School is back in session and that means more structured and routine days. Getting up earlier, being on time and more traffic are all part of back-to-school time. Instead of feeling rushed all the time, yelling at your kids to “hurry up,” and forgetting someone’s lunch a couple times of week – make life a little easier on yourself with a few simple adjustments. Try some of these tips for a less chaotic morning:
- Get Up Earlier – If you’re pushing the snooze button multiple times, this is going to set back the whole day. Make a pact with yourself that you won’t hit the snooze button. And, set your alarm for 10-15 minutes earlier than you normally do. Give yourself a cushion in case there’s a hole in someone’s pants or you can’t find a shoe. Account for the inconveniences that can bring on stress and chaos.
- Go To Bed Earlier – If you’re feeling like a zombie in the morning, go to be earlier. Make a habit of turning the lights off at a certain time, maybe 10pm. Don’t break the pact. If you’re a night owl, you’re going to drag all day and your morning is going to be a struggle.
- Know What You’re Wearing – Lay out clothes the night before. Eliminate the fight over what a picky child is wearing, find the socks, iron the pants. Take care of everyone’s clothes the evening prior. This is an easy task to take care of the night before that will save a lot of time.
- Prepare What You’re Eating – Have a list of what everyone likes to eat. Try and pack lunches the night before or at least make sure all of the lunch boxes are clean and ready to go. Have snacks, like fruit, veggies and chips ready to go in little bags so you can just grab what you need. Find recipes for sandwiches that can be frozen and thawed by the time lunch rolls around. Make some healthy muffins on Sunday for an easy grab-and-go breakfast. Make large batches of pasta salads, soups, fruit salads, etc that can be easily added to lunches all week.
- Stay Organized – Keep ahead of laundry and house cleaning. Just do a little bit each day otherwise it becomes overwhelming and seems like a mountain rather than a small hill. Set aside a couple of hours on Sunday to grocery shop and prep some food for the week and do some organizing and cleaning. Keeping your space organized will make your days so much easier.
The school year can be a challenging time. Whether you’re just dealing with more traffic and longer commute times or you’re sending four kids off to school every morning. Every one is trying to get where they need to be faster and earlier. Make it a little easier by being well-rested, prepared and organized.
Wishing everyone a healthy and safe school year ahead.
