Supercharge Your Day: 10 Hacks for a Productive Morning Routine as a Stay-At-Home Mom (Plus 5 BONUS TIPS!)

As a stay-at-home mom, who also works part-time from home, it can be challenging managing the many aspects of mom-life. My husband and I have 5 children a home (ranging from 6-21 years old). They all have different needs, schedules, challenges, and strengths.

Mom-life can be beautiful and stressful all at the same time (so crazy, right?). We have these adorable little humans that we created, who can melt our hearts and drive us mad within seconds of each other. Whether you have one child or a house full of kids, these simple yet super effective morning routine hacks will set you up to feel more confident about your day.

Stay tuned to the end of this article for 5 BONUS tips that’ll not only improve your productive morning routine but will also have you feeling EMPOWERED each day!

1. Decide on your outfit for the day the night before

Yes! You read that correctly!

As stay-at-home moms, it can be easy to feel as though your appearance doesn’t matter. Hear me when I say that it actually does! You don’t need to get dressed up in fancy clothes or office clothes (unless you want to 😊). But the effort you place into preparing yourself for a productive day makes a huge difference in how productive you actually feel.

Being a stay-at-home mom can bring an incredible sense of joy, as you get to be the main caretaker of your children and manager of your home.

We should absolutely take great pride in having this most blessed role of being a stay-at-home mom.

Nevertheless, it is perfectly acceptable and healthy to acknowledge that we can lose our sense of self because our days are centered around taking care of our loved ones.

In order to be the fabulous and productive stay-at-home moms, that we are meant to be, we need to take care of ourselves.

Sometimes something as “simple” as preparing our outfit the night before can set us up for a productive morning, without having to put in too much effort.

It’s not about what you choose to wear. It’s more about the intention of taking care of yourself, even in the littlest ways. Furthermore, the act of setting out your clothes the night before conveys to you and your family, that you have important work to do the next day and you plan to be prepared for it!

2. Take 5 Minutes to Mentally Prep For Your Productive Morning Routine

Mornings are incredibly hard for me. In addition to my chronic pain, I struggle with insomnia, so I definitely don’t get as much sleep as I need. So for me, this particular morning routine hack is necessary to get me out of bed.

I take a few minutes just to lay in bed and be.

That’s all.

I try not to get on my phone because then it’s easy to get lost in social media (for me that means YouTube!), or I’ll get overwhelmed with my to-do list before I even get out of bed.

Instead, I use this time to just lie down, breathe, encourage myself, or talk to God.

You can make this 5-minute mental prep time work for you and your specific needs.

I highly recommend that you prioritize a few minutes each morning, when possible, to mentally prepare for your productive mom morning so that you can be mentally prepared for the family madness you’ll encounter when you leave your bed lol.

3. Get Out of Your PJ’s & Make Your Bed Every Morning

Pajamas are comfortable for a reason. They are meant to make you feel cozy and ready to get to bed. So, why would you wear them as you start your productive momma day?

The physical and visual cues that we give ourselves every morning, impact how productive we feel when we get out of bed. The act of changing out of our sleepy times clothes and into our morning clothes provides a powerful cue that there needs to be a mental shift to get us moving.

You need to implement the best habits every day to truly have a productive morning routine. Emphasis on the word PRODUCTIVE! You can use any old morning routine, but we’re busy stay-at-home moms- so we need it to be a productive morning routine!

Making your bed each morning is also associated with having healthier habits such as better goal setting, healthier food choices, and improved organization, just to name a few of the great benefits.

Who would have thought that something as simple as making your bed could give you the perfect start to your productive mom day!

4. Write Stuff Down!!

My mind is a mess in the morning. I suffer from brain fog due to chronic health issues, I don’t get much sleep at night and I just hate mornings 🤷🏾‍♀️

Read More About My Life with Chronic Illness: My Life As A Mom With An Autoimmune Disorder

Since I already know all of these things about myself, I don’t even try to recall my to-do list on my own. I write (or type into my phone LOL) everything.

Every. Single. Thing.

