3 Questions You Should Ask Yourself About Your Morning Teacher Routine

The time between your alarm going off in the morning and the first bell can set the tone for the rest of your day. Being a teacher means you rise early and have less time to fit in a productive and healthy morning routine.

Routine is KEY to keeping ourselves and our family sane during the hectic morning hours. Ask yourself these three questions to see how you can make things calmer and maybe even squeeze in a little self-care before you head off to school.

What is working?

We often forget to think about the things that are going well in our routines and instead focus on the stress of the things that aren’t going well. Make a list of what is going well for you and your family in the morning. Some examples may include:

My spouse preps breakfast at night so it is ready in the morning.

The kids sleep until I’m ready for work and then I wake them up.

I walk my dog the minute I wake up, instead of waiting until the last minute.

The kids get a sticker on their sticker chart if everyone is waiting by the door when it is time to leave.

What isn’t working?

Now make a list of what is NOT working in your home. Think about yourself and anyone else you are responsible for in your household. Examples may include:

My spouse sleeps in and doesn’t help.

The kids wake up early and I have no time to myself.

I sleep in later each day as the week goes on.

We can never find our shoes.

I forget to feed the dog.

What needs a system?

I’ve never been a person who loves routines - as a matter of fact, I have always found them boring and repetitive. However, over time, I’ve realized that routines help me to anticipate bumps in the road and they reassure me that every person in my home feels secure and prepared for the day ahead.

If you’re a parent or live with a spouse or partner, your routines allow the members of your household to know what to expect from you and understand your expectations of them each morning.

Take a look at the list of the things that are working and not working.

Do you have a system or routine in place? If something's not working, try to put a routine or system around it. You naturally do this in your classroom, so find a way to build systems in your home that incorporates the entire family.

Take Time for Yourself

Don’t forget to make sure you are taking time for your own self-care as you plan out your morning! Taking care of yourself allows you to be at your best for your students and your family. This may start with you examining your evening routine first (check out Nicole Morris's tips for a great end-of-day routine).

Teacher self-care begins at home - not in the classroom. Take the time now to make sure you are setting up routines that set you up for success inside and outside of the classroom.