Some people brag about 4 am wake-up calls and 2000 calorie burn sessions at the gym before heading into 45-minute meditation sessions. It feels like it’s a badge of honour to have such a rigorous morning routine and it almost seems like, if you’re not waking up at 4 am, you’re missing out on something. Or worse, you’re wasting your life!

Realistically your morning routine is not about squeezing every minute out of the day or creating Instagram-worthy meditation sessions, but it is about being productive, in the most efficient way possible. After all, the more time you can save on the mundane tasks, the more time there is for a squeeze with the kids and a well-earned rest.

Make your coffee work for you

It goes without saying that most of us are useless without our morning coffee, here we welcome our friends over at Hey you. They connect customers with local businesses through their nifty app, so that you can order ahead and pay through your mobile. This not only allows you to save time and beat the queue, it also ensures there’s no miscommunication around your order…win win!

Bring the gym to your lounge room

Gone of the days where you needed to spend hours slogging it in the gym, now all you need is consistent hard and fast workouts, all of which can be done in the comfort of your own home. The Tammy Fit app allows you to do just this. For less than $1 a day, users can have access to a variety of workouts, from body weight at home to accessories and cables in the gym. The Tammy Fit program can be customised to suit each individual’s preferences and goals.

With various programs available and community at the core, Tammy Fit brings social accountability which has been proven to drive and motivate users. It also includes delicious nutritionist-crafted meal plans, plus routines which users can share with others.

Meditate whilst on the trot

Whether you’re walking the dog, or getting from a to b, try tuning into Mindful Moments by Luke Mcleod, this brings you quick exercises to get you into ‘the moment’. This could be a breathing exercises, a guided narrative to help you to explore your environment, engaging with your senses to connect with the here and now or some positive affirmations to shift your mental state. Small moments like these can make a big difference to the quality of our lives.

A final word from expert mama and Founder of MumSafe, Jen Dugard…

As someone who has identified with being a ‘busy-mum’ in the past I have become well-versed in squeezing everything out of my morning using some of the following strategies:

Getting up early to exercise and getting home before my children wake up, getting up early to grab an extra hour at my computer before they get up, packing lunches in the evening before bedtime, freezing sandwiches and teaching them how to make their own lunch as soon as they were old enough.  Bulk ironing or not ironing at all! And so many others BUT what I have to say has been the biggest game-changer of all is giving myself the permission to slow down and NOT do all of the things! 

In fact to not, ever, anymore, strive to be busy.  If I am feeling ‘busy’ and that something has to change I stop squeezing all of the moments, I re-assess my priorities and I ask for help.  I have a full life and I love it but I am no longer busy.  I hope this gives you permission to do the same.