Instead of bashing myself for having crappy memory, particularly in the morning, I’ve accepted that I need specific strategies to launch my productive morning. I set myself up for success, as much as possible.

I use my Notes app to keep track of all the tasks that need to be done. I categorize different tasks and activities in a manner that works for me. I also use a family app to keep track of groceries. My husband and our oldest daughter also have the same app, so that they can add groceries to the list.

It’s a lot easier to be a productive mom when you’re not having to remember every single task off the top of your head.

There are so many apps, journals, printable to-do lists, and calendars that are available to customize to your family’s needs. So no excuses! Write stuff down!

5. DO NOT Get On Social Media 1st Thing in the Morning! (Seriously)

Listen, I get it. Social media is very addictive.

But that’s how it’s set up to be. Your brain receives continuous internal rewards as you scroll through post…after post…after post.

Let’s face it: most of us waste a ton of time on social media 🤷🏾‍♀️

If your goal is to be a productive stay-at-home mom, though, then you will need to scale it back.

Being a mom can feel all-consuming sometimes. There’s just so much to do! Do we really need any further obstacles to feeling accomplished at the end of the day? Start the day right by setting yourself up for success from the moment you wake up.

Another major reason to focus less on social media is the fact that what’s portrayed on social media generally isn’t real. We may see the highlights of that confident mom that we admire, but we generally don’t get to see the MANY frustrations and setbacks that they faced throughout their day.

The expectations that society places on mothers are impossible to meet. Although there are many great aspects to social media, it unfortunately has brought on some pretty sad consequences for moms (and women in general!). The pressure to be “on top of everything” and to be “perfect” is right in your face as soon as you pick up your phone…ugh.

Studies have shown that although social media has provided moms with an abundance of information that we never had access to before, there has unfortunately been an increase in anxiety, depression, envy, and feelings of inadequacy due to our natural tendency to compare ourselves.

My goal is to EMPOWER moms!

As a stay-at-home mom myself, I strive to set myself for success to the best of my ability each day. And I want the same for you!

You decide the standard for accomplishing your productive morning each day. Today success could mean that you completed all of your tasks, OR it could mean that you made your bed and didn’t scream at your kids before they left for school. Both are successes to me!

6. Smile in the Mirror 😁

Have you ever stopped in front of a mirror and just smiled? How do you feel when you do?

Smiling is such a simple, yet powerful act that we can do for free, and receive tremendous benefits from it. It’s pretty hard to be angry or irritable when you smile.

Don’t believe me? Well, check out this article from VeryWell Mind, which explains how smiling can relieve stress, elevate your mood, AND can actually help you live longer.

When I wake up in the morning, I generally feel cranky, unmotivated and I’m not so nice. Just being honest.

I try to incorporate small acts within my daily routine to bring joy to my spirit. Smiling in the mirror is one of my secret weapons to fight my morning irritability. As a stay-at-home mom, who works from home, and battles chronic health issues- I will take all the help that I can get to motivate myself to be more productive in the morning!

7. Involve Your Kids in the Morning Prep As Much As Possible

This Morning Routine Hack is particularly for my mommas out there. I have 5 children at home (plus one handsome stepson in another state- we are blessed!). I cannot, and will not, do everything on my own.

Read More About My Blended Family: Blended Family Advantages and Disadvantages Most People Don’t Think About

I shouldn’t have to. And neither should you.

I have ALL of my children do their part to help our family’s morning routine go as smoothly as possible.

Depending on their age, your kids can prepare their own breakfast, brush their teeth, get dressed, wash their bowls, or even clean up their placemats after they eat.

Develop a system that works best for your family, and stick to it!

Use a calendar or chart system to offer visual aids for your family.

Be as consistent with your productive morning routine as possible, so you’ll have to give fewer reminders. The more consistent you become with your productive morning routine, it will soon be on autopilot.

Don’t forget to involve your partner or any other family member who lives with you. Everyone who is part of the family must contribute! Unless they’re infants (their job is to be cute 🥰)

8. Jumpstart Your Productive Morning Routine w/ Worship Music

I love to sing and dance around my house all of the time! My kids may not appreciate my singing (or dancing) but I still love to do it! Hehehehehe!!

