I’m going to start this off with the disclaimer, I do not have it altogether. Honestly who does? That being said I have found that if I do a few things every morning my day is off to a great start. It’s a fairly loose routine, but I’ve found that loose works best for me.
I (at this point in life) do not get up super early. My kids are up at 5:30 to 6:00 and that is early enough for me. So this is not going to be a ‘get up before your kids and move mountains while they’re sleeping’ kind of post. This is more like ‘do these things in between playing ‘monkey and giraffe’ with the 2-year-old and checking out the 5-year-olds Lego creation’ it’s doable, trust me.
Stretch
While the kids are still waking up, I like to get a good stretch in. I feel so much better and more awake after I stretch. It’s usually just a few quick arm, leg and back stretches. A quick rotation of all your joints is a good one too, my husband swears by this one.
Clear the Clutter
Next I grab a glass of water and runaround to do my 15 minute clean up. I make the beds real quick, do a dirty laundry hunt (I swear the kids throw their clothes off like it’s a venomous snake trying to attack, they are everywhere) then I start a load of laundry and do a quick pick up and declutter throughout the house. Nothing crazy, just making sure the clutter is gone. Physical clutter + Mental clutter, and ain’t nobody got time for that! Getting this done first thing sets the stage for the day and gets me into the productive mindset from the get go.
Pack in the nutrition
I always start off with a green Smoothie EVERY. DAY. I make a smoothie for the whole family, sometimes the kids even help. This is my favorite way to start the day because I know that I am making sure to get lots of goodies into myself and my kids first thing! So, if they decide to be kinda picky for the rest of the day, I know they are still doing alright.
Start Slow
I like to sit down with my smoothie and read a bit, or chat with my husband or kids for a bit. It’s super nice to have this quiet time before the craziness of the day sets in. The quiet never lasts too long, it quickly turns into play time of some sort, and before long I’m making the kids breakfast.
Move It
While my kids are eating I book it to the other room and squeeze in a workout. I find that the best way I can actually get a work in is to have the kids distracted as long as possible. I am usually bombarded about halfway through and finish up with two little angels running circles around me and occasionally jumping on my back mid plank!
Keep it Going
By now my laundry is clean and ready to be hung. Yes. Hung. Like on a clothesline. I live in southern California, so I can hang my laundry year round, since rain here is a bit like spotting a unicorn in your yard. Actually, I might be less surprised to see a unicorn. Anywho. Give it a try, or stick to the dryer, either way, getting it done and out of the way first thing every day keeps you sane and the laundry pile at bay.
Pull it All Together
Now for the part that so many stay at home moms and work from home Boss Babes swear they don’t have to do… Get. Ready. I’m talking showered, dressed, presentable to the public… I know, I know, home is where the pants aren’t, but hear me out. If you are totally ready to go, you can head out at the drop of a hat, or take a cute selfie of you and the kids (without a bunny face filter) and if your neighbor pops in, you look awesome and not like a bag lady. (yes I’m speaking from experience)
Okay, here’s my one cheat with this one. Until I leave I’m in comfy pants, shorts, leggings (these are my favorite), whatever. If I’m going to be running around the house up-and-down a bajillion times with my kids, I’m going to be comfy damnit! Plus it only takes a second to throw on real pants!
So that’s it. That’s what I do every morning to feel like I have my shit together. After that I can run the kids around, work, do some deep cleaning, do errands… whatever needs to be done that day, and it usually goes pretty smooth.
Do you implement any of these in your daily routine? Is there something that I missed that I’m absolutely needing for my morning? I’d love to hear your feedback and any tips you might have. After all we’re all trying to get through motherhood with our sanity!
Thanks for stopping by! I’m Ameryn. I’m a Health Coach, mom of two and the blogger here at Simply Ameryn. I write about healthy living, motherhood and living simply. I live in Southern California and soak up as many beach days as I can. I love reading a good book, making my home cozy and all things natural.