Are you struggling to get things done during the day?
Do you feel like you never get a minute alone at home?
Are you feeling overwhelmed, exhausted and pretty much at the end of your rope??
You aren’t alone.
Studies have shown that stay-at-home and working mums have some of the highest stress levels.
In fact, this eye opening article in the November 2014 issue of the Daily Mail quotes Professor Lyn Craig, who calls the current high levels of stress faced by Aussie working parents “unsustainable”. This report talks about the stress faced by stay-at-home mums. So, yes stress as a parent is pretty much unavoidable.
However, the good news is that a great deal of this stress can be managed.
With two simple words: Morning routines.
That’s right:
It affects not only how you think and feel but also what you get done and trust me, checking things off your to-do list is a great mood booster.
If it’s the ONLY routine you do have, make it this one. Here are 5 key reasons why you must have a morning routine.
1. Get Time for Your Self
Selfish? No. Important? I think so!
A morning routine is a great way to carve some time for yourself in your packed schedule. Even 15 minutes of quiet and peace before the household wakes up is blissful.
You can get time to meditate, gather your thoughts, sip your tea or coffee or journal and simply gaze out of the window. Nice, right? If time alone is important to you (are you human?!), early morning is probably your safest bet.
2. Have a Plan for the Day
A morning routine means a plan for the rest of the day. It allows you to plan your day so you know what happens when and what comes next.
Now, we all know that things may not always go according to the plan but let’s face it… It is better to plan to fail than to fail to plan, or so they say! Spend a minute or two (that’s literally all it needs to take), either in the morning or the night before, planning out your day. Even you’re not a plan-evey-second kinda gal, try writing down just 3 key things you need to achieve in the next 12-24 hours.
3. Find Your Focus
Having a routine for your morning allows you to avoid the infamous mummy brain and instead, be laser-focused… simply because you’ve gotten some time to your self, you’ve gathered your thoughts, you’ve made a plan and now you know what needs to be done.
4. Unwind before the Day Unfolds
A morning routine is a great way to unwind. We generally keep unwinding for the end of the day. But honestly, how many of us actually get to do that? After dinner, baths, bedtime stories, drinks of water, bathroom visits, we just about drag ourselves to the bedroom and crash.
But a morning routine allows you to have an unwinding session right before the day starts, filling you with energy and enthusiasm that’ll last through the day.
You can have a mini unwind session that includes just drinking your tea, taking a shower and getting dressed or if you can make more time, you can fit in your exercise session, prayer, meditation or journaling and even eating your breakfast before everyone else. Score!
All these little things help you refuel and reduce the impact of the stress you may face during the day.
5. Reduce Stress for Everyone
Most importantly, a morning routine is perfect for the family because it reduces stress, chaos and confusion for everyone. Knowing what happens when and how is calming for kids as well as parents.
No more yelling at each other to eat breakfast or grab lunches, no more rushing around trying to find homework or library bags, no more heading out of the door feeling as if someone’s hammered you over the head!
Ready to create your morning routines?? Stay tuned for the next post in this mini-series.
