meal planning in the morning, when you are fresh, can be a lifesaver. Spend a few minutes making this decision in the morning and you will alleviate stress when the 5 pm “witching hour” rolls around and all of the chaos that comes with it. This will help keep your day in order.
- Know what you plan on having
- Double check that you have the right ingredients
- Write down what time you need to start preparing.
Tip: Consider the slow-cooker! I love being able to actually throw it all together in the morning and not worry so much the rest of the day. One of my favorites is chicken tacos! Throw some chicken breast meat, taco seasoning and Ro-Tel tomatoes and cook on low! Easy and always a hit!
5. Pick One Small Household Task- Only one!
Lower expectations of cleanliness. Have you ever spent hours cleaning your floors to a perfect shine only to have someone spill an entire glass of orange juice all over them? Accept the fact that you have children and keeping a house clean with kids is like shoveling snow in a blizzard. When your kids are grown, you will have plenty of time to have the perfectly clean house that you crave.
Don’t aim for perfection (read more about my ideas on perfection here)- instead, focus on completing one small household chore each morning. Dust your bedroom, clean the toilets, or tidy up a specific area- something you can do within 10 minutes. Set a timer can help. Lowering your expectations of how clean things need to be and focusing your efforts on completing small tasks each day will allow you to feel good about what you accomplished.
Tip: Break down bigger chores into smaller tasks and assign each to a specific day. This way, you’re consistently making progress without feeling overwhelmed.
Start Small, Get Good, then Grow.
Remember, simplicity is key. Do not let being perfect at something stop you. Recognize that you may be bad at first and be okay with it. Give your day, each day, to God. He loves you and wants you to be at peace. Start small, get good, then grow.
