My 5 Tips for a Successful Morning Routine as a Toddler Mom

Written By McKenzie Monday

I love my morning routine. It’s never perfect (or even predictable, honestly), but having a solid routine helps set me up for success and makes the day ahead feel more manageable. Over the years, I’ve fine-tuned the details depending on what season of life I’m in. And lately, I feel like I’ve really hit my stride. Of course, life happens, and my routine doesn’t unfold perfectly every day, but I’ve realized that even sticking to a few core principles makes my day go smoother and leaves me feeling better both mentally and physically.

Since I’m a morning person, I love learning about other people’s morning routines—their habits, tricks, and go-to strategies—so I can experiment and see what works for me. With that in mind, I wanted to share my top five tips for a successful morning routine to hopefully inspire you to get a better start to your mornings and boost your productivity throughout the day.

Prepare the Night Before

You’ve heard it a million times, but let’s be real—preparation really is the secret to success, especially when it comes to mornings. I never just wake up and have a flawless morning (especially not as a mom of two toddlers with a demanding job). But I’ve found that setting myself up the night before makes all the difference. Once I get into a solid groove, the prep becomes quick and easy, but it’s still essential.

Here’s what my evening prep typically looks like: 

  • Packing the kids’ lunches 

  • Prepping breakfast—milk poured, vitamins set out, etc. 

  • Writing a physical note for anything I need to remember (because I will forget Show & Tell Fridays if I don’t) 

  • Prepping my coffee—caffeine is non-negotiable 

  • Laying out my workout clothes 

  • Setting my alarm—because let’s be honest, waking up early is a conscious choice every night

Wake Up Before the Kids

I don’t wake up at the same time every day—it just depends on what’s going on. If I have to be at the office or my husband is traveling, my workout is the first thing on my agenda. If my husband is taking the kids to daycare, I can squeeze in a little extra sleep (which I desperately need some days).

Even though my routine flexes to fit my life, one thing stays the same: I always try to wake up before my kids. If I hit snooze and let my toddlers be the ones to wake me, I’m already starting the day behind. As any mom knows, kids wake up needing everything, and suddenly my morning begins with me pouring into them before I’ve even had time to brush my teeth.

But when I wake up before them, I get to start my day by taking care of myself—even if it’s just brushing my teeth and making coffee. Having those few minutes to focus on myself makes me a much better mom when I need to show up for them.

Get Your Movement in Early

Before kids, I loved an afternoon workout—it helped push me into a productive second half of the day. But now? There’s just no way. Once the day gets going, it moves at full speed, and there’s never a natural pause when squeezing in a workout makes sense. Plus, when things do slow down, I just want to wrap up my work and get to my kids ASAP.

So now, my workout happens before my workday starts. This is the key to my sanity and health, and honestly, it’s the biggest non-negotiable in my morning routine. I mix up my workouts between running, cycling, and weightlifting, and the length depends on my schedule, but even if I get just 30 minutes in, I call it a win.

After my workout, I grab some BCAA for recovery (this one is my favorite!) and transition into a little self-care.

Prioritize Self-Care ( AKA My Skincare Routine)

Going back to the theme of filling myself up before pouring out to others—self-care is an essential part of my morning routine. Before jumping into a busy day, I make sure I shower, put on an outfit that makes me feel good (even if I’m working from home), do my skincare routine, style my hair, and add some jewelry for the finishing touch.

When I feel put together, I show up better for my work and everything else on my plate. If you love learning about skincare routines like I do, here are my go-to essentials:

Five-Minute Game Plan

The final piece of my morning routine is setting up my priorities before diving into work. I’ve found that once work starts, it’s hard to slow down, and without a plan, my entire day can slip away before I even realize it.

So before opening my laptop or checking emails, I take five minutes to create my own plan for the day. I usually do this while eating breakfast, and it helps me stay focused on what’s most important—both in work and in life.

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I hope you found something helpful in these tips! As I mentioned, my routine evolves based on the season of life I’m in, so I’ll be sure to share new tricks as things change. In the meantime, I encourage you to pick a few key elements for your mornings to set yourself up for success. Seize the day! XXX, McKenzie







McKenzie Monday
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