Morning Routine for Mompreneurs 2019

Morning Routine for Mompreneurs

As the kids go back to school, it’s time to establish a new morning routine.

Top executives and highly successful entrepreneurs have something in common – they do certain things in the morning to set themselves up for success. While it may seem easy to just copy the morning routine of a successful person – it often ends in failure.

You need to create a morning routine that aligns with your goals, motivation, business, personal life, etc. Copying someone else’s routine does not mean that it will necessarily work for you. When we honor our values, we thrive mentally, emotionally and physically.

Should You Wake Up Early?

Some experts urge entrepreneurs to wake up earlier – before your kids get up. This allows you some quiet time before the hustle and bustle of the day begins.

Many mom entrepreneurs ask me if they should wake up early. For some people, getting up at 5am works really well.

But for others, it doesn’t.

You need to know yourself and work with your body.

Often the entrepreneur that is promoting an early morning wake up is not responsible for the care of their children.

Sleep Matters

There is a sleep deficit epidemic in the United States.

35% of adults report not getting enough sleep (7 hours) * and over “70 million report having sleep disorders.”**

Lack of sleep contributes to:

Trouble making decisions or solving problems
Lack of focus
Increased risk of heart disease
Decreased immunity and Trouble fighting infections
Depression
Obesity
many others…

Know whether or not you need to have a certain number of hours of sleep in order to function at your highest level.

Mompreneur Phases of Life

mom with young children morning If you have younger children as a mompreneur, you’re more likely to have kids who go to bed earlier – but may wake up in the middle of the night – or wake up quite early. Interrupted sleep for moms leads to a host of health and wellness issues. Trying to get up early can exacerbate these problems.

If your kids go to bed early and you actually go to bed early – waking up before your kids may work.

With older kids, their school work and activities push them to stay up later – and you as well. And they often have to get up quite early as well. This situation leads to a sleep deficit for both your child and you. If you then try to wake up even earlier – this can cause problems listed previously.

Test it

Waking up early works for many mompreneurs. But it’s unrealistic to think that it works for every person.

If you’re thinking of trying it – give it a couple of weeks (usually around 21 days for a new habit).

But if it doesn’t work for you – don’t beat yourself up.

I see too many moms who are upset with themselves because they didn’t get up one morning, or didn’t get much done.

Give yourself some grace.

There may be days when an early schedule may not work. Go back to your routine the next day. Or perhaps this isn’t the right time to try a new early morning routine. Maybe in a couple of months it will work. The key is to be flexible and listen to yourself.

Remember the goal is not only to get more work done, but to be the best

Business owner
Parent
partner/spouse
Friend
sister/brother
Neighbor

How to Create a Morning Routine for Mompreneurs

morning Creating a morning routine can set you up for success for the day. I think that everyone is different and therefore their morning routine will be different. Some people only need (or may only have) 15 minutes. Others take a long time to prepare for the day, but there is a lot of evidence that shows that having this habit is the key to being productive and happy.

Let’s start first with creating a simple routine. You can always add or change it, but it’s best to start somewhere.

Morning Routine Considerations

First, I want you to think of the goal of your morning routine. How do you want to feel? What do you want to do?

Second, incorporate your values into your morning routine. Maybe it’s health, or mindset. Think about what means the most to you – and start your day with a small win.

Third, think about things that boost your mood, or make you happy. Each person is different – so make sure to truly turn inwards and find what means the most to you (not somebody else).

Morning Routine Options

Here are some things that have been shown to create a positive day.

positive affirmations – instead of saying “I’m not a morning person” or “I don’t want to get up” – instead say “Today is going to be a great day” It’s amazing how this little switch can make you feel differently!
journaling – -There are many ways to journal. You can clear your mind by writing down everything,or write positive affirmations, or write what you’re grateful for. Do what works for you.
read a book – preferably a business or mindset book
meditation – even if you’ve never meditated, there are a variety of apps to help you. Remember to give it some time as you might not feel comfortable at first
deep breathing – there are different methods to practice
yoga, stretching, walking, running, etc. – getting some blood pumping in the morning can “wake” you p
drinking water – staying hydrated is important to your health (as well as brain health).

As you can see, nowhere is there checking your emails or social media. Instead it’s all about creating a positive start to your day – both mind and body.

If you have trouble coming up with ideas, try thinking of what you DON’T want. I don’t want to press snooze or I don’t want to have a negative attitude. Once you understand what you don’t want, you may get inspiration for what you do want.

Sample Morning Routine

Here’s my sample morning routine:

I wake up, grab my journal and for 15 minutes I write. I don’t even get up – as I find that I’m more likely to be distracted if I get out of bed.
Then I get up and put on exercise clothes. I get my kids ready and take them to school.
When I return, I go for a walk.
I then come back, take a shower and get myself ready. Having done something for my mind and body – I”m ready to work.
Because I use a time block schedule, I know exactly what I’m doing as soon as I sit down at my desk. Whatever day or time it is – I get right to work.

Since I have started this routine, I find that I start my day in a positive mood, more able to deal with the hiccups of the day, and more productive. Remember – this routine is mine. I’ve tweaked over time. And often it changes depending on the time of year, season, children’s activities etc. Make sure to create one that feels good for you.

I always encourage people to start small. Do one thing for a couple of weeks. Then you can always add on.

Morning Routine Evaluation

A new routine takes a while to become a new habit. If you have a bad day, don’t give up. morning routine

Try again the next day.

Consistency is the key to any routine. Add your morning routine to your time block schedule! (If it’s not in your schedule, it won’t happen – as Marie Forleo says.)

After a couple of weeks, evaluate:

How you feel each day.
What’s working well and what’s not.
Then make any adjustments or tweaks.

Once you have tried one item in your routine – perhaps add another. Test the next one for a couple of weeks. Then perhaps add something more.

Start Your Morning Routine Today

it’s important to understand yourself to ensure that any routine is in alignment with your health, with your family, and with your business. As moms, we often put ourselves last. By creating a morning routine, we’re actually putting ourselves first. We have a little time for ourselves so that we can be the type of mom, business owner, partner or friend that we desire.

Let’s set ourselves up for success each morning!

Footnotes
*https://www.sleepadvisor.org/sleep-statistics/
**https://www.forbes.com/sites/neilhowe/2017/08/18/america-the-sleep-deprived/#4bdc1a2d1a38