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By Angella of Committed: The Ties That Bond and DutchBlitz.net
I returned to full-time employment in an office last January and while I was a bit of a blubbering mess for the first month (or five), I soon got into the swing of things. There are hiccups along the way, for sure, but there are a few things I do in order to make my mornings (and week) less hectic and stressful.
1. Make lunches the night before. For EVERYONE.
My husband and I have three kids in school and the two of us are working full-time. Anyone who has ever made lunches for their family knows that it it takes time. We always make lunches for our kids the night before (to cut down on morning stress) but occasionally we’ll stop there and say we’ll make our own lunches in the morning. This sees me running around at 6 a.m., before the sleep lines have even faded from my face, and my day only seems to go downhill from there. ALL lunches need to be made the night before.
2. Plan out your meals for the week.
Every Saturday morning, I make a meal plan for the next seven days. I do a big grocery shop that morning and do a smaller shop mid-week for the fresh fruits and vegetables needed to get us through to the next Saturday. The daily meals are written on a chalk board in our kitchen and I will take out the frozen items (meat, etc.) for the next day’s meal and put it in the fridge to thaw.
3. Lay out your clothes the night before.
If I go into my closet in the morning with bleary eyes, I will flip through every item hanging there and waste precious minutes figuring out what to wear. If I lay it out the night before, my morning is much smoother. Get up, slip into clothes, go downstairs for coffee, etc.
4. Speaking of coffee, get it organized the night before as well.
I don’t know about you, but my morning commute includes me driving with a coffee travel mug in hand. We were given a fancy Cuisinart coffee maker that grinds beans for Christmas, but until I find the time to figure it out (2013?), I always make sure that my instant coffee for the Tassimo is stocked up and ready to go.
How about you? Do you have any tips for making mornings less hectic?
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I’ve also found that night-before prep is essential. I have a 22 month old. It’s hard to predict how a little one will be doing in the morning, so you can’t leave anything to chance. It’s enough just to manage to dress him and myself and get out the door (both of us eating instant waffles). The only thing I could add to your list is to also pack your work bag or gym bag the night before and put it directly in the car that night!
Fancy Pancakes | January 19th, 2011 at 12:19 pm
I do all of the above items….and mornings are still stressful. Now if I could only get my children to actually eat their breakfast faster than a turtle! lol
Lacie | January 19th, 2011 at 10:02 pm
Every year, if “Santa” doesn’t buy me one, I buy the “Mom’s Plan-it” calendar. It has lines for every member of the family (or at least up to 5 members), so you can keep all the activities organized. I tried the color coding, but my kids kept stealing my colored pens.
I have also downloaded iTunes onto my computer at work (because they don’t block that sort of thing), and I am able to sync my iPod Touch calendar with my Outlook calendar. This way, no matter where I am, I am able to see what is on the calendar. Other than that, you already gave away all my “secrets”.
MeanClean | January 24th, 2011 at 9:03 am