Big thank you to Mom It Forward Blogger Network and IKEA for partnering with me to share solutions for morning madness – #first59
I’m a firm believer that the quality of your day doesn’t depend on outside forces or experiences – it’s all about your attitude and choosing to be happy :) But getting your day off to a good start, during that first hour in the morning, can help make having a good attitude much easier! We’ve all felt the stress that comes with a disorganized morning… Can’t find your keys or the kids’ shoes. Someone reminds you last minute about a game or teacher conference you forgot about. There’s nothing for breakfast, or you forgot to pack lunches. There’s yelling, nagging, grumpiness, and everyone starts their day stressed out. Which is NO good, right?
That’s why I’m working with IKEA on a new campaign called “First :59,” which is all about sharing ideas, and is focused on helping people make the most out of the first hour of their day. So many people don’t have a good morning routine, so IKEA is here to share some fun ways to help you maximize those first 59 minutes of your morning. They – {and ME!} – want to help you get out the door faster, spend more time with the kids, enjoy an extra cup of coffee, and have everyone start the day with a big ol’ smile on their face, ready to tackle whatever the day brings.
In my house, our biggest problem centers around communication, organization, and scheduling. Here’s a peek into my crazy life….{See this? This is my never-finished “Command Center.” Where I had planned to keep things organized. Yes, that calendar is from APRIL. And the other calendar is only up because that’s a picture of me a few years ago when I was hot. Pre-Mom days. I keep it to remind people… Lol.}
Notice a few things on this calendar… Month started out with kids on spring break. Then I go to speak at Go Blog Social, in Kansas City. Come home, have two days, then head to Disney Social Media Moms at Disneyland. A week at home – speaking at our local college, then an Easter Egg hunt party for 50+. A few more days later I left again – to SNAP, in Salt Lake City. Come home for what? Yep, 3 days, then left to speak at Mom 2.0 in Atlanta. My schedule isn’t always this crazy, but it often is. Which is why we need MAJOR help with staying on top of things.
Everyone I know seems to think it’s sooooo easy for me, because I work from home. But it’s so not. My Mister recently went back to work full time, after being my business partner and toddler-wrangler the past few years. After work, he runs a vinyl cutting side business… And it’s also racing season. I have my nephews here most mornings before school, and have to get them to the bus. Then they’re here most days after school too – It’s hard to know which days, what times, and what activities they have. The Mister works weekends at the local race track, plus has his own racing schedule too. The nephews have sports games that I want to attend. My mom lives with me part time, and I have to keep track of her mail that comes, and her “to-do’s” she gives us. Plus, you know, my business, taking care of a 4 year old all day, housework, bills, yard work, and every once in a while…. A shower. Or like, putting on makeup. *Sigh* Motherhood is so glamorous…. You can imagine how crazy it all is, I’m sure. Because you’re mornings are similar, I’m willing to bet.
I have stats to back up that bet… To identify people’s biggest morning challenges, IKEA conducted a recent survey of Americans about their morning routines. Some of the biggies they found out included:
- 72% of survey respondents said that a stressful morning affected the rest of their day.
- 3 in 4 people do not have a regular weekday morning routine.
- 88% of respondents eat breakfast during the week and 71% of them agree that eating breakfast is important for energy and completing tasks throughout the day.
- 49% of adults over 35 that get stressed in the morning identified getting kids prepared for the day causes the most stress.
- Millennials {age 18-34} reported feeling the most stress in the mornings, with stress declining with age.
So – long story short…. I’m in the process of creating a new “Command Center” using some of the super smartly affordable products from IKEA, to help organize our mornings, and life in general.
Here are a few of the things we’ll be adding to my Command Center that I’ll finally finish – a white board for the kid’s chores, and family notes. A magazine rack to hold mom’s mail and the kid’s schedules that I need to know about {for school and sports events,} and another paper sorter for things that need to be signed or sent to one of their parents. I can’t wait to get this all set up – and finally have life organized a little bit better! So, stay tuned until next week when I show off the “big reveal” of how I’ve totally revamped our organization, and made daily life WAY simpler. Because that first 59 minutes in the morning truly sets the tone for the rest of your day – so I want to make it great!
For more inspiration and ideas, check out these awesome resources:
- IKEA #First59 Pinterest board.
- Share your own challenges and solutions on social media using the #First59 hashtag!
- Learn more tips on the First59.com site.
- And follow IKEA on Twitter and Facebook.
{Photo credit for first photo, to Dennis Yang, via Flickr, Creative Commons.}
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