If you want to set each day up for success, tame the chaos before it starts, and just have a good day. Then you need to create a morning routine.
I know the prevailing thought is to schedule every minute of your day. If you want to get it all done, then every minute should be scheduled. Or the opposite is pushed—never schedule, just be free and spontaneous. Both extremes don’t work well. The best thing you can do to find balance in the force is to create a morning routine.
A Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away…I Scheduled My Day
I used to follow the conventional wisdom when it comes to setting goals and scheduling my day. All the experts say this was the only way to get things done, so it must work. Right?
The problem with what the experts were saying is kids weren’t really considered in any of these systems. Time blocking, deep work, or other system never consider kids in the picture. Yes, they sound great, and if I actually had the time, I could get things done. But this isn’t my life.
I need a flexible routine that will bend to ambulance rides and fire extinguisher involved science experiments. You know, normal mom stuff.
What’s a mom to do when the gurus can’t get it right?
What Exactly is a Routine?
The answer is to create routines. But what exactly is a routine? The dictionary defines it as a customary or regular course of procedure; a constantly repeated formula. And that is exactly what you want to do. If you want to crush time management for work from home moms, then creating routines is the secret sauce.
You want to create repeated formulas that happen throughout your day. The best part, routines can happen at any time during the day. They don’t need a set time. Of course, we are specifically talking about morning routines, so those will only happen in the morning.
What do you want to happen in the morning? Are there things that your kids should be able to do on their own? If you establish a routine, then your kids will get into the habit of it and will start doing it without prompting from you.
You get to stop hearing your own voice saying the same things over and over again.
The Benefits of Creating a Morning Routine
Yes, if we are going to upend our schedules and how we’ve always done a thing, then there better be some serious benefits.
So here are the amazing benefits of creating a morning routine.
1. You don’t need to micromanage your kids
Some days, the hardest part of parenting is listening to your own voice say the same thing again and again.
Creating a morning routine sets your day on autopilot, so your kids know what to do and you keep your sanity.
2. Sets your day up for success
Yes, you always need to fill in the details of what you will do in a day. But a morning routine takes the guesswork out of when a thing will get done.
It starts your day with calm instead of chaos.
3. Creates habits and frees up brain space
Habits are amazing things because once they are established, you do them without thinking. This frees up brain space. You do a habit without thinking about it.
How to Create a Morning Routine
Routines aren’t difficult to create. You probably already have certain routines already established without thinking. This is about being intentional about the morning routine you create.
Remember, this isn’t a rigid schedule, but a flexible formula that you can implement during the morning. Homeschool is about freedom, so what works for you and your family?
We get up at the same time every morning, but this isn’t a prerequisite. Your routine should be flexible enough to start whenever you get up.
Let’s create a morning routine.
1. Create two routines
You want to create a morning routine for yourself and for your kids. Yes, there will be overlap between the two, but you will have things to do that are just for you.
Do you want to get up before your kids? What are you going to do during this time? Is this quiet time, writing time, or work time?
For your kids, what should they do first? Do you want them to make their beds? Get dressed (this is optional in our house. PJs are fine for school)? Eat breakfast right away? Do read alouds? What do you want them to do in the morning?
2. Set your expectations
In order for a morning routine to work well, everyone needs to understand what is expected. Everyone needs to be clear on what the routine is. Depending on the age, you can use a picture chart or just explain to them what needs to happen every morning.
Set your expectations, adjust, and watch everyone flourish. It is amazing what can be accomplished when expectations are clear.
3. Give yourself time to implement it
Anything you do is going to take time. I know we all want quick wins and successes. That is the same for me. But be patient with yourself and your kids. If something isn’t working, then change it. Create a flexible morning routine that works for you and your family.
Implementing this will depend on the age of your kids. How motivated they are to learn, and if they want to test you on it.
Sample Morning Routine
Here is a sample routine to get the juices flowing.
For mom
- Wake up at 5am so I am up before the kids. This wake up time is flexible. I may hit snooze.
- Work on my blog. I have a to do list of what to get done in this time period.
- Start on client work. I usually do this for an hour and a half.
- Kids get up. Mom does her workout routine and gets ready for the day.
- Mom gets breakfast.
- Continues with client work.
For kids
- Wake up at 8am.
- Make beds
- Eat breakfast
- Brush teeth
Start schoolwork. Everyone starts independently from the first grader to the 12th grader. They all know what to do and are expected to self-start. The first grader gets some help from his big sister. The kids can do their schoolwork in whatever order they want. They have a list of what needs to get done each day. So expectations are very clear for schoolwork.
They do schoolwork until it is finished.
Creating a morning routine doesn’t need to be complicated. It just needs to be a set of repeated actions. Once your kids understand the expectations, they will take off.
Conclusion: Creating a Morning Routine
The purpose of routines is to create a flexible framework that still allows you to get stuff done. The benefit of establishing a morning routine is your kids know what to do and you keep your sanity. And they will know what to do without needing constant reminders.
You are ready to drop schedules and create a routine, then check out the mini-course Routine vs Schedule.
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