If you’re anything like me, mornings are not your thing. I start most of my mornings, not by the sound of my alarm clock or the sight of the early morning sun peering through my window, but a fast-talking four year old who is waiting for breakfast, a groggy-eyed three year old waiting for her show, and a sweet little baby needing a diaper change. My day starts three steps behind. It’s overwhelming and I start my day with one goal in mind: when can I go to bed.

As I continue to find my routines and rhythms as a young mom, I decided I had to make a change. For one, I don’t want to keep surviving. I hate feeling that my day is already crushing me before my feet hit the cold, hardwood floor. Secondly, I realized it set me up to fall into the temptation of not stewarding my time well. Motherhood, homemaking, being a wife; these are sacred callings that give us the opportunity to reflect the image of God and to create a haven where people can seek refuge. I was hardly doing a good job doom scrolling Instagram, trying to wake up

Reset Your Home The Night Before

I know, I know. It’s been a long day, you just want to get the kids to bed so you can try and let go and relax. The last thing on your mind is more housework. However, creating a pocket of time to reset your home after putting your kids to bed can do wonders to get your morning started on the right foot. Put on your favorite podcast or maybe an audiobook you’ve been putting off and start resetting your home, one room at a time. Break it up into little, manageable tasks. Do the dishes, wipe the counters, pick up the toys. The goal is to create an environment that is relaxing to come into the next morning.

Wake Up Before The Kids

Waking up even twenty minutes early can give you enough of a buffer to get yourself starting on the right foot. I am still learning how to do this. It can be very difficult, as well, if you have young kids like I do who come running out of their rooms as soon as they wake. I am finding that it has been helpful to use a child’s training clock for my older two. This way, I am able to predict when they will be coming out of their room and I can try and plan accordingly.

Get Dressed For The Day

I cannot stress this enough. Get out of the pajamas! There is a reason we are encouraged to “dress for the job we want”. The clothes we wear can do wonders for our mindset. I have found on days that I stay in my pajamas or lounge clothes, I tend to do just that, lounge. Get dressed, feel proud of what your wearing and encourage your kids to do the same.

Don’t Pick Up Your Phone

When we start our day reading emails or scrolling social media, our mind is no longer waking up slowly. Our minds are being bombarded with information and dopamine rushes which can result in irritability or brain fog. If our goal as mothers and homemakers is to glorify God in the works of our hands, starting our days without a phone can be a game changer. Try to charge your phone in another room. Use a physical alarm clock. Place your bible beside your bed. Even if you don’t have the mental capacity to read when you get up, just seeing God’s word when you first wake up may be enough to remind you of your mission.

Prioritize God

I really should have put this on the top of my list because it is so, so important. You can’t serve your children or your husband well without first filling your heart and mind with the things of God. As I said above, you may not be ready to dig into God’s Word as soon as you open your eyes. This in no way means that you don’t need to be intentional seekers of God. Slow down and spend a few moments reading a psalm or maybe engage in a Bible reading plan. I would try and avoid devotions that are more narrative than Bible reading. Although these can have there places and can serve to be encouraging, you don’t need the thought of a well-intentioned writer. You need God’s Word. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t feel like you have enough time or space to really dig deep. Start small, God sees you fighting to seek Him and He delights in it. He will bless your obedience.

These are just some of the ways that I can start my morning off on the right foot. My mornings may still look messy or hectic. It will still be greeted with meltdowns, diaper changes, milky counter, and requests being spit out a mile a minute, but by taking time to get yourself ready for the day, you can begin meeting the demands of your day head on, with intention. Stop surviving and start thriving, all while being held, in His grace.