subject: Time Saving Tips That Help Reduce Morning Chaos [print this page] Getting up each morning to get ready for school or work can be a very stressful experience for all members of the family. Just having to wake up from a sound sleep can be a traumatic event in itself, not to mention having to get oneself up to face the challenges of the day. To cut down on the morning chaos, this article offers four tips that you may find useful for reducing stress in your own morning routines.
1. Do as much as you can the night before. Lay out clothes, prepare lunches, pass out lunch money, write absence notes, make sure completed homework is in backpacks, etc. Set the breakfast table the night before as well. Put out any non-refrigerated items such as jam, bread, pastries, and cereal to be ready for breakfast in the morning. This will be one less thing you will have to do in the morning.
2. Allow time to tidy up. Make sure everyone gets up a few minutes early to allow time for making up beds and tidying up the kitchen before leaving home in the morning. Doing these things before you leave makes coming home in the afternoon a more pleasant experience, especially after a hard day at work or school.
3. Set up a staging area or way station. Set up a bookcase near the front or back door (whichever one is used when departing from home). Assign a shelf to each person in the household for which they can assemble what they need to take with them, such as lunch, homework, backpacks, gym clothes, and so forth. When it is time to leave in the morning, each person can pick up their belongings quickly without having to search for things they need to take. When they come home in the afternoon, they can drop off their stuff there so it is all together in one place.
4. Keep a petty cash money bowl for small change. This is handy for anyone needing a little extra cash for the day. Trying to dig up a little loose change at the last minute can make a calm environment stressful in an instant. Being stressed out right before you leave home is not the best way to start the day.
In conclusion, we've seen how it's possible to reduce the morning chaos and stress by preparing the night before, allowing a little extra time to tidy up in the morning, setting up a staging area, and keeping a little extra money on hand for small change. Beginning the day with less stress and commotion will help start us off on the right foot for having a great day at work and at school.