I have always loved music. I will listen to just about any song, in any language, as long as it sounds good, feels good in my spirit, and especially if the song spreads love.

Music speaks to my soul! 💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾

Since I am NOT a morning person, I will use all the help that I can get to get me moving and create a productive environment. So music is definitely one of my most effective morning routine hacks.

Worship music has a special place in my heart. It gives me the spiritual motivation that I need to have a productive morning. Some songs that I absolutely love to listen to, especially when I don’t feel like being productive are:

–Marvin Sapp- Praise Him in Advance

–Ricky Dillard- All of My Help

–Chris Tomlin- Good, Good Father

–Whitney Houston- I Go To The Rock

There are many more worship songs that I could have included! I’m a HUGE fan of gospel music and All music that speaks to my heart and uplifts my spirit.

What are some of your go-to songs to get you up and going in the morning? Share them in the comments below!

9. Take 5-10 Minutes for Physical Activity Each Day

It’s not easy to do, but physical activity is necessary if you want to be a healthy and productive momma!

As a mom with chronic illnesses, it can feel almost impossible to even get out of bed each day, but I know that I will feel worse if I stay inactive for too long.

For me, physical activities can include, stretches, a few jumping jacks, walking, or light cardio. I don’t place too much pressure on myself to do any high-intensity workouts unless I want to. My goal is to initiate some type of physical activity into my day as often as possible.

If your goal is to have a productive morning routine, then movement is a must. Inactivity is a major contributor to fatigue. Therefore, you should find the level of activity that works best for you, and then implement it into your weekly schedule. You’ll see the difference in your productivity level the more consistent you are.

Of course, you should ALWAYS consult with your medical providers first before initiating any new physical activities, particularly if you have health issues, as I do. I am not a medical professional. Please take care of yourself and consult with your doctor, as needed.

10. Use The Sun 😎 To Boost Your Morning Productivity

I’m not going to lie, this one has been a hard habit for me to consistently implement…ugh. Mind you, I know the benefits of getting some sun exposure, but it’s not easy putting it into action. In my defense, I live in the Northeast! 🥶

Okay, excuses aside, we can all benefit from moderate levels of sun. These days it is hard to find time to just get out just to get some sun. I tend to be on my laptop, running around the house, or driving around doing errands.

Even when I get out to get some sun, it’s usually just to get in and out of the car. There are more opportunities to get some sun in the summer, but it’s important to put in the extra effort to get at least 5 to 15 minutes of sun at least twice a week, to get the glorious sun benefits.

No matter where you live, though, it is IMPORTANT to wear sunscreen all year long and be mindful not to get too much direct sun exposure.

If you’re interested in more information on determining how much sun exposure you need, I found this great article from UCLA Health: How Much Sunshine Do I Need For Enough Vitamin D?

Share any hacks that you’ve incorporated into your morning routine to sneak some sun into your routine to boost your mood and productivity levels!

5 Bonus Tips!!

• Plan your own personal REWARD for the end of the day (i.e. Netflix, time to read a book, journaling, or just give yourself praise!)
• Support another mom by offering to swap duties, such as carpooling, taking turns facilitating a playdate so that each mom gets a break, or taking turns venting about the day lol. Be creative and everyone will benefit.
• Don’t try to imitate someone else’s routine. Develop your own routine that works for you and your family. As long as everyone is nurtured, fed, and healthy- then it’s all good.
• Ask for help. Although I do believe that every mom must possess superpowers with all that we do, we actually are not superhuman. We should ask for help and we DESERVE help.
• Be easy on yourself! No mom is perfect. No one. You’re not supposed to be perfect. You’re supposed to be mom. If it were easy, a man could do it 😂

Try these hacks and let me know how it goes! I truly have found that the simplicity of these tips, which focus on caring for YOU as a stay-at-home mom, is what makes these hacks effective!

Take Care!

~Val

God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day

Psalm 46:5