Any mother knows that the morning can be the most hectic time of the entire day. Scrambling around for the kids’ homework assignments, packing lunches, and figuring out breakfast can feel like your home has turned into a madhouse. Now imagine doing this while also trying to get yourself ready for work.
Any mother has the difficult task of keeping the household in order, but career-oriented mothers have an even bigger challenge of finding a healthy work-life balance. This is especially true in the mornings. Luckily for all you working mothers in the world, there are a few things you can do to simplify your hectic morning routine.
Meal prep for yourself and the kids
A lot of working mothers have described meal prepping as God’s gift to Earth. Not only will it allow you and the family to focus more on nutrition, but it will save much-needed time in the morning. You won’t be scrambling to make PB&J sandwiches or scrounging for lunch money in the bottom of your purse.
Don’t just meal prep for the kids’ lunches, do it for yourself as well. This is one of the top tips for staying healthy even if you are forced to sit at a desk all day. You can either opt to pack lunches the night before and use dinner leftovers, or treat Sunday as your meal prepping day for the entire week.
Save screen time for the evening
It might seem like a great idea to hand your 7-year-old a tablet in the morning to keep him occupied, but it is actually one of the biggest killers of morning productivity. Sure, TV and tablets are a great way to occupy the kids while you get your stuff together.
But when their eyes are fixated on the screen instead of focused on their breakfast, they will move a whole lot slower. It will also be more difficult to get moving once it is time to pack everyone up in the minivan or get them on the schoolbus.
Be productive at night
Trying to prep for the big interview tomorrow for that promotion? You can prepare by reading what job interview expert Mike Simpson teaches on the interview process… but whatever you do, do it the night before. Try not to spend your valuable morning time finishing homework assignments with the kids or focusing on work-related tasks. The morning should be spent eating breakfast, drinking coffee, and mentally motivating yourself to conquer another day.
Keep an oversized calendar in the kitchen
Perhaps you already keep a pocket planner or use a Calendar app on your phone. This is great, but also try and keep an oversized calendar in the kitchen or general living space that everyone in the family has access to. Your partner and the kids will be able to see exactly what each new day holds. Depending on the age of your kiddos they can even start adding to the calendar themselves as things come up.
