Getting It All Together: Morning Routine

Hello again! We’re on day 2 of building our notebooks. How are y’all doin’? Establishing routines takes time up front but you’ll reap the rewards in extra time later. I do however need to clarify something that my dear friend Stephanie pointed out yesterday. Her comment was very good “My evening routine is drop everything and chill with [her family]. As soon as [her husband] walks in, my day is done, except for dinner.”
You are right on Stephanie and good for you for keeping your priorities in line. Our family time is waaay more precious than following any routine. A few years from now our kids will be grown up and moved on (cringe). But for now we are to enjoy the little ones who want to examine every single pot and pan in the cupboard, or make a line of Fruit Loops out the front door to entice the dog to go outside and leave their dollies alone. It is far more important that your children remember you as a mom who is involved in their lives and interested in who they are rather than someone whose house might pass a white-glove test. Your husband wants and needs time with his bride to unwind from a stressful day at work. Be there, in the moment, enjoy it!

That said and for clarification purposes, my “evening” routine starts when the rug rats get up from their nap. Dinner time is when the house starts winding down and by 6:30 or 7:00 I have 90% of my “evening” routine complete and ready for Daddy to come home. Hopefully I didn’t mislead anyone or make them feel I was trying to add another burden to your day. Lord knows we don't need anymore burdens!
Back when I worked outside of the home my day began something like this: 6:00am alarm blasts me from my dreams. I’d pull myself out of bed, half asleep stumble into the shower, dress, kiss my still sleeping sweety peachy, leave house for work by 6:45am, on the daily commute drink an Instant Breakfast and an English muffin, get to work by 7:30 am, say my good mornings to coworkers with a plastic smile, check some emails and visit with my boss and my assistant then jump right in and start the day once the sugar from the donuts the girl down the hall brought kicks in oh somewhere around 9am. Does any of this sound familiar? My days still tend to start out quite harried with trying to get my husband off to work and the kids fed and settled so I could try to appear life-like. Life got a little easier when I implemented my evening routine since the house was fairly in order before I collapsed into bed the night before. Then my quest for the perfect morning routine really seemed to flow when I realized I needed to rise at least 30 minutes before anyone else to get my shower in and get dressed. Since it would appear I tend to set the tone for our day...happy, showered and dressed mamma is better than half-asleep, where do I start mamma. This doesn’t happen as often as it’s supposed to in my book because Abby thinks it’s quite a fun challenge to make sure she is the first one up. We are working on her though.

I have often read that most people have more energy in the morning than any other time of the day so many organizational books will tell you to get with your tasks first thing when your energy level is at its peak. I’ve never been much of a morning person so this has always been difficult for me. Just remember that You know yourself best so make the routine work for you not the other way around.

As you can see in my morning routine (available for you to download) I haven’t added daily devotions. Many of you have that precious time with the Lord in the morning. Yay! I’m finding it more feasible during this season in life to have my quiet time when the kids are napping. I believe with all my heart that each of us should spend time the Lord every single day. Morning might be best or some other time. Do what is right between you and the Lord, just do it!
Some other ideas for your morning routine might include

balancing/updating the checkbook

taking vitamins

taking a walk

computer time

Here is a link to FlyLady's morning routine if you want to take a peak.

Since I struggle so much with a morning routine I am going to focus on making my morning routine a daily habit for the rest of this month. And here is my last confession for the day.
The computer is my enemy. In the hour after we wake, if I so much as check my email my routine is shot. I’ll still be working on getting the dishwasher unloaded at 3 in the afternoon, the kids won’t have any structure, and my brain will be on overdrive the entire day. So if you guys could please pray for me in this department I would truly appreciate it.


Do you do a morning routine? What's on your list? I’d love to know.