Most mothers are stressed and tired by the end of the day. There are many reasons for this. The most apparent, of course, is that they seem to always engage in activities that leave them frustrated. There is always a mad rush in the morning as everyone prepares for the day. In the evening it is the same story, as everyone winds down. The key to helping moms stay in control, relaxed, and happy: they need to be in control of their routine.

Raising children and managing a life is not easy. Both jobs require time and energy. Sometimes it feels like there isn’t enough to go around. The keyword is time, or rather, time management. To make the most of what you have, it is important to go ahead and plan what you want to achieve every day, every week, every month. Focus your energy towards the important activities.

Let’s consider a typical situation: the morning routine. If you have school aged kids, it can be extremely difficult to get everyone out the door on time. It’s not uncommon for kids to forget their homework in the mad rush, and often it’s mom who’s called upon to make the extra trip to and from to retrieve the forgotten item. Prioritize the most important activities of your morning. These are the one that will give you and your family enough time to get organized and those that allow you to get some time together. Don’t underestimate either the importance of having time for yourself, to do one or two things that help you feel good.

Instead of letting mornings be a rush, break down everything you need to do into manageable bites. Yes, it sounds really obvious, but most people do not do it! Give everyone enough time to get ready. Develop a routine for yourself and your kids that makes it easy for everyone to get ready. Your kids need time to wake up, wash, get dressed, find their homework; by establishing a routine they can follow, you make all these processes that much easier and take the pressure off you.

First of all, if you encourage your kids to pick out their clothes before they go to bed, there’s likely to be less of a rush in the morning if, say, you’re son can’t find a clean pair of socks. You can take care of that crisis well before there’s a problem. Similarly, if you encourage your children to put their homework in their school bag and have their school bag in a specific place, say, by the door, every single night, you again establish a positive routine that will save you from being stressed and rushed in the morning.

Now about feeling good. If you’re a typical mom, you love spending time with your kids. Time management can help you make the most of family time as well, and ultimately, it is a great way to help you stay happy and upbeat in the mornings. To promote family time, organize to have breakfast together. If you have everyone’s routine established, you can make sure everyone makes it to the breakfast table at the same time.

Time management can be contagious. When you and your children realize how you effectively you can use your time, you’ll develop a habit of organizing more and more areas of your life. Check out more tips like this for free by signing up for my free 7 day Mommy Time Management E-Course.