Finding Time In Your Busy Morning

Day 3 of the Makeover Your Mornings Challenge

Finding time in your mornings can be a challenge, considering they are often busy and chaotic.

If you have a young family and lots of people to get out the door, you probably know this firsthand! The good news is that it doesn’t HAVE to be that way, no matter how busy you are first thing in the morning.

Earlier, I shared with you how the first few hours in the morning set the tone for the rest of your day. Do you want to start out your day feeling rushed, as if you’re always running around, trying to catch up on all-the-things?

Or do you want it to be calm and collected, productive even? Do you want to feel more in control of your mornings?

It’s up to you — and it’s ALL about embracing two simple concepts.

 

If you aren’t part of the Morning Makeover Challenge yet, you can sign up right here.

 

Finding Time in Your Busy Morning

Concept #1: Getting up early enough

It’s sooo tempting to hit the snooze button and catch a few more minutes of shuteye, isn’t it?!

It can even be difficult to set the alarm early enough to get everything done that you want — and need — to get done. I get it.

Not a morning person? Moving the alarm up by 30 minutes to carve out a little extra time can be tough.

But if you try it out, you might find that (after the first few mornings) it’s not quite as hard as it seems. You’ll probably even get used to it fairly quickly.

If you can manage to get up early enough and avoid hitting the snooze button, you’ll find that your mornings are much less rushed.

Here’s the problem with cutting your time too short in the mornings: You’ll start out your day already behind.

Now, I’m not saying you have to start getting up super early every morning, especially if you don’t have to be anywhere that day.

But if you simply want to add more time to your day and get an early start on your morning routine — especially if you want to make more time for yourself — then hitting snooze and sleeping in isn’t going to help!

Again, how you start your morning sets the tone for the rest of your day.

If you start out having to chase time, then there’s a good chance you’ll spend the rest of your day feeling the repercussions.

Simply put, getting up early enough puts you ahead of the game. You’re in control of your morning. You can take care of everything on your list feeling much more relaxed.

And you’ll still have time for the important things you want to work on.

If you want to experience an amazingly productive day, make sure you’re getting up early enough and it truly will be possible.

 

Concept #2: Restructuring your routine

Now, spend a little time thinking about your *current* morning routine. How are you currently spending the first few hours of your day?

Look for things you can change and ways you can tweak your routine to make more time for the things you really want to do.

For example, if you would love to have an extra 20 minutes in the morning to actually enjoy that first cup of coffee while reading a chapter or two, then you’ll need to find ways to free up those 20 minutes.

What can you take care of the night before? What can you eliminate from your mornings, or is there something you can delegate to someone else?

Do you spend a LOT of time making breakfast for everyone each morning? Perhaps free up a little time by setting the table the night before.

Set the coffee to automatically brew in the morning, or ask someone to get it ready so you only have to push a button when you get up.

Show the kids how to get their own breakfast ready, or prepare something ahead of time that they can grab-and-go. Have them take their own dirty dishes to the sink, rinse them, and put them in the dishwasher.

Set out clothing the night before (including yours!) and keep backpacks, purses, and keys in their designated spot by the door. That way, there’s no rush to find them as you’re heading out the door.

Small tweaks to your daily habits can really make a big difference.

 

Day 3 Challenge

Today, I challenge you to come up with a few small tweaks that will save you at least 30 minutes in the morning.

Whether it’s eliminating something from your current routine or getting up a little earlier, these extra 30 minutes will give you the time to add whatever it is you really want to do.

Grab a pen and paper and jot down a few ideas, then once you have come up with a plan, put it into action starting tonight and tomorrow morning.

 

Helpful Tools

Honestly, anything that helps simplify my life and streamline my day is pretty awesome.

For example, we just got this air fryer, and I’m not sure how we survived until now without it. You can make basically anything in it — in just minutes — without dousing it in oil. (Yes, even breakfast foods!)

And, of course, a fully programmable coffee brewer is a must if you’re a coffee drinker. This Hamilton Beach coffee maker has both single-serve and 12-cup options.

Simple coat hooks work well for keeping backpacks organized and off the floor, although if you’re really feeling creative, you could put together a fancy command center in your entryway.