I looked at the time on my phone and my heart began to pound. We’d done it again. My oldest slept through his alarm and I knew I’d have to drive him to high school today…for the second time this school year.

There goes my morning!

Let me back up a bit.

We’ve lived in our first home since in 2011. It’s been thirteen years.

My oldest was 18 months old when we moved in. We chose our home not only because it had enough bedrooms for our family we imagined having someday, but also because of its location.

We all know the rule of real estate – location, location, location.

And we love our location. It’s close to everything we need, and it’s aligned with our wonderful schools – all four levels – from Pre-K to high school.

Because of our home’s location and proximity to schools, our kids take the bus every day.

Not everyone likes the bus, but for our family of six, with one that we still must hop in the car and drive to school, this service has been immensely helpful with simplifying our morning and afternoon logistics.

Honestly, it’s been a big, huge, giant blessing. I can’t overstate that.

So…going back to driving my 14-year-old to school this morning…

Now that we have a high schooler, our morning routine has changed this fall semester. And it’s safe to say, we are not accustomed to it quite yet.

I often find it quite helpful to know other moms’ morning routines, so I figured you may get some inspiration and helpful tips to make yours better if I share my own.

Here’s how our typical morning routine goes:

I wake up at 6:45am.

I may or may not hit the snooze once or twice.

Get up. Get child number two and three up.

I go downstairs, start the coffee, and get child two and three’s a snack and fill up their water bottles.

(They are responsible for getting dressed, eating a bite to eat if they want, brushing teeth, and putting any folders or homework in their backpacks.)

Child number two heads out the door to his bus stop at 7:20am.

I then take child number three and the dog, with my hot cup of coffee, down the street to his bus stop.

By the time I come back inside, the hubby and child number four are downstairs getting their morning going.

I (typically) head back upstairs to make sure child number one is getting up and ready for school. (This morning, I obvs forgot!)

I go back downstairs again, sit across the breakfast table from the hubby and we listen to a podcast together or chat about what we have going on that day. It’s the perfect time to connect with one another before heading to our separate offices for the workday.

Child number one (again, typically) gets himself ready, breakfast, etc. and heads out the door to his bus stop around 8:15am.

Then the hubs or I get child number four ready for pre-school. I pack his lunch, get myself dressed and ready, and depending on the day, I’ll drop him off and then head to my workout class.

Side note: I never feel like going to the gym, but I’m always glad when I do.

Either way, if it’s a day I go to my class or not, when I get back home, I grab a bite to eat, read my Bible study and journal for a bit. I usually set aside 30 minutes for this.

Then I pull out my daily goal planner, look at my day, review my goals, and dive into my work somewhere in the 10 o’clock hour.

There are many days though when I wake up an hour earlier and I’ll read my Bible, journal, and have prayer time before the kiddos wake up. Those are some of my favorite mornings because I don’t have to rush about anything. I can ease into my day.

Here’s something a little extra fun – I’ve also been using Christy Wright’s Start Your Day Planner – a tool to help you start your day out calm and confident and in control.

I had the amazing opportunity this year to help her design this journal and bring it to life! It’s been so fun to incorporate this tool into my morning routine. You can grab a copy for yourself here!

Your morning routine may look like mine or completely different. But no matter how you start your day, I believe it’s so important to simply have a morning routine.

I know, I know. You’ve probably heard loads of people talk about morning routines before. And if you’re anything like I was, you might’ve rolled your eyes and thought, I don’t have time for that or I’m not a morning person. Trust me, I didn’t think I was one either.

So if you don’t have a good morning routine, or you want to shake things up a bit and try something new, I want to share four reasons why it’s important to start your day out on the right foot.

1. A Fresh Start for Your Mind

We often wake up and dive straight into stress mode—checking emails, scrolling social media, or rushing to get ready. A morning routine allows you to reset and set the tone for the day before the chaos begins. You give your brain a chance to wake up with purpose, and it helps you feel like you’re in control—not the other way around.

2. Boost Your Productivity

You know that overwhelming feeling of tackling a mile-long to-do list? A morning routine helps you knock out the mental clutter before it takes over. By spending just a few minutes focusing on the top priorities of your day, you’ll feel clearer and more motivated to get things done. That sense of accomplishment before 9 AM? Priceless.

3. Time for Your Body

We all know we should move our bodies more, but fitting exercise into a packed schedule can feel impossible. A morning routine doesn’t have to mean a full workout, but even 5-10 minutes of stretching or yoga can wake up your muscles and improve your energy. Plus, it’s an easy way to sneak in some movement before the day gets crazy.

4. Consistency = Confidence

There’s something incredibly empowering about starting your day with intention—knowing you’ve carved out time for yourself. When you show up consistently for your morning routine, you build confidence. You’re starting your day from a place of calm instead of chaos. That confidence ripples out into the rest of your day, making it easier to tackle challenges and meet goals.

With simple actions you can take every day, you’ll experience transformation in your productivity, your health, and honestly, your entire mindset. And the best part? It’s something you can start tomorrow morning. No fancy gadgets, no expensive subscriptions. Just a little bit of intention.

And WOW, how a morning routine will change your life!!

So, tomorrow morning, I challenge you to set your alarm to wake up just 10 minutes earlier. Start small. Try starting with something simple—like journaling, stretching, or sipping on a cup of warm tea before you jump into your day.

Give it a week, and I promise you’ll start to feel a shift. You’ll feel more grounded, more productive, and (most importantly) more in control.

You’ve got this!

Did you find this post helpful? Tell me about your own morning routine! Post about it in the comments or tag me on IG.

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