ADHD Morning Routines: How to Create Chaos-Free(ish) School Days
- Allison Converse
- Jan 1
- 3 min read
If mornings feel like chaos and you're constantly searching for socks, papers, or your sanity... you're not alone. ADHD mornings come with extra noise, pressure, and last-minute scrambles. But a few intentional shifts can make the start of your day feel smoother and lighter.
In this episode of The Gentle Reset, I’m sharing simple, ADHD-friendly tips to make school mornings feel calmer and less chaotic. From prepping the night before to creating clear routines, these strategies are designed to support your ADHD brain (and your kids’) during the busiest time of day.
Why Chaos-Free(ish) Mornings Matter
Let’s be honest: mornings with ADHD (and ADHD kids) are rarely quiet or chaos free. There’s noise, resistance, mess and a whole lot of repetition. But it doesn’t have to feel so frantic every single day. When you build just a little rhythm into your morning, everything shifts.
Start With You (Even Just 30 Minutes)
Most mornings in my house aren’t calm. My kids take forever to get moving, forget to brush teeth, or protest school altogether.
But I noticed a big difference when I started getting up just 30 minutes before them... not to “do more” but to find a moment of calm for myself.
That might look like:
Eating breakfast alone
Drinking coffee in peace
Sitting quietly (no pressure to journal, workout, or “optimize” anything)
When I skip that time, I’m instantly in reaction mode. But when I give myself that small window, I can handle the chaos with more calm.
Create a Drop Zone That Actually Works
If the mind hack is about preparing you, the home hack is about preparing your space.
Our drop zone is the anchor of our morning routine. Everything has a home:
Backpacks get emptied and hung up the day before
Shoes go in their bin
Socks and laundry have their own bins by the door
It didn’t start this organized. I’ve added small tweaks over time... like a sock bin. Start simple, then adjust. The best systems are the ones you tweak over time, not the ones you nail on day one. That’s what makes the system stick.
Bonus: My kids use checklists for mornings and evenings. It saves my voice and keeps us on track. Timers help too (so I’m not the human clock).
A Client Win: The Command Center Shift
One client came to me overwhelmed when her son started kindergarten. No system, lost papers, total chaos. We created a simple command center in her home with all things school related in one place- a calendar, weekly schedule, and hooks for lunch boxes.
Her feedback?
“It’s been a game changer. Even my son loves seeing the whole month planned out!”
You don’t need to organize your entire house. One small setup like a drop zone or command center can shift everything.
And if you want 1:1 support creating your Drop Zone- check out my Drop Zone Reset. Doors are currently closed, but you can join the waitlist to get early access when it reopens
Key Takeaways
🧠 Prep you first - even 30 quiet minutes helps
📦 A drop zone cuts down on clutter + last-minute chaos
🗓️ A command center keeps school life visible and less stressful
Let’s Stay Connected
🌐 Visit the Website – Explore 1:1 support and ADHD-friendly tools
📸 Follow on Instagram – ADHD tips, strategies, and behind-the-scenes life
💌 Get the Free Back-to-School Checklist – A one-page checklist sent straight to your inbox
Next Read?
If you’re working on creating calmer mornings and more flow at home, you’ll love How to Get Your Family Involved in Decluttering Without Pressure. It’s packed with ADHD-friendly tips to make home feel more manageable... together.
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