Morning Routines To Survive Holiday Chaos

The Working Mom’s Guide

Mornings during the holidays? Let’s be honest…

You’re pouring coffee, signing a field trip form, defrosting dinner, and shouting “Shoes!” across the house all before your first 9 a.m. meeting.

Sound familiar?

For working moms, the last two months of the year don’t just bring cheer and togetherness. They also deliver unpredictable school schedules, endless events, late-night Amazon orders, and “fun” family traditions that somehow fall entirely on your shoulders.

If you feel like your morning routine completely breaks down in November and December… it’s not just you.

But here’s the good news: you don’t need to wake up earlier or download another productivity app to fix it. You just need a realistic routine one that works with your life right now, not against it.

Let’s talk about how to make that happen.

Why Your Morning Routine Isn’t Working Right Now (and That’s Okay)

You may have nailed a decent rhythm earlier this year, but holiday season mornings come with a whole different level of chaos.

Here’s why your old routine may be falling apart:

• ❄️ Sleep schedules are off. Kids stay up later, events run long, and everyone’s internal clock is confused.

• 🎁 More “invisible” to-dos. Gifts, school events, bake sales, PTO emails, teacher gifts it all adds up.

• 🧠 Mental load overload. You’re not just managing tasks, you’re managing emotions, expectations, and energy.

So if your mornings feel like a marathon before your first sip of coffee? You’re not failing your current system just isn’t built for this season.

Let’s build one that is.

3 Simple Rules for Holiday-Proofing Your Morning Routine

When life gets busier, routines should get simpler. These three rules will help your mornings feel more peaceful without needing to overhaul your life.

1. Prioritize calm over productivity

Start your day with a 3-minute anchor that helps you feel grounded. That could be:

• Making your bed before anyone’s awake

• Sitting in silence with your coffee

• Doing a 1-minute brain dump

• Repeating a calming mantra while brushing your teeth

Why it works: You set the tone of your day before diving into tasks. That matters way more than knocking out 6 things before 6 a.m.

2. Simplify the “get out the door” routine

Reduce morning decision fatigue by prepping the night before:

• Lay out clothes (yes, yours too)

• Pack backpacks + lunches

• Put keys, chargers, water bottles in one grab-and-go zone

Pro tip: If it takes longer than 2 minutes in the morning, try doing it the night before. Your future self will thank you.

3. Add buffer time and ditch the guilt

Build in 5–10 extra minutes between waking up and walking out the door even if it means shifting your start time slightly.

Because here’s the truth: Life isn’t a Pinterest board. You will forget things. Kids will lose a shoe. Buffer time turns chaos into calm.

The Framework I Teach My Clients (Holiday Edition)

When I coach working moms through their time management, we always start with this core framework and it works especially well during the holiday rush.

⚡ INTENTION:

What feeling do you want to create each morning? Peaceful? Energized? Steady? Write it down. Everything else stems from that.

🧠 ENVIRONMENT:

Is your physical or digital space making mornings harder?

Quick wins:

• Clear the kitchen counter

• Unsubscribe from junk emails

• Leave your laptop out + charged

Small tweaks = big relief.

🎯 EXECUTION:

What are the 1–2 non-negotiables you’ll do each morning no matter what? Think: pack lunches + 5-minute tidy-up, or walk the dog + eat breakfast yourself.

Forget 10-step miracle mornings. Build your routine around what matters.

Remember: Consistency > Perfection

You’re not failing if your morning doesn’t go according to plan. In fact, if your plan only works when everything goes right… it’s not a sustainable routine.

What you need is something flexible. Forgiving. Built for your life with client meetings, cranky toddlers, and midweek recitals in the mix.

Start small. Choose one thing from this list to try tomorrow. That’s it.

Want a Step-by-Step System for Building Your Morning Routine?

✨ Grab my FREE Master Your Morning Routine Workshop it’s specifically designed for working moms with full lives and full calendars.

💬 And if you sign up before Black Friday, you’ll get access to an exclusive live Q&A call with me in December. That means real-time support as you create your morning routine for 2026.

Quick Recap: Morning Routine Tips That Work During the Holidays

✅ Anchor your mornings with intention
✅ Simplify the night before
✅ Add buffer time (and self-compassion)
✅ Choose 1–2 non-negotiables
✅ Focus on consistency, not perfection

You don’t need to “win” your morning to win the day. You just need a plan that helps you feel a little more calm, a little more steady and a lot more like yourself.