This post is sponsored by BELVITA. The opinions and text are all mine.
If you think distance learning and everyone working from home automatically results in less chaotic mornings, you’re wrong. With a family of five, mornings are hectic even when no one leaves the house. I’ve been a work at home mom for twelve years now, so I’ve learned how to make the most of my mornings. Now that everyone is home, I’ve finally gotten them to adjust and mornings are finally settling into a routine. Here are my tips to rock your work from home morning routine with a printable morning checklist and my favorite breakfast – BELVITA Breakfast Biscuits.
Rock Your Work From Home Morning Routine
With everyone home every day, I’ve had to adjust my routine to get used to them being around. And when the kids (finally) went back to school virtually, we had to adjust again. Mornings are not inherently easy, but if you take the time to create a routine that everyone can rely on, they can become less chaotic. For us, our routine includes different wake-up times, different meal times and different ideas of what we need in the morning. Setting clear expectations for everyone has helped us become more in sync to get ready for our busy days.
Work Backward
I’m not a morning person, so getting out of bed in the morning is my least favorite morning task. I want to squeeze in every extra minute of sleep that I can, but I also need enough time to get everything done without being crazed. So, I work backward. If school starts at 7:50, assign each task that needs to be done a reasonable amount of time and work backwards to find out what time you need to be out of bed, and what time the kids need to be out of bed.
Know What Is Expected
This is a big one. Everyone in the house needs to know what is expected of them. I have two older kids who are perfectly capable of getting themselves ready for school and making their own breakfast, but if I don’t make it clear that they are responsible to do something, they sit on the couch and wait for me to do it for them. So, it is important to convey clear expectations ahead of time so everyone knows what to expect. To keep kids (and myself) on track, I often set reminder alarms to keep them on track (they don’t mind an alarm reminding them nearly as much as me reminding them).
Eat Breakfast
Now that the kids are back in school, we eat breakfast at three different times and lunch at three different times based on school schedules. Since I eat last after everyone is settled in school for the day, there are days I am tempted to forgo my breakfast and move into my day. But I know that on days I do that, I find myself popping into the pantry for a quick snack (usually something sweet) before lunch. So, eating breakfast is a morning must.
My favorite quick breakfast is BELVITA Breakfast Biscuits. When I say favorite, I don’t mean favorite this month, I mean favorite for the last several years. Even prior to the family being at home, BELVITA Breakfast Biscuits are my go-to quick breakfast. BELVITA Breakfast Biscuits fill me up and provide four hours of nutritious, steady morning energy to help complete my morning to-dos with gusto.
Publix shoppers save! BELVITA Breakfast Biscuits are currently 2/$6 at Publix through 9/25/20 during the Breakfast Extra Savings promotion. Get your coupon in the weekly flyer or clip it online HERE. If you haven’t tried BELVITA Breakfast Biscuits as part of your breakfast routine, now’s a perfect time.
Write It Down, Check It Off
I am a big fan of to-do lists. There is something satisfying about crossing off things on a checklist. Each cross off, no matter how small, reminds me that I have done something productive. Plus, it helps my scatterbrained mind stay focused on the things I need to accomplish for the day. The only thing better than a checklist is a pretty checklist, so to keep myself motivated I created a Morning To-Do checklist printable.
When you download the printable morning checklist, you can either print it out full size (8.5 x 11) or on your printer window, you can change the number of items per page to two that way it will print two checklists side by side. One for today, one for tomorrow. Since my lists aren’t long, the half sheet is plenty of space for me.
Download the printable morning checklist HERE.
Get Dressed
There are oh-so-many days that I would rather stay in my PJs all day, but I have learned that I feel more awake and ready to take on the day when I change out of my PJs. The key for me has been investing in comfortable clothes. I don’t have to be dressy, I don’t even have to wear shoes, but I do make myself and the kids start each workday with fresh clothes. Putting on workout clothes in the morning is also a great motivator for me to work out later in the day.
On the weekends, all bets are off. Sometimes it’s ok to purposefully not be productive.
Do Something For Yourself
One of the best ways to start the day off in the right mindset is to do something for yourself. For some people, this means spending a few minutes in meditation or reading a favorite book. For others it might be exercise or surfing Facebook. It doesn’t matter what it is for you, but plan to spend at least 5-10 minutes in your morning routine for yourself. This is your “me time,” and it is important. It will help set the tone for the day and get you ready to tackle whatever the day brings.
