Finding Time in Your Busy Morning

Welcome to Day 3 of my 7-Day Morning Makeover Challenge.

Mornings are busy and they can be quiet chaotic.

If you have a young family and plenty of people to get ready and out the door, you know this first hand.

The good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way, no matter how busy you think you are first thing in the day.

In a previous post, I shared with you how the first few hours in the morning set the tone for the entire rest of the day.

Do you want that to be rushed, frantic, and you feel like you’re constantly running and trying to catch up?

Or do you want it to be calm, collected, productive, and you feel that you’re in control?

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

1, Get Up Early Enough

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

It’s even hard to set the alarm early enough that you have plenty of time for everything you want and need to get done.

I get it.

If you’re not a morning person, moving up the alarm by 30 minutes to carve out a little extra time can be tough.

Trust me, though, after the first few mornings it’s not nearly as hard as you think and something you’ll quickly get used to.

When I was a full-time classroom teacher, I used to set my alarm for 5:00 am so I’d have a little time to write before I went to school.

I soon grew so used to getting up that early and writing that it just didn’t feel right if I slept in and went to school without writing.

Getting up early enough and avoiding the snooze button at all costs is the key to an unrushed morning.

Here’s the problem with cutting time too short, or worse hitting the snooze button a few times.

It gets you behind from the very start.

You have to rush to make it out the door in time and any little problem or speed bump along the way turns into a huge problem.

Not being able to find the car keys is suddenly a major crisis because it could cause you to be late for work and the kids to be tardy at school.

Remember, your morning sets the tone for the rest of your day.

If you start it chasing down time and things, that’s likely how you’ll spend the rest of your time.

Getting up early enough on the other hand puts you ahead of the game.

You’re in control.

You can take care of everything that needs doing in a calm manner and still have time for the important things you want to work on.

In short, getting up early enough sets you up for an amazing, productive day.

2. Restructure Your Routine

Before I wrap this up, think about your current morning routine and where you’re spending time.

Look for things you can change and tweak to find more time for the things you really want to do.

For example, if you want an extra 20 minutes in the morning to meditate or write, look at what you could take care ahead of time, eliminate, or delegate to make that time.

If you spend a lot of time getting breakfast for everyone, get in the habit of setting the breakfast table the night before.

Get your spouse to get the coffee ready, so all you have to do in the morning is push a button.

Teach the kids to make their own breakfast and take the dirty dishes to the sink, rinse them, and put them in the dishwasher.

Make sure clothes are set out the night before (including yours), and that book bags, purses, briefcases, and car keys have a designated spot and that there where they need to be before you turn in for the night.

Small changes like this to your morning routine can make a big difference.

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

Try it!

Then don’t forget to share your plans in a comment here.

To a wonderful morning and another beautiful day for you,

The Working Writer’s Coach

P.S. If you missed the start of this Morning Makeover Challenge, read the first two posts here:

Day 1 – How Your Morning Routine Affects the Rest of Your Day

Day 2 – Your Perfect Morning – What Does It Look Like?

And for daily reminders about this challenge, get your free subscription to The Morning Nudge at www.morningnudge.com.