Editorial Team
How to Make Mornings Easier as a Working Mom?
Being a working mom is hard! Juggling your own needs and your kid’s needs all while making it to work on time! Getting everyone to where they need to go and with all their stuff is not easy on those school mornings. Here are five ways to make morning run more smoothly as a working mom.
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Plan, Plan, Plan.
As a working mother, you probably already know that planning and organizing make things work out so much better for all of you. Do whatever you can the night before, lay out clothes, pack lunches, and make sure all items are in the correct bags (work and school!).
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Automate What You Can.
The less you have to do, the better! Automation may be an area where you have to spend a little more money to make this work. Invest in a coffee machine or a croc-pot that works on a timer. Set alarms for 5 and 10-minute warnings. See if your car can have a remote starter (perfect if you live in a cold climate!) Any small task that a machine can do is one less task you need to do as you rush yourself and your small ones out the door.
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Make Fewer Decisions.
Making a decision takes time and mental energy, even if the action isn’t time-consuming. Limit the number of decisions you and your children make in the mornings by deciding on them the night before or limiting the number of available options. Breakfast? Two types of cereal are options, and that is it. There is no time to decide what to eat- you pick from the options available. Consider creating a capsule wardrobe for yourself and your children, so you have a limited amount of options to choose from.
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Don’t Forget The Important Stuff.
Last-minute permission slip? Need to bring your laptop to work with you? A medicine that you need to take in the morning? Write a note in a prominent place, so you don’t forget. You can use a whiteboard to write key notices (don’t clutter it with things that aren’t as important) or even put a piece of paper on the door that you see as you leave. When a child of mine was on a crucial medication that we could not forget, we had a paper taped to the door with the word “MEDICINE” written on it in block letters- we didn’t forget, and we didn’t have to turn around to grab it.
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Treat Yourself.
Working moms are superheroes! But even superheroes need a lift to help them through stressful times. Make an effort to find something that is quick and easy to help you through the morning. It may be making sure you have the coffee you love or a delicious protein bar just waiting for you to eat in your glove compartment. Make sure you don’t forget to take care of yourself. You deserve it!
Morning can be stressful when you are a working mother. Make it a little less complicated by implementing these five tips to help your morning routine go off without a hitch!
Robyn is a millennial mom on a tight budget. You can follow her blog, A Dime Saved where she shares all the tips, tricks, and hacks to raising a family on a budget!