Managing life with two small kids can be hectic at times, on top of our current circumstances of juggling work, remote learning, and very few childcare options. I know many of us are also in the same situation, but given we are fast approaching a year of being at home with our worlds turned upside down, I’m finally starting to realize the most important time of the day are the early morning hours. Trust me, I'm beyond grateful for my two littles and spending all this extra time with them at home right now, but this also means there is essentially zero alone time right now. Even though the stay-at-home orders have been in place for almost a full YEAR (can’t even believe I am typing this right now), I have not fallen into a great routine. It has literally taken me months, I’ve really come to this conclusion over the break that I need to figure out a better way to manage my day and I’m sharing a few changes and ways that I will start to approach the start of a new week and my time each day.

Breakfast, It's Important

The only part of my day that I have some control over is my morning. I don’t know if you feel the same way, but my morning sets the tone for the rest of the day. When the dining room table is clear, school bags are packed and the kitchen sink is empty the night before it makes for a MUCH easier morning. I do my best to prep for the day the night before so that I can leave a little extra time for myself in the morning and I'm experimenting with ways to make small adjustments here and there to make sure my days feel a little more balanced. 

Time Management, Worth The Investment

As part of this morning revamp, I've been thinking about how I spend my time, ways to increase my productivity at work, and testing out little tweaks. I have learned a few practical tricks and routines that have really made a difference. Thanks to this article, I realized the most important 20 minutes of my day are when I first wake-up. and I’m trying so hard to making these early minutes count.

Write It Down, It Will Clear Your Head

I’m old school when it comes to needing to write things down. Planners, to-do-list and any way to get what is in my head onto paper are how I function best. I also love kicking off the new year with a fresh planner (current planner here and favorite option if you want a highly customized one). Historically, I’m really good at writing things down, but the execution has fallen short these last few months. I also haven’t been good about planning out our weeks which include many Zoom meetings for the kids coupled with our busy work schedules. Even though our social calendars are non-existent, there seem to be more logistics to keep track of and coordinate. If I have one goal for the year, it’s to make the best of my Sunday afternoon to set our week up for success.

25 Minute Workouts, They Make a Difference

I fully plan on trying to get in a quick workout (30 minutes or less, the Pelaton app is my go-to for motivation and workouts and you can currently get 2 months free here) and I'm planning to start my day with a smoothie, which is a much better option than the bagel habit I've fallen into lately. If I can make these two small changes to my day a few times during the week and on the weekends, then I'll start my day in a better mindset and probably have a lot more energy. I think this will be even more important to have a new routine as we approach the back-half of the winter. There will be plenty of temptation to lure me off track, but if I commit to revamping my mornings then I know I'm starting the day off right! 

Are you planning to make any changes to your daily routine in the new year?