Time Saving Tips for a Hectic Morning

Whether you’ve got a ton of stuff looming on the to-do list for the day or a meeting with the bigwigs at work, you don’t have time to be late. We love the hearts of our sweet little babes, but no one knows better than them when it comes to throwing a wrench into a perfectly planned morning!

You think you’re going to get up and shower, dress yourself, wake your precious child, dress them, peacefully feed them, put them straight into the car seat and head out. However, it probably goes something like this:

"I don’t want to sit on the potty." "I need my dinosaur." "I pooped. Change me." "No, let me do it myself!" (Just one of these is enough...add another and...it’s all over, then comes the crying.)

Here are some tips to head off these inevitable time suckers before they suck you in:

Lay out clothes the night before. Not just yours, but the baby’s too. A handy trick is to pick two outfits for you both, that way you have a back-up already available if you change your mind and your toddler gets a choice in what they wear.

Don’t dry your hair immediately upon exiting the shower. Instead, wrap it in a towel while you do your make-up. Spritz with leave-in conditioner and brush it out before you get dressed. Then blow-dry. This should take half the time. Or, why not skip the shower altogether, throw that mane into a tightly braided topknot and call it a day?

Use dual purpose make-up. No need to apply toner, moisturiser, concealer, foundation...and then all the rest. Skip the toner, use tinted moisturiser and spot fix with concealer. Dust with a little powder, pinch those cheeks and toss on some tinted lip gloss. If you must, swipe your lashes with some mascara. Less really is more.

Don’t skip breakfast, just eat it on the run. There are plenty of great grab-and-go snacks available to both you and your baby. Additionally, if you plan to eat lunch on the run or at the office, pack that the night before too. Include a balanced morning snack (protein and carbs), a balanced lunch (protein, carbs and veggies) and an afternoon snack (protein only) to help you stay full and satisfied throughout the day. Carry a reusable, filtered water bottle so you can stay hydrated (you should be drinking half your weight in fluid ounces each day).

Keep your nappy bag stocked and stored in the car. Nappies, wipes, extra outfit or two. That way, you don’t have to worry about packing it and looking for it every time you leave the house. Pull it out on Saturday mornings and reload.

Keep your handbag and items you must have to leave the house in the same place every day. You’d be surprised at how much time you can save when you aren’t looking for your keys (only to find they’ve fallen into a boot in your wardrobe) or searching for your bag in the guest room.

Use the TV or don’t. Some mornings it’s easier to let my kid watch “Ba Ba Boo” (Puffin Rock) while I’m scrambling around getting ready to walk out the door. Other times, it’s a domestic war to get him to leave the house once it’s on. You know your child, so choose wisely...and remember what works today probably won’t work tomorrow.

Hopefully using some of the above tips will keep you from getting behind the day even starts. Do you have any specific foolproof, mom-tested, time-saving tips to share? Please do!