5 ways I have improved my morning routine

*Editors note Bayanda Gumede has just won Best Inspirational Blog 2019 in the South African Parenting Blog Awards which were announced on Saturday 27th July.

I haven’t made any New Year’s resolutions for 2019. Mainly because this year I only have one mission, and that is to continue creating a life that I genuinely love. Starting with improving my morning routine.

Your morning routine sets the tone for the rest of your day. Not only that, it sets the tone for your whole family’s day. The morning signifies a fresh start, a brand new day. It’s important for me to start my day with confidence, peace, and a positive attitude. And that requires a solid morning routine.

Here’s a sneak peek into 5 ways I have improved my morning routine.

Wake up earlier than the rest of the family

This has undoubtedly been a game changer for me this year. I’m up at  5 am which is typically an hour before my husband and the kids wake up. That way I get an hour of quiet time before the morning rush. I use that time to meditate for about 15 minutes, pray, journal 3 things that I’m grateful for and I listen to a podcast. All of that in one glorious hour! Try not to reach out for your phone immediately when you wake up and really use that quiet time to centre yourself. I’m attached to my phone so this has been a considerable stretch for me, but it’s not impossible.

You and the kids need to get adequate sleep

Although sleep is not part of your morning routine, getting adequate sleep will almost ensure that your morning runs smoothly. My 12-year-old is in bed by 8:30 pm and my toddler by 7:30 pm. There’s nothing worse than tired and grumpy kids in the morning, so I always make sure they’re in bed on time.  I know that most of us have our children’s bedtime routine on lockdown, but you also need to get your beauty sleep mama. This year I am not compromising on my sleep, I make sure that I get 7-8 hours of peaceful sleep every night. Now the benefits for adequate sleep are endless, but when I heard it helps to slow down the aging process I was sold! Cause your girl doesn’t want to age!

Prepare for the following day

Preparation is key. Prep anything that you could the night before. Pack the children’s lunch boxes, sign homework books, do whatever you can to take off the load the following day. I’ve trained my eldest to pack everything he’ll need for school the night before. Just to make sure that I reduce the chances of him running around frantically looking for a missing soccer boot or sock in the morning.

Practice self-care

It is critical for us moms to dedicate time to practice a little bit of self-care, whatever that may look like for you. Whether it means you make time to go for a jog or hit the gym, there’s no better feeling than knowing you are taking care of yourself. I exercise three times a week after dropping off the kids at school, that is my me time. This year I have started drinking a tall glass of lemon water and green tea every morning before breakfast. Lemons help to cleanse and detoxify the entire body and green tea contains antioxidants that may lower your risk of some types of Cancer.

Delegate

Don’t be afraid to delegate responsibilities to the rest of the family. This is an excellent way to create chores for the kids. Remember, you don’t have to do everything by yourself.

We are all different and we all ordinarily have our own preferences, but we need a solid morning routine for our own sanity. Most of us already have a routine in place but I would like you to sincerely commit to improving that routine this year.

You can find Bayand over on Bayanda Gumede