This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
I am not really an early riser. It might have something to do with the fact that I work late. Alright well if I was completely honest, I actually work until the morning. I don’t get home from work until 1 a.m. so morning routine is difficult for me.
That being said I have been thinking about that old saying “the early bird catches the worm”. The few days that I wake up even just five minutes before my kids, things go a lot smoother. Everyone is more relaxed and we actually get out the door happy and on time.
So that has me thinking – how can I manage to get up a little bit early every day? What can I do to make mornings less stressful, more efficient and easier for everyone in the house? How can I be more organized in the morning?
Here are five easy ways to get a few extra minutes every morning.
1. Get up 15 minutes before the kids
This one is the hardest on the list for me but will make a world of difference if it happens every day. Those extra minutes before the kids get up are so valuable. The house is quiet and I am alone to move about without anyone getting in my way. Getting up before the kids allows you to start the day ahead of the game, rather than behind the eight ball.
2. Go to bed just a little bit earlier.
Even 15 minutes will make the early morning. Sometimes this one is easier done in stages. Scale it back every night until you reach the goal you are striving for. Start with going to bed five minutes early, then ten and then 15.
Sometimes when you go for the whole deal all at once it can be hard, you think, “I have so much to do. How can I manage to get to bed early? There is not enough time in the day to get everything done.” It’s easy to do just a few minutes every night. Those extra few minutes of sleep will do you a world of good when you get up in a few minutes early in the morning.
3. Pack lunches the night before.
This is all about efficiency and the best use of time. No matter whether you are getting up 15 minutes early or slept late and have to scramble to get out the door this tip will take the stress off the morning.
4. Get the kids to set out their clothes the night before.
Again this is a great time saver in the morning. It will also help your kids learn that they have a roll in the household routine. They can start very young. You can give some direction but kids should really learn to make choices. If it is something that your children have a hard time with or is a battle point for you give them some choices. If you select two outfits you have some control but ultimately you have given final choice to your children.
5. Delegate!
As mentioned above, you need to get the kids involved. And your partner too! Morning routines are much easier and less stressful if everyone has a part to play and follows through with what their job is.
How do you get organized in the morning?
If you found this post helpful, we would love it if you gave it a Stumble, Tweet, Pin, or Facebook Like. Thanks so much! We really appreciate your support of 5 Minutes for Mom.
We want to get to know you better — Tweet with us: @5minutesformom, find us on Facebook: Facebook.com/5minutesformom, or join our newsletter list.
christy laverty says
Getting the homework/backpacks packed the the night before is a great big help…it cuts down on stress in the morning that is for sure!
My Baby Pajamas says
All 5 ideas are great and work for us. I get up before the kids and shower and get ready myself and then wake them for school. Plus, we pack lunches the night before and lay out the clothes for both boys. It does make getting out the door much easier. We also make sure all homework is packed the night before in the backpacks. We all know how stressful losing homework can be or forgetting to bring it to school.
Michelle says
Your tips are great! I do a couple already like getting up before my daughter or husband -it’s just easier to get my morning started peacefully before I’m in full “go” mode. Getting her to set out her clothes the night before and getting dressed before coming down for breakfast is also a huge help for keeping the morning running smoothly since she’s a slow eater – we can tell exactly how long we have before leaving for school, etc. Great ideas!
christy laverty says
peace in the morning is a glorious thing!
Jill Robson says
Christy
I do a few things on your list already. I get up at 6.45 to walk the dog before my husband leaves for work. Do lunches the night before. My son gets his clothes ready the night before(delegating).
Getting to bed early still isn’t on my list, however i am a morning person, so that helps even if i have had a late night.
christy laverty says
That is great Jill. Delegating is a big part of a household working smoothly… still working on that in our house!
BarbaraLee says
I am a daycare provider with 1 son living at home. My families start coming at 7:00 so I would get up 30 mins. ahead of time. Now that I watch Joyce Meyeres I get up at 6 to 6:15, depending on shower days. I have homeschooled my kids for 17 years. DS decided he wanted to go to public school. Now some of my time is free for things that I need to do around here. I keep the house organized so I don’t have to work so hard to clean it. Do a little every day and don’t have a lot of stuff.
I have menus made out for 4 mnths and check that before bed. Take out frozen items or bake ahead of time while making supper. I also have a small number of kids to bring extra money. My husband is the bread winner around here.
A routine to is the key to keeping on top of things.
christy laverty says
I love the menu planning idea… I really need to start doing this. I think it would help everyone in our house with meals and grocery shopping. How do you go about planning that far in advance…would love to hear more about this Barabaralee
Janice says
I am SO bad about mornings. Just like you, I work until the wee hours and morning is so painful. But yes, when I do get up before them, it makes the world of difference!
Ginny Marie says
I would really like to start packing lunches the night before. I know it would make my mornings a lot smoother, especially on the days that I work!
christy laverty says
We still struggle with this one…my husband has now taken over this task. We find it is working out well since I work at night and he is home with the kids. He is getting the kids to help out more now too!