11 steps to a getting more done by 8am

I recall the days I used to dread waking up in the morning feeling as though I was behind before I even got started, but then I decided to make my mornings more productive and by doing this all of a sudden my whole day became more productive and I no longer dreaded getting out of bed. Today I am sharing my 11 tips on what you can do before 8am to be well on your way to a more productive day!

This is the order that I do it in because it works for me, but you can do any order that works for you!

Wake up at 6:00am

1. Tidy up the living Room on the way to the laundry room.

This should be easy if you follow our  Key to the Perfectly Tidy Open Concept Home and our before bed routine to save you the next day! (Those posts coming soon! Look for them then!)

2. Start a load of laundry.

There is always laundry to be done in our house. I start it first thing in the morning to get it done before my day gets busy. Usually by 8am I have a load washed, dried, and folded, and subsequent loads in the machines.

3. Pour a glass of water and start drinking it.

How can your body run without fuel? Start your morning off right by drinking water!

4. Exercise

Each morning I dedicate at least 30 minutes to exercising! I know you might feel like you don’t have time, but with exercise you will never look back and wish you didn’t do it, so get out the door and get moving!

5. Start Making Lunches

I make all my kids lunches and my husband’s lunch. It is easy! I will give you my ideas how to make super easy lunches another time! I pack them and put them next to their backpacks because I don’t want the clutter on the counter!

Wake up #2 at 6:30am

Finish making lunches and start making breakfast

6. Meditate/ Read Something Spiritual

Spend some me time reading and studying what you believe in! I usually spend 10-15 minutes reading while #2 eats breakfast and brushes his teeth. If our 2 year old makes an appearance before this happens I don’t stop reading! She will climb in my lap and read her own book while I finish up. This doesn’t always happen, but she has gotten used to this is mommy’s reading time!

Wake up #1 at 6:55am

7. Make beds

Yes, I make my kids beds during the week. I would rather them get more sleep and be happier. I can make them in just a couple of minutes so to me it is no big deal. Yes, I could wait until they get home, but then I have to look at unmade beds all day when I pass by their rooms, No thank you!

8. Empty dishwasher

This will make more sense when you read our before bed routine to save you the next day post, but I do unload the dishwasher in the morning so I can load dishes all day to keep a clean sink and kitchen.

9. Wipe down table and kitchen counters

After everyone has eaten breakfast and lunches are made I wipe down the kitchen and the table. This will make you feel like a million bucks, trust me!

10. Make a To Do List

Without my to do list I am lost. I am way more productive when I write down what I need to do that day and at the end of the day it feels awesome to look at everything you were able to accomplish. This helps you to save time because you won’t ever wander around thinking about what you should do next!

11. Shower

I used to wait to shower until later in the day, but I felt blah and didn’t feel motivated. A shower in the morning starts your day off right to feel like you can conquer the day!

With these 11 steps to a more productive morning, you will have a more productive day and look forward to waking up in the morning!

Do you have a morning routine that you follow? What does that entail?