Practical Things Mums Should Do Every Single Day to Get Motivated!

Sometimes I’m tired before I even get out of bed in the morning.

I swear to myself (usually F*ck it all….), and dread the day ahead…..

I don’t think I’m alone in feeling that way!  Getting motivated every day is tough when sometimes a Mum’s life is so monotonous! But I have a few tips for you on how to get ready for the day – and it will make you feel much better, more motivated, get shit done and perhaps not feel quite so tired at the end of the day! Here are Practical Things Mums Should Do Every Single Day to Get Motivated!

Set your Alarm – But Give Yourself an Extra 10 Minutes

So you need to get up at say 6 am to allow enough time to make the kids breakfast, make lunches etc.  Okay – that’s good.  When the alarm goes off in the morning, allow yourself that extra 10 minutes to lay there, think about the day and prepare yourself mentally.  Don’t go back to sleep!!!  But being a bit decadent will help you set a good mindset for the day.  Mums need to be kinder to themselves, and doing this first thing in the morning is being kind! Plus not only that – now you are 10 minutes behind – so you have to work harder and faster to catch up – and think of that as a part of your daily workout!

Write Your To-Do List for the Day

Keeping a calendar is so important – even if you just print a free one off Microsoft – and stick it on your fridge.  Use your phone to to remind you about appointments etc.  Keep a list of all the things you need to get done, and put them in order.  When you know what you are doing, not only do you feel more in control of the day, but you achieve so much more than if you had no guidance at all.

Also keep a list for things to get done that week – and month.  Long term goals (ie Christmas shopping) – is a great way to plan for big events and by spreading all that ‘work’ into the preparation over a few months, you will be less stressed and more mentally and financially prepared.

I really like this list from Scattered Squirrel….

Get Up, Shower and Dress Right Away

A hot shower can be almost as good as a strong coffee!  But before coffee time, have a nice hot shower.  Again this is about being kind to yourself…  A shower is a great way to get your butt moving in the morning, and feeling fresh and clean makes for a good start.  Dress in something comfortable, but practical.  Dressing for the day is good for the mind.  Don’t stay in your pj’s all day – or you will just want to crawl back into bed.  Put thought into your daily outfit – what will you be doing today?  You don’t need to ‘dress up’ – but wear an appropriate and comfortable outfit that allows you to chase the children, but still looks nice if you have to meet people outside the house or go shopping.

HINT:  If you have a young baby that has the odd spew, wear a white shirt.  It hides any spit-up marks!

Coffee Coffee Coffee – and Breakfast

Get that coffee into you woman.  And don’t forget to have a nice healthy breakfast to start the day.  Keep breakfast simple, cereal is great as it is super fast, healthy and relatively easy to tidy up.  Save the hot cooked breakfasts for the weekends.  It’s a good idea to sit down and eat with the kids and talk about how they are going to cooperate with you today (well we can try can’t we??).  Set out what time you have to be out of the house, and give them simple instructions on what they need to do.  If you have breakfast at the same time, it gets that out of the way!

Motivating Hint:  Put on some fast music the whole family loves- this is a great way to get them moving and motivated!!!!  

Manage Morning Madness

Depending on how old your children are, if are old enough (8 plus) – get them into the habit of emptying the dishwasher or collecting any dishes in the kitchen.  Littler kids can do a ‘pick up’ of anything lying around the lounge room and kitchen.  Don’t worry about tidying bedrooms at this time of day, but if you can leave the house with the main living areas looking somewhat decent, it is a great achievement.

Remember, no screens or tv in the morning UNTIL the kids are all ready to go with everything done!  This could be a good incentive for them to move!

I like to lay out my kids clothing for the day the night before, so they can eat breakfast, and get dressed right away.  Next thing is school or daycare lunches.  Again, if you are prepared, you can freeze a lot of school lunches – especially poppa’s, muffins and sandwiches!  Of course, if you aren’t keen on that – get cracking on that.

See if you can train your children to lay out their lunch boxes as soon as they get home from school (mind you, mine are in Year 3 and I’m still working on that….) – that way you can put them through the dishwasher at night.  Lunch boxes can get really nasty smelling if you leave them.

Yell Out:  “Teeth, Shoes, Bags” – until they do it!

Next Page: Even More Hints On Getting Your Shit Together!