Mondays are one of the most hated days of the week – and it’s not just working mums who feel this way, I can tell you! I can think of a few people who start to get grumpy come midday Sunday because they know that Monday is not far off.
It just doesn’t seem fair that the relaxed weekend schedule now has to come to an end, replaced by the military operation of getting ready for work, and getting the kids ready for school and back, then dinner, storytime or homework…it’s exhausting just thinking about it. And start the week off on the wrong foot, and the rest of the week seems to suffer – isn’t it strange how being late on Monday morning can mean you’ll be late for another couple of days that week?
Thankfully, there are ways to combat this – here are some tips to get through stressful Monday mornings:
Step 1. Preparation is key
It’s not that we don’t know we need to get things prepared for the busy week – or that it will make our lives so much easier, is it? So why don’t we do it? And keep doing it? Motivation, lack of time? Who knows, but here is what we should do:
1. If need be, pack your child’s lunch the night before.
2. Give your child a bath the night before.
3. Do your washing and ironing during the weekend so that all clothes are hung and ready to go in the mornings
4. Prepare at least 5 outfits for each member of the family over the weekend and have your husband and children assist you in the process.
Step 2: Time management
Yes – that dirty phrase again!
1. Set your alarm clock 10-15 minutes earlier to allow yourself more time in the morning.
2. If need be, go to bed 10-15 minutes earlier to make up for the time difference.
3. Wake up before your kids to get ready – for one thing, you won’t have to fight for the bathroom or the mirror, and you’ll have more time to et yourself in a manner appropriate for the general public!
Step 3: Keep breakfast simple, but healthy
If you feel that you just don’t have the time for breakfast, try keeping bananas (and other easy to eat fruit that the family likes) and vitamin fortified cereal bars handy and ready to grab and go.
1. Obviously, these are not suitable for younger children who need their breakfast, so make sure you lay everythig out that doesn’t need to be refridgerated the night before so all you have to do is pour on the milk and eat.
2. For kids that like porridge in the morning, make it the night before, put it in a plastic container and just warm in the microwave the next morning.
Step 4: Set a routine for you and stick with it
Our bodies crave routine and the more you train yourself and the rest of the family to get into a routine of doing things, the less hard work it will seem for everyone.
Sticking with a schedule will make it easier to effectively manage that Monday morning balancing act.
1. Go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning.
2. Get the kids used to a routine of doing things in the morning – wake up, brush your teeth…right up to stepping out of the car into school
3. Pack all school bags the night before – get younger children to do te same so they start taking responsibility for things.
Step 5:Divide your morning into phases
For example:
phase 1: eat breakfast
phase 2: get dressed, etc.
1. Set the phases in 15-30 minute time increments (phasing increments can vary, depending on how much time you give yourself).
2. Don’t try to accomplish everything at once – it will only lead to chaos and confusion.
3. Help your family stay within the proper phase and ask them to also help out when they have finished – e.g. get older children to help younger siblings get ready when they have finished.
4. Encourage your family to stick to the morning phases to keep things running smoothly.
The key to achieving any balance, especially that Monday morning balance, is being prepared. Try a more organised approach to your Monday mornings and you will find that they turn out to be a lot smoother and less stressful for everyone.
