3 Steps to Simplified Mornings

This post was written by contributor Kate, from Emmett’s ABC’s. Kate resides in Toronto with her husband and son (Emmett) and is currently expecting her second child.

Who feels like mornings are a rush around your house? (If any of you aren’t raising your hands… share your dang secrets already!!!!) Our place is reminiscent of a zoo at feeding time on any given morning. One family member is likely in a mood, one might be overtired, and one might just be moving at the speed of a sleepy sloth…

So, we’ve been on a mission. A mission to simplify mornings. Because there’s got to be a better way!

After some trial and error, we’ve found three things that work for us to simplify (and reduce the sheer insanity of) our mornings:

1. Plan ahead!

It seems obvious, but it’s easier said than done. But I swear, if you take ten minutes the night before to look over the schedule for the next day (so you know who needs to be at swimming by 5pm, and who has meetings out of town) it’ll be a game-changer. Set out anything the family needs for the day (forms, equipment, etc) ahead of time, and allow yourself a few minutes to organize the day in your mind. You’ll be shocked at how much more patience you have in the morning (for meltdowns and sloth-like movers), when you’re not trying to squeeze in your own prep and organization for the day.

2. Prep for Breakfast!

I don’t know about you, but a good chunk of our morning revolves around prepping, and negotiating healthy breakfast options. Luckily, we attended an amazing event recently that revolutionized our breakfast plans – thank you Quaker Canada (!) – and we’re going to share the deets with you. Our new go-to breakfast option is Overnight Oats! They’re super simple to make (think five mins) and stash in the fridge for easy access in the morning. Our family favourite is the Banana Blueberry Overnight Oats combination, but there’s a tasty, healthy recipe for every set of taste buds in your fam! Check them all out HERE. Love raspberries? Coconut? Vanilla? Honey? Overnight Oats has you covered. So get your Quaker Oats stashed in the cupboard (we love the Large Flake Oats, but you can use any variety that suit your fancy), and get ready to for your very own #OvernightSuccess!

3. Rise and Shine!

This one was the toughest for me… if we’re being honest. Because let’s be serious, the very last thing a pregnant mama wants to contemplate is getting less sleep. But I swear, it works wonders. Try (just try!) to wake up 15-30 mins before the rest of the fam. It’s a small amount of time, but having a few precious minutes in the morning to yourself to drink a hot tea and get your mind organized and ready for the day will work wonders! When this happens at our house, I feel more awake and ready to tackle the morning when everyone else wakes for the day. You can use the time for absolutely anything you like… just give yourself time to adjust to the day before you’re on demand for everyone else! And if you’re currently like me, and the thought of losing any additional sleep is nausea inducing (literally)…. Then try to move your bedtime ahead by 15-30 mins, and then adjust your wake-up time ahead by the same amount of time. You won’t lose any additional sleep, and the adjustment will feel natural after a week or so!

So go forth, eat oats, and get ready to win mornings!!!

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Quaker Canada as part of the #OvernightSuccess program. In exchange for this post, I have received perks in the form of products and/or compensation. All opinions on this blog are my own (and those of my contributors).