I have been a working mom, a stay at home mom and a working at home mom. It is all hard and all challenging, but winning the morning can help you win the day. My newest adventure in motherhood is being a working at homeschooling mom. When I say “work” it encompasses my paying job and all the chores and responsibilities that comes with being at home full time, including dishes, meals, laundry, housework and yard work. I obviously do not do all these in one day and my children and husband pitch in everyday. Our “how to get your kid excited about chores” will be another post.

Because I value your time which if you are reading this you probably don’t feel you have much of it, I’ll get to it.

1) Schedule- I really use to be the worst at planning my day and sticking to it. Things happen and you may not always eat breakfast at 8am but this is also the advantage of being a stay at home mom. Every morning and usually at night I will jot down the upcoming day’s agenda. I make sure to post this list in a visible spot for me and the children. I do not assign times but I do have a general flow to our day. Now that my oldest has learned how to read and write I sometimes ask her to jot down and check off our list as we complete each task. Checking off things also makes us feel accomplished. You may not get to everything but at least you have a running list that can be carried over into the next day.

2) Sleep- winning the day begins with winning your morning. When you get enough rest you are fully charged to take on anything the day brings. Adults should get 7-8 hours of sleep. Getting to sleep at an appropriate time takes work as well. Turn off devices and hour before bedtime, keep them away from your bed and place them on airplane mode. Stop eating/drinking at least two hours before bedtime to avoid middle of the night bathroom calls. If you still feel restless by the time you get into bed, journal about your day or read a book to help relax. I usually read my bible or a book on faith. Fiction books are a great way to wind down as well.

3) Stay hydrated- I read somewhere that most of your water intake should happen before 10am. It is important to your digestive system and energy to get plenty of water. At night I place a full water bottle (24 Oz) at my bedside. As soon as I wake up, I sit up in bed and finish my water in its entirely or at least 75%. It was not easy to consume all that in one sitting at first, but once I got use to it and I couldn’t start my morning without it. My two girls keep me so busy in the morning and I know that if I do not get my water in first thing…. it may not happen. Things that I noticed after a week of this was my skin complexion was more clear and radiant, my digestion was more regular and I had a ton of more energy throughout the day. Most people go straight for the caffeine because of their exhaustion, but water to your body is like gas to a car. You need it, you run out and you need to fill up. I still enjoy a cup of coffee or tea with breakfast, but it’s even more enjoyable when I know that I’ve first given my body what it needs most.

4) Morning meditation- I am still working on my meditation practice. I am up to 10 minutes, working on breathing, controlling my thoughts and even keeping my eyes closed is a challenge. I tend to also read for 15-20 minutes out of the Bible or my morning devotional. It’s amazing how starting off with positives words can be carried though your day.

5) Workout- this is tough and one that I struggle with every morning. I know that if I don’t get my workout done first thing, I will get pushed aside and ultimately forgotten. Reasons to start your morning off with a sweat….. a) so good for your skin and opening up your pores b) gives you energy and endorphins to start your morning off in a good mood. My family’s mood is totally dependent on my mood, so the happier the better c) getting physical energy out gives your mind peace d) I also have confidence throughout the day knowing my toughest task is already done, I’m free to shower, put on makeup and wear something cute. Morning workouts can be a family affair. This morning the kids and I headed out to walk the dogs before breakfast. We ran back and forth down trails as a game and picked a few leaves and flowers to make a nature collage. Having the whole family get in on your workout routine makes the day so much more enjoyable. They may not always be the happiest getting out the door or even during the walk during hot days but the end result is always positive as long as you are. Now the girls rush out the door to get the dogs ready before I can get my shoes on.

Another tip, DO NOT try to incorporate all of these in one day, start off with a schedule and then add one new thing a week. If you get overwhelmed take a step back and remind yourself that you are always a work in progress. New habits take at least 21 days to master.

Blessings and Love,

Venice