If you want to ensure that you have a good morning, then a little prep the night before is key.
Now I’ll be the first to admit that this can be hard. Once my two older kiddos are in bed, I just want to relax on the couch with the hubs and cuddle with the baby. Especially this past week since she was sick, again.
But, some quick prep the night before can really go a long way.
Clothes
The easiest thing you can prep is your clothes. When you are getting your jammies on, you can pick out your outfit for the next day and lay it out. Don’t forget to pick out your shoes and accessories too!
That’s one less decision you have to make in the morning. You can just get dressed and move on with your morning.
To Dos
To dos are another thing you can prep with out messing too much with your relaxation time. While you are sitting on the couch in the evening sit your planner beside you.
On a commercial break do a brain dump of all the things you need to do. This can be reports to write, emails to send, errands to do, bills to pay, forms to fill out, etc. If the task has a due date, note that as well.
During another break you can prioritize your list so you know what is most important and urgent. That way tomorrow you start the day already knowing what needs to get done.
Food
If you are a little more ambitious, food prep is another great thing to do in the evening. It is however a lot harder to do while cuddling an infant....
Basically this is just preparing breakfast and or lunch ahead of time. You can pack up your kids’ lunch box and just leave it in the fridge for the next morning. For breakfast, you can prep the coffee maker or throw together some overnight oats.
This is just one less thing you will have to do in the morning. This is even easier if you or your kids are having leftovers for lunch. Instead of packing it in a container overnight just to have to divide it up in the morning, pack it up for lunch right away.
Pack Your Bag
Have you ever sat on the couch and thought I have to remember to put item X in my bag tomorrow before I head to work? Then you have to work hard to try to remember that in the morning.
When you have a fleeting thought like that, just do it now. Put the gym shoes or the prescription in your bag the moment you think of it. Get it done and out of your head.
As a bonus, this will allow your mind to feel more relaxed because it’s not working overtime to remember that thing.
At the very minimum if you really can’t get the gumption to get up and do the thing, definitely set a reminder on your phone to pack that item in the morning. Don’t make your brain have to do all the work.
I have a weekly reminder on my phone for my son’s library book. Every Monday his kindergarten class has library at school. Since it’s not an everyday thing, I don’t always remember. So I created a reminder in my phone so we make sure his library book is packed every Monday so he is able to take a new one out each week.
Kids
Depending on their age, kids can help with morning prep too. They can pick out their clothes for the next day, and make sure that their book bag is packed.
Older kids can even do their own lunch prep. It can even be a great family time activity, you prep your lunch while they prep theirs.
Fitness
If you are a morning exerciser, plan your workout the night before. Either write out the routine your going to do or pick out the dvd you will follow.
Even pick out your clothes to workout in. The easier you make it for yourself to workout, the more likely it is that you will do it.
Journaling and Gratitude
Don’t worry this is not crazy, time consuming step. It’s actually pretty simple.
If you are a journaler or you have a gratitude practice (both of which I highly recommend) then just set your journal in a place where you know you will see it in the morning and do it.
You can put it on your bathroom sink or by your coffee machine. Just be sure to put it in a place where you won’t miss it.
You only get the benefits of these practices when you actually do it, so help yourself out and put your journal in a place that will remind you to get it done.
Is there anything else you do the night before to prep for your day? Share about it in the comments! Your fellow mamas on the go will thank you!!
Cheers,
Emily
