How These Amazing Morning Routines Will Save You Time

I love to share my thoughts, experiences, challenges and goals. What I also love to do is not only to read other perspectives but to feature them on my blog. Today, Chloe is going to share with you her amazing morning routines that will help you save your time and boost productivity.

Who wants to begin their day overwhelmed and stressed out? No one does. So enjoy the post.

Being a working parent is tough. Things can get so hectic that it might seem impossible to accomplish everything that you want. Leaving your home in the morning with your kids, and managing to do it calmly and on-time, can be a difficult task. Breakfast needs to be made and eaten, hair needs to be brushed, and a variety of little errands needs to be done. However, your morning routine doesn’t necessarily have to be hell. There is a variety of things that you can do in order to prepare yourself for each morning, and do the necessary tasks faster.

Take Care Of The Little Things The Night Before

It’s the best idea to take care of all the little things that you can the night before. Take half an hour after your children are in bed to make coffee, pick up all of their homework, charge the devices that you will be using, and anything else that you can do in advance. If your kids are old enough, you can have them do some of these tasks as their evening routine. The best solution is to work on this together so that you spend time together as a family as you prepare yourself for the upcoming day.

Getting up early.

As a parent, you probably already are waking at an hour many people don't realize exists. But sometimes even 15 extra minutes can make things run more smoothly. Figure out how much time you need to get everyone up, fed and dressed, then set your alarm for 15 minutes before that. That time is a cushion. On a good morning, it means 15 minutes to play together or savor your coffee. On a bad morning, it means you're only five minutes behind schedule. 

Making everyone help. 

My husband packs lunches every night. Even if he doesn't always hit all the major food groups, it's packed and ready, and that's what matters. My toddler carries his lunch bag into school, even if it means we walk a little slower. Even the baby is asked to "hang tight" for five minutes in the evenings while I get a snack for his brother and put away the breast milk I pumped at work. 

Tag-teaming. 

I shower while the husband gets breakfast for the toddler. He showers while I nurse the baby. The husband holds the baby while I fix the toddler's dinner plate. He scrubs the dishes while I scrub the boys. 

Encouraging independence. 

If you have a toddler, you have a child old enough to follow simple directions. My oldest son likes to put away his shoes and climb into his car seat. It isn't always as fast as I would like, but it frees me up to take care of the kid who can't help himself. He also is great entertainment for the baby, provided I can keep one eye on them and am within yelling distance to say, "EASY! You have to be gentle with your brother." 

Using our appliances. 

Our slow cooker has taken up permanent residence on our counter. Between frozen leftovers from extra-large weekend meals and breastmilk, our freezer has never been this full. But with a little extra prep work and help from modern technology, I've managed to put a home-cooked dinner on the table even on the nights the baby needs to eat as soon as we get home. 

Putting everything in place. 

Nothing throws off a schedule faster than lost keys or a missing blanky. All bags are packed the night before and put in their respective homes --lunches and bottles in the fridge; pump on the counter, purse and diaper bag in the bedroom. In the morning, while the toddler eats and before the baby is up, I gather everything but my purse--which is my last-minute dumping ground --into the car so it can't be left in the out-the-door whirlwind. 

Giving two-minute warnings. 

Kids handle transitions from one thing to the next better when they know what's coming. By giving our toddler a steady countdown to time to go or time for dinner, the husband and I also keep ourselves on track. 

Making every minute count. 

Quality time is any time you and your kids are in the same place. Rushing from home to work and back again, it's easy to feel like you have no time with your kids. But you do, if you just take the time to notice it. We sing songs in the car and play I-spy to practice colors. The husband and I flirt over the boys' heads at the supper table. 

Back to that first morning in the car, when my older son couldn't understand why I wanted him to hold my pocket, I just let the idea drop. Arguing with a 2-year-old is pointless. So, we got to daycare and I hung the bags on my left arm and handed my son his lunchbox. I scooped the baby up on my left shoulder and found my son was right. 

I had two hands and somehow, some way, I managed to have a hand for both my kiddos. It took careful balancing, it probably looked precarious to someone else and it required a bit of help. 

But it was possible.