How to Start Your Morning Well (Why it Makes You a Better Mom)

Why would a morning routine make a difference for YOU as a mom? Well, if you want, you can make them set the tone and pace for the rest of your day – in a really good way! I promise you’ll feel the difference! Here’s how to start your morning well and why it is so important.

Once in a while, as a mom, you are likely to feel that exhaustion and frustration start building up beyond the love and excitement for your baby or babies. Even if the miracle of your child is something you truly appreciate, things are starting to feel just a little bit hard, and you might even be questioning whether you are very good at being a mom at all!

Rest assured; you are in good company. It’s perfectly normal to feel frustrated and overwhelmed.

The truth is that parenting isn’t always a walk in the park, and honestly, you shouldn’t expect it to be. In fact, you shouldn’t even want it to be, because the fact that it is hard sometimes is what lets you know it is worthwhile.

And so I want to encourage you to feel whatever you feel and find ways to make life easier. Push past the frustration and work to find your mommy groove. It may take a while, and that doesn’t mean you are doing something wrong, but just the opposite. You CAN do this, and a year from now, when you look back on how far you have come, these harder times will seem like a distant memory.

In the meantime, I also want to strongly encourage you, if you haven’t already, to think about setting up some good morning routines and habits that will carry you through, even when you don’t always feel like doing anything but crawling back to bed and pull a blanket over your face.

I’m a firm believer that your morning sets the tone for the rest of your day. Your routine is often the difference between starting your day on the right foot or the wrong foot, and once it becomes a habit, it is the trigger that tells your brain it’s time to get to work. Once you start on the wrong foot, it can definitely be hard to salvage the rest of your day, and that’s not good when you are trying to keep your energy and enthusiasm up despite having no time for yourself and literally very scattered sleep.

Now, if you’re exhausted beyond belief – I definitely was as a first-time mom – you’re probably ready to stop reading right about now.

But hold on!

I have news for you: if you’re crazily tired and your baby wakes up at 4:30 a.m., that’s totally okay. Because it’s not about WHEN you start your day, you can start your day at 5 a.m., 10 a.m., or 2 p.m. — the when doesn’t matter. HOW you start your day is what’s really important.

If you start your day without a plan, floating from one random task to another, just kind of dilly-dallying around, you’re probably not going to feel that you are in any control of your life at all. But if you spend the first 30 minutes intentionally — whatever time you wake up — you’ll get a lot more done and feel much better.

So what are some things you might want to incorporate into your routine?

The Best Mom Morning Routine in Three Easy Steps

1. Take a walk (or Do Some Other Exercise You Enjoy)

PinWalking is one of my favorite activities. It’s so peaceful, and it gives me some quiet time to connect with myself and set the intention for the day.

I also enjoy listening to podcasts and audiobooks while I walk! I love reading and listening to podcasts to help spur new ideas, but I don’t have a lot of time to read or listen. It’s such a little thing, but the prospect of diving into a new chapter or episode always gets me excited for my walk every day and motivates me to get out of bed and get going.

I used to force myself to run in the mornings, and it was a real struggle. Because, if I’m being totally honest… I have absolutely NO energy to run in the morning. Never had and probably never will have. And as a new mom, running was just too much for me!

But walking is completely different. It is peaceful and healthy, and you can easily bring your baby. After feeding and diapering, put him or her in the stroller or a sling and head out! You’ll feel much more alert, happy, and in control, and your baby might go back to sleep. Or at least get daylight and fresh air, which is super important for a baby’s sleep pattern overall.

You don’t have to walk, of course. If there is some other type of exercise that you prefer, and you can easily bring your baby if needed, then do that. But do something!

2. Set Yourself Up for Success

I have found that for me, the secret to making sure I actually take my morning walk is setting out my clothes, shoes, and socks the night before and that my wireless headphones are charged and ready. And, of course, anything you might need for your baby – pacifier, diaper, clothes, and so on – need to be ready too. (But babies can definitely join a morning walk in their pajamas!) That way, everything in the morning is easy-peasy, and I have no excuse to make it happen. It’s a simple thing that takes just minutes before I go to bed, but it makes all the difference.

Whatever you do in your morning routine, setting yourself up for success will make it a whole lot easier to stick to. Take time the night before to get everything you need ready. Eliminate any obstacles so that when you wake up, all you have to do is roll out of bed, get your baby ready, and go.

3. Plan Out Your Day

Another really important part of my morning routine is planning out the rest of my day. So, after I get back from my walk, I grab a cup of coffee and take 20 minutes to plan out what I’m going to do for the rest of the day.

Honestly, I consider this the most important part of my daily routine. Sometimes it feels a bit redundant, but if I don’t do it, I spend the rest of my day feeling completely scattered.

Every morning, take those 20 minutes and plan out your day. I know it can feel like a joke with a baby to plan the day, but even though you won’t know exactly WHEN you do things, it will still mean that you know WHAT you w2’want to do and in which order. Block out your time in hourly chunks and write down the things you’re going to do during each hour, including things like breaks, taking a nap, playing with your baby, meals, and any errands you need to run.

Once your list is made, you’ll be centered, focused, and ready to tackle the day!

The right mom “morning” routine — whether your day starts at 3 a.m. or 3 p.m. — is key to getting the most out of your time.

I Challenge You on How to Start Your Morning Well!

I want to leave you with a challenge to get you started on the perfect morning routine. This week, choose one way to be more intentional with the first precious minutes of your day. Decide what it means to YOU to start your morning well.

Maybe it’s taking 5 minutes to meditate when you wake up or getting outside and going for a walk. Whatever it is, I want you to set the intention and follow through on establishing one new habit. Then, if you dare, share it on Easy Baby Life’s Facebook page to get some accountability.

Or, of course, share your plans by leaving a comment below! -:)

Also, I’m sure other moms would LOVE to hear your best tips on creating a mom morning routine that helps you start your morning well!