Morning Routine

I thrive on routine. I know, that makes me sound very exciting, but it's true. And I'm pretty sure my kids also do better with a regular routine. Of course, establishing a good routine can take some trial and error. But in the end, when everyone is out of the house on time, prepared and outfitted with everything they need, the day is a success.

Our routine has evolved over the last several years as we went from two adults working outside the home with one child in school and one in daycare. . .to only one parent working outside the home, but two kids in two different schools. Some days it's a real challenge keeping all the plates spinning, but with a routine and some organization, we're doing pretty well.

Some key factors that make our mornings more successful are: 

• A Calendar - I go over my calendar in the morning, and go over anything that anyone else needs to know (pick ups, changes, etc.).

• Lunches the Night Before - John makes lunches the night before, which saves a lot of morning aggravation and time.  We look at the lunch menus on Sunday for the upcoming week, so we're prepared.

• Set Spots - Kid backpacks get packed and put on their chairs at night. Hats, gloves and coats are all in the closet. Keeping things is set spots keeps us form a mad dash around the house hunting things down in the morning.

I also include time to get myself together - that part of my routine varies depending on whether I have meetings, events or am just planning to work in my home office for the day.

Here's a little glimpse into my morning routine:



What's your best morning routine tip?

catch you soon -