Fall is a stressful time for me. I know some of you out there get overwhelmed by summer, but for me, fall means back-to-school shopping, daily routines and getting everyone up and out of the house on time. I have one daughter who would prefer if school started somewhere around noon, another who is a total fashion diva and needs to go through several outfits every morning and a son who is already bigger than me. We live in a tiny house. Tiny. And there are a lot of us. I’ll just go ahead and say it. Mornings suck.
I’m not a morning person, so getting up earlier isn’t a viable option. Instead, I’ve found a few things I can do that actually take some of the hustle and bustle out of our morning routine. Sure, there are the usuals like have the kids pick out their clothes the night before and pack lunches before bed so they’re ready to go in the morning, but what about the things you need to do for you?
First, pare down your beauty routine. If you’re spending more than 20 minutes on hair and makeup, you’re making your life so much harder than it needs to be. Get a system in place. Find styles that work for you. I’m able to do a full face of makeup and my vintage hair style in that time, not because I’m super talented, but because I’m lazy and needed styles that looked great with little effort. Save the dramatic smoky eye and fancy up-do for special occasions and stick to something classic, clean and quick.
Next, respect yourself and your needs. Do you have clean clothes? Is there enough coffee? Are your favorite shampoo and conditioner well stocked in the shower? These are the little things we often let slide when making sure we’ve gotten everything done for everyone else. The last thing you need is to be standing in the shower wondering if anyone can tell you’ve used the dog shampoo. Consider setting up some of your favorite and most used products on Set & Save at Vitacost and make your life that much easier.
Finally, consider whether or not you’re prone to stress and anxiety. For years I was an absolutely stress case every time I had to corral the kids and get them out the door to go anywhere. It made me unhappy, it made the kids scared that mom was going to yell at them, and it took the joy out of every outing we took. With a little time and a lot of learning, I was able to approach things with a calmer outlook, slow down, and be helpful instead of harangue.
Morning routines can be a whole lot of crazy, but with a little forethought and a lot of self-love, they can become a great start to a new day and a better way of life.
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