Jennifer Tuma-Young was featured in Woman’s World Magazine “Ask America’s Ultimate Experts” column. The topic was “How Can I Make Mornings Less Hectic?” Jennifer gave tips on going from bedlam to balanced, crazy to calm even during the morning rush!
Check out below for some of her tips.
Get Balanced for Back-to-School by Jennifer Tuma-Young
Alright, so it’s “back-to-school” time, but that doesn’t have to mean “back-to-bedlam”!! Since there is no “one size fits all” plan for getting balanced and organized, figuring out what works best for you and your family is key.
Here are 2 of the most common mistakes women make that lead to manic, hectic mornings…
#1 Mistake: Women Try to Ride a “Unicycle”
Women try to do everything themselves!! But then the morning is manic, and everyone is affected. We must ASK the whole family to pitch in to make mornings (and life in general) run smoothly! Children love to feel valuable, and when we include them in the process, we are sending a signal that they a re capable and contributing. Now that’s definitely a boost in self esteem!!
#2 Mistake: Women Have a Hard Time with the Word “NO”
When we have too much on our plate, it’s inevitable that life will be more hectic, and if we’re not set-up the night before, the mornings will be CRAZY! “No” is a little word with big impact. If you can learn to say “No,” you will change your life. I’m not telling you to stop helping people, to turn into a rigid chick who would rather plan out for tomorrow than help make cookies for the Brownie’s bake sale! Oh, I couldn’t imagine the look on your daughter’s face! Some things only happen once, and they shouldn’t be given up without good reason.
But, if you are always the “go-to gal” for PTA party planning, and it has taken over your nights, gracefully decline. If you’re stressed out, the party won’t be as fun anyway! Sometimes fresh, new volunteers will mix it up and everyone will be better off! Not selfish—it’s actually selfless because all with benefit! See also Post: The Art of Saying “No”.
First things first, here are 2 tips on how to make mornings less stressful for all involved …
Morning Meditation “Quickie”
Ok, we know some women take an hour in the morning to get “zen” and meditate. Meditation works for a reason!! It creates a calm space in our mind, body, and gives us a peaceful presence! But, realistically, most of us don’t have an extra hour in the early AM. If you’ve never tried it, you probably haven’t discovered the benefits. The beauty of meditating is there are NO rules!! You can start simply by waking up and spending just 3 minutes in “silence”! Find a space, a private area where you can close your eyes, clear your mind, and just be thankful for the day! You’ll be super-energized and happier! When mom is smiling, everyone is smiling!
Plan and Pad Your Time- Flexibility is Key!
Most of us know the benefits of planning. If you want to eat healthy, and don’t have your snacks with you, the vending machine or drive through window can quickly call your name, right? Well, the same is true for our mornings! As a mom, you must establish a flexible routine so you know how morning time is spent each day.
Be flexible with your routine, and realize that things may take longer, especially when kids are involved! If you “pad” your time a little, you won’t find yourself running late to the bus stop. Remember, sometimes things just take longer than we expect them to. Try not to underestimate or over-schedule- this will defini tely lead to a stress mess! It may take a some trial and error to get the routine going, but keep trying until you find your family’s “routine sweet spot”!
Here is a tip to establish a routine and stick to it…
Plain Sight Planning
If you’re routine isn’t “visible”, you probably won’t stick to it! That’s why we leave kids toothbrushes in plain sight when they are learning to brush their own teeth. It’s a reminder every time they see the toothbrush!! Make sure you can see you calendar or checklist in plain sight, and hold everyone accountable for doing their share!! After a couple of days you’ll see how smoothly the mornings run, and you’ll never want to go back!!
Here are 4 “night-before” tips…
Packed & Ready to Go
It takes kids time to gather books, homework, show ‘n tell items! There’s a lot we need to gather before leaving the house, too. Before bed, make a routine of getting backpacks and briefcases packed in the car (if you drive the kids) or by the door (if they take the bus).
Take it to the next level by creating a backpack “pit-stop” complete with a dry-erase board and hooks to hang the backpacks. Write reminders- such as “Story Day” or “Show ‘n Tell” so your kids know exactly what they need to bring for each day of the week ahead of time! And, if you need to remind yourself of something (cupcakes for school party, report due at work), you can make a section for “Mom”, too!
Eliminate the “Bathroom Tango”
Ok, we’ve all heard the children argue over bathroom time. Everyone wants a fair shake at brushing teeth, combing hair, and when the kids spend more time arguing than getting ready, we all end up late and frazzled. Make sure everyone knows when its his/her turn in the mirror, by creating a simple bathroom schedule.
Get to Bed!
Ok, cranky kids are tough, and who wants to spend a half-hour dragging them out of bed? Talk about a time drainer! But, cranky moms are worse because we are running the routine ship! If we’re tired and our energy is low, it will naturally lead to stressful mornings.
Have a nighttime routine for your children to go to bed at a reasonable hour. People do best when things are consistent, especially children- that’s why bedtime stories are so effective! Pick a bedtime, and stick with it.
And remember, we have natural “relaxers” built right into our senses, so use them! Warmth, sound, and touch all work wonders for getting wound up kids sleepy! Give your kids back massages, have them take a warm bath, use calming sounds in their bedrooms. “Woobies” work for a reason, so make sure they have soft, fuzzy blankets and comfy pajamas. Once the kids are sleeping, do the same things for Y-O-U!! You’ll all wake up ready and raring to go after a good night’s sleep!
Friendly Alarms
Ok, maybe a loud buzzing alarm clock is the only way you’ll get your kids out of bed! But remember, if we wake up to a blaring noise, we’re more than likely to wake up agitated. Choose alarms that are more “friendly” like birds chirping or music playing. Waking up happier is key to a less manic morning!
Picking out clothes can be a “time vaccuum”! Here are 3 tips to make it easier for kids to find clothes and get dressed for school…
Organize, Donate, Re-purpose
Keep the closets and dresser drawers organized, so it makes finding clothes simple! Start by emptyin g everything out of the closet and dresser. Donate items that no longer fit, or find ways to re-purpose favorites! You can make adorable pillows as keepsakes, line picture frames, make shadowboxes, make patchwork quilts, or even frame fun, printed fabrics as artwork!
Focus on Outfits Made Easy
Once all the clutter is cleared and clothes are removed, match up outfits and coordinates. Create piles for items that need to go in the drawers, and lay out clothes you wish to hang.
In the dresser, make a drawer for each period of the day, rather than “all tops”, “all pants”. Set up a school outfits drawer, gym clothes drawer, play clothes drawer, and pj’s drawer. This will make it super-simple to find outfits!
Sunday Night= Wardrobe Night
Every Sunday night, decide your wardrobe for the week. This can be a fun, family routine. Go to the craft store, buy index cards, a hole-punch, markers, and yarn. Make hang signs (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc), and let the kids get creative!
Pick out entire outfits for each day of the week, and hang your sign on them, so everyone knows exactly what they’re wearing for the week! This will save you loads of time in the morning!
