It has taken me almost six years and five kids later to establish, put into practice and recognize the importance of a good morning routine. Let this be said, it doesn’t always go perfectly or as planned, because children and motherhood are always fluid. I have found that in taking the time to be intentional about the habits and routine that I do in the morning sets up the day, puts me in the right frame of mind and allows me to be better focused on the tasks ahead.
I recall the days when Grace was a baby and I would try to squeeze in a shower between morning naps, put on my makeup between teaching the older boys a math lesson and be lucky if I was dressed by noon. I shudder at the thought of the havoc that it brought. Lessons learned you could say. Now I shower the night before once the kids are in bed to help eliminate one extra thing in the morning.
A morning routine doesn’t have to be anything extravagant or lengthy, but simple steps formed into habits that create change. Change that helps in bettering oneself, in serving those around us and being more authentically alive.
My strength returns to me with my cup of coffee and the reading of the psalms.
Servant of god dorothy day
I think implementing a good morning routine is especially important as a stay at home mom or for those working from home. It creates discipline, routine and structure in what could otherwise be chaos. We can look to those living religious or monastic life, they have set times for prayer, work, fun, rest. With it brings peace and order, which allows us to listen more closely to the Holy Spirit.
No matter how tired I am, how many times I have been woken up during the night or if I have gotten 5 or 7 hours of sleep, I always wake up before the children rise. This is definitely mind over matter and has taken a lot of discipline, because sleep is a coveted thing these days.
Here’s how my morning looks:
- Wake up one hour before the kids.
- Get ready for the day, hair, makeup, etc. Get dressed.
- Drink 1-2 glasses of cold water.
- 3 Minute workout. (30 squats, 30 lunges, 30 push-ups and a 60 second plank)
- Make a cup of coffee.
- Pray. Spend time reading Scripture, reflecting, meditating and listening.
- Start a load of laundry.
- Check, reply, send emails.
Thanks for sharing your routine! I think an important part of a good morning routine is a good bedtime routine! 🙂 It is a lot easier to get up in the morning when we’ve gotten enough rest. And, I know for me that getting 8-9 hours of sleep (or as close as I can) is a must for my mental health and to be a good Mom, even if that means getting up with my kids, rather than before them, or letting them watch TV while I rest in the morning. I am super impressed at your discipline- Way to go!
Yes, I completely agree! I should have added that I am still trying to figure out a good night routine, my 18 month old has different plans! I can definitely tell the difference when I go too many nights without enough sleep.