The Importance Of A Morning Ritual For Mom
Lisa Druxman
Mornings can be rough, especially if you are a mom to school aged children. There are tantrums about getting out of bed and getting dressed. There is chaos over what to eat for breakfast or pack for lunch. And there is never enough time before you are rushing out the door. There is no easing into the day.
Something has to give. And in this case, it's your morning routine. Many successful people credit their morning routine to their results. People like Benjamin Franklin, Barack Obama, Steve Jobs and Anthony Robbins have shared how their morning rituals set them up for success in the day. These famous men having nothing on you mama. You too can have a morning ritual which will set you up for success.
A morning routine sets the tone for your day. It can motivate you and fill you with the energy you will need for later hours. People with a healthy morning routine are more likely to make healthy choices throughout the day. Moms often feel like they don't have control over their day. Moms often feel like they have no time for themselves. A healthy morning routine can give you back your control and help you with some much needed life balance.
Here are 5 tips to setting up your mommy morning routine...
1) Wake up earlier. I know you didn't want to hear this so I thought we should just get it over with. You will rarely find a successful person who doesn't get up early. I'm not making this up. As Family Feud would say, Survey Says it's true. Morning people tend to be happier, live longer, be more productive and make more money. We can't add in all of the other good stuff if you don't get up a little earlier. Start with ten minutes, then increase from there. But I don't want you to sacrifice sleep. You may need to give up that episode of The Bachelor or Scandal and start to snooze earlier. Change your paradigm. Instead of saying "I'm not a morning person", say "this is my special time."
2) Create a ritual. There is something comforting about a ritual. Start your day with a cup of coffee or tea before anyone else is up. Do not go on to your phone or computer. Facebook should not drive your day. Consider journaling, reading or meditating. Many find this quiet time a wonderful time for prayer or spiritual reading.
3) Exercise. If you can get your exercise done before your family wakes up, you are golden for the day! Try an early morning Body Back class if it's available near you. Of course, we still want you to go to Stroller Strides if you have stroller age kids. Exercise in the morning will pump up your energy and your endorphins. If you get it over with early, you won't have the rest of the day to come up with an excuse for skipping it.
4) Write Down Your 3 MIT's. The morning can be a great time of productivity. Take a look at the calendar for the day and figure out the 3 most important things you need to get done that day. When will you do them? This puts you in the driver's seat for your day before it drives you. Commit.
5) Pre Prep. This is actually an evening suggestion. Pre prep lunches. Lay out clothes for school and for yourself. Even pre prep breakfast. Sign homework and pack backpacks at night. Have as much ready as you can so you have a smoother morning.
Protect your morning routine. It should be sacred. It will set up the momentum for the day and make you feel unstoppable. If you have babies and toddlers, all bets are off. You are probably sleep deprived and have little control over your morning. If you can manage 10 minutes of "me" time in the morning, it will do you a world of good! Don't worry, they will be school age before you know it. The most important thing is to set the tone for your day before someone else does it for you.