How to Create the Best Morning Routine for Stay at Home Mom Life

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If your mornings start with chaos rather than calm, you’re not alone. As a stay-at-home mom, the way your day starts can make or break the remainder of the day if you’re not mindful. That’s why building a consistent, life-giving morning routine for stay at home mom life is so powerful — and it all begins the night before.

Imagine starting your day with a peaceful heart, a hot cup of coffee, quality time with the Lord in the Word and in meaningful prayer, and a quiet moment to breathe before the little feet hit the floor. In this post, I’ll walk you through how to create the best morning routine as a sahm —one that’s practical, prayerful, and designed just for your season of motherhood.

Step 1: Prepare Your Morning Routine the Night Before

A successful morning routine as a stay at home mom begins long before the sun rises. These simple nightly habits set the stage for a smoother tomorrow:

• Quick tidy-up of the main living area and kitchen before bed. Waking up to a disaster of a living room or a nasty sink is not how you want to start your day — trust me.
• Set out clothes for yourself. As a stay at home mom, it can be difficult some days to even put real clothes on. Do yourself a favor and lay out your outfit the night before, so the decision is already made!
• Prep the coffee pot or tea mug before laying down for the night. We have ours set to start at 4:30am, so it’s ready and hot once we’re up for the day. (Side note: We really love our coffee maker because we have a small counter space and this one allows us to choose where the water tank goes and it also brews a single coffee pod or an entire pot, which we love!)
• Prep your children’s cups and breakfast the night before. I like to make a large batch of protein waffles every week that I can easily pull out of the freezer and slide into the toaster for once the children wake up. Another thing that makes mornings easier is having their milk and water cups already filled for morning before I go to bed. I love having one less thing to do first thing in the morning.
• Quick review tomorrow’s plan or write down 1–3 priorities that must be completed. This only take a couple minutes, but taking a moment to know what my biggest to do’s are for the day really helps set the tone for the morning as soon as I wake up. This helps me know if I’m able to have a slower morning or if I need to be more quick to move. I simply take a quick peek at my planner and I’m set.

💡 Encouragement: God calls us to live wisely and intentionally. A few minutes of preparation tonight makes tomorrow feel lighter and more focused.

Step 2: Choose a Wake-Up Time That Works for You

Creating a morning routine isn’t about waking up at 4:00 a.m. just because someone on social media does. It’s about finding a time that lets you rise before your kids—even if it’s just 30 minutes.

Personally, I wake up at 4:30 a.m. This isn’t for everyone, but my husband has to get up this early for work, so I get up with him because I’m half awake anyways once his alarm goes off. I find it much easier to get up when he does than if I waited an hour. Not to mention that my oldest is pretty early riser, so if I want to have this quality time in the Word and in prayer alone, I have to ensure I wake early.

Here are some tips that can help you create a solid sleep schedule.

• Aim for a realistic bedtime that provides you with enough sleep and stay consistent! I aim to go to sleep by 9:30 p.m. every night if not sooner.
• Place your alarm and phone away from your bed to avoid snoozing. Sometimes you have to make yourself get up. Do not let snooze be an option. Also, do not let your phone be the first thing you grab. It’s so easy to catch a case of the scrolls before you even leave the bed. Let’s not start our day this way!
• Know the value of waking up early — this precious quiet time and deep connection with God will always make us better mothers. We will never be perfect, but coming to our Lord every morning before the hustle and bustle begins makes a world of difference in our attitudes and spirits.
• Plan something to look forward to as part of your routine. This could be that hot, fresh (not reheated), sweet cup of coffee, an uninterrupted workout to get your endorphins up, or a passion project that you don’t have much time for throughout the day.
  

📖 “Very early in the morning… Jesus got up… and prayed.” — Mark 1:35

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

Mark 1:35 (NIV)

Jesus set the perfect example for us. Let’s follow His lead.

Need help creating a schedule?

If you are trying to find a rhythm that works well in this season, I have a very simple and practical approach that I’ve been using for years that you can download for free below. It’s adaptable for stay-at-home moms, working moms, or work at home moms. Trust me, I’ve done it all!

Step 3: Spend Time With God Before the Day Begins

The heart of any good morning routine for stay at home mom life is quality time with the Lord. It grounds your spirit before you serve others for the remainder of the day.

Try this simple rhythm:

• Your favorite coffee or tea in hand (that you prepped the night before).
• Read a passage from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament and/or a devotional.
• Pray — take your time here.
• Reflect or journal a takeaway from your time with the Lord.

🙌 Encouragement: This is not about checking a line item off our “To Do” list. This is about meeting with your Heavenly Father—first thing, before the demands of the day take over. It has made a significant difference in my mothering when I come to my Father first.

Step 4: Build in Time for Yourself

It’s OK for mothers to have hobbies and passions that keep us excited that do not revolve solely around our home, children, and spouse (as long as we don’t let extra those things become the main thing). We have all experienced SAHM burnout at some point or another. Before you pour into everyone else, take at least 10–15 minutes for you.

Options could include:

• Stretching, a light walk, or efficient workout
  
• Reading a book
  
• Journaling or blogging
  
• Simply enjoying the rare silence
  

☕️ This is your guilt-free moment. A soul at rest leads to a home at peace. If you are struggling with burnout, I have a more detailed post about SAHM burnout and how to fix it here!

Step 5: Transition Smoothly Into Mom Mode

When your kids wake up, you’re already centered—mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Greet them not in survival mode, but from a sweet place of peace.

💗 Encouragement: By prioritizing your morning, you’re modeling intentional living. Your children are watching—and learning what it means to start the day with grace and purpose.

Words of Encouragement: A Morning Routine for Stay at Home Mom Life Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated

The best morning routine for stay at home mom life is the one that works for you. It doesn’t need to be elaborate or Instagram-worthy. It just needs to be yours—rooted in your values, your rhythms, and your relationship with God. When the morning doesn’t go as planned (because some mornings will not), remember: God’s mercies are new every morning.

If you’ve been struggling with your routines and rhythms in this season, be sure to join the waitlist for my 5-day time management devotional that will be dropping soon ♥️

Pin This Morning Routine Post For Later

Don’t forget to pin this post for later and be sure to share with another close sahm friend who could use the encouragement ♥️