If you are like most people, you wake up in what is referred to as a tizzy. You know what a tizzy is, right? It is that moment when you realize that the kid’s waffle syrup is in your hair, your phone is ringing off the hook, your kids are crying because school stinks and you are late for work? Yeah…that is a tizzy. With or without kids, we all have our morning challenges and they all seem like the end of the world sometimes. So, what can we do about them?

Here are five awesome tips to keep your morning routine running smoothly:

Do what you can the night before

Everyone says they do this, but do they really? Most people simply say it and never actually get around to actually doing it. The reason why is because it is so obvious. We don’t want to be the ones that are not doing it even if that is true. Make a list of all the things you normally find yourself doing in the morning routine. Make it super detailed and even include the things you think are too detailed. Then go down this list and check the things you can literally do the night before. Now do them every single night you can.

It also helps to have a morning list, I start a list the night before of all the things I need to do the next day, if I have 15 minutes or even 5 minutes to spare I can check something off the list!

Demand accountability

Kids, husbands and wives all are accountable to the family. If you are the one that runs the morning routines, you need to be the one to demand accountability. Every member of the family is responsible for their own tasks. Make sure they are clear tasks and expectations and then drill them into reality for a short time. You will get resistance, but if you stay on it they will come around. Your efforts will be in vain without the cooperation of your family.

Meal plan your breakfast

Meal planning is very popular for today’s modern families simply because it works. Plan out what you all love, buy the ingredients and set the schedule. Cooking becomes much easier when you know ahead of time what is being made and that you already have the supplies to do it. You also have the chance to vary your foods and stay healthy. Prepare anything you can in advance and stick to the plan.

We keep breakfast simple, but menu planning is still important it helps me when I’m shopping and helps the kids know what to expect each morning. I always take our schedule into account, I don’t plan on making eggs on a morning we have to be at School early.

Clean up that bathroom

Organizing your stuff in advance is a clear and easy way to save time on the morning routine. Don’t pretend that you have never ran around looking for your brush or your eye liner. Everyone finds themselves in this spot from time to time but it is much less common for those that are organized properly. Spend some time fixing up the areas of the house where you get ready and really get things in order. Have a specific spot for all the things you need every single day. Put the “sometimes” items somewhere else entirely and you will become much more efficient.

Have a family station

When you have more than two people going in different directions, each with their own agendas, it is easy to get things mixed up. To help with this, create a family station. This is a dry erase board with a calendar and plenty of notepads and pencils. Put important numbers there and emergency info. Most importantly, make it a habit to put any information, appointments, special instructions or requirements on that board. When you can see what to expect at a glance, it becomes much easier to deal with it. Knowing what is coming is a huge part of mastering the morning routine.

What tips and tricks can you share with us for speeding up your morning routine?