Mommy Mornings: Creating a Morning Routine

I’m changing up my ENTIRE morning routine.  Bold move… I know!

Now that I am getting adjusted to my new normal and preparing to homeschool/ online school my kids, I want to make some changes to my routine now so that I can be best prepared for what is to come. 

I will not be able to fully control the rate at which my kids adjust to online school since this is a new experience, but I can control the preparation on my end.

Here’s a few changes that I’ve made.  It’s actually a combination of various previous routines, but this cadence works better from a consistency stand point!

1 — Wake up early (before the kids)

I’ve learned through trial and error that I have to wake up at least 1.5- 2 hours before my kids to give myself a good head start. My goal is to become more consistent with this activity.  

Can you relate to this, mom? Let me know in the comments.

During this time, I focus on the activities below.

2 — Get ready for the day

During this quarantine, I have been really slacking in terms or getting ready for the day.  I’d typically get up and get to work (judgement free mommy zone).  Instead, I’m now making a conscious effort to get up and get ready. 

Working out in the morning is a great accountability measure for this goal. After I go for my morning walk or complete my morning workout, I am more apt to get dressed, do my hair, and get ready for the day as if I were going to work.

3 — Eat a well-balanced breakfast

When I was going into the office, I did a better job ensuring that I ate a balanced breakfast.  I’m getting back into that routine.  

I’ve also noticed that if I wait to eat breakfast with the kids it’s not as peaceful.  I spend more time helping them, getting refills, etc.  If I eat first, I can be more present with them and I’m not rushing through my food or skipping it all together.

4 — Selfcare and Prayer

These two activities are particularly important to me.  For the past 40 Days, I have been reading the book, “Freedom, The 40 Day Prayer Challenge for Your Business” by Dr. Kellie Agueze, and I’ve made it a consistent part of my morning.  I wake up, read the day’s prompt, study the scriptures, and spend some time in prayer. It has been a great addition to my morning. 

Now that the book is done, I do plan to continue this same cadence. Reading is a great form of self-care! Other self-care elements that I rotate into my routine includes:

• Breathing exercises
• Fitness
• Prayer Journaling
• Listening to music (worship music or hype music depending on the day) 

5 — Review the Plan for the Day

I like creating a top 3 list for the day. It helps me to be intentional with my intentions for the day. 

Before I create the day’s “to do” list, I like to revisit the prior days list so that I can roll forward any unchecked items into the current day.  This keeps me accountable to my goals and tasks. 

One thing that I have excluded from my morning routine is cleaning.  Yep, cleaning.  It just didn’t work well for me. I found myself getting frustrated.  I’d spend time in the morning cleaning only to see my kids would come through like tornadoes and mess it up right after.  

Instead, I clean (or tidy up) midday and in the evenings. For some reason that cadence works better for me.  

I also do my chores such as laundry or organizing in the evening. My morning is now focused on creating an atmosphere and mindset that is ready to jump start the day.

Lastly, I jump start my day with Blackology Coffee Company!  They have delicious blends of coffee and amazing swag! Check out this mom owned and black owned coffee company HERE!