Fall is in the air and the kids are back to school. It's important to have a morning routine to ensure everyone gets out the door on time and with all that they need for the day. However, morning routines can be stressful if you're not careful to design them in a way that minimizes stress and anxiety. Here are four ideas for ways to de-stress your morning routine.

Lay out clothes the night before.

Scrambling to decide what to wear can leave you in a rush after you finally find the perfect outfit. You can take some stress out of your back to school morning routine by laying out your clothing the night before. Look up the weather and choose clothing accordingly, and if there's something you're not sure you like, try it on the night before so you're not left tossing clothing and digging through your closet for alternatives come morning.

Get up a little earlier.

It's never fun to pull yourself out of bed in the morning, whether you get up at 5:30 or 6:15 a.m. Setting your alarm clock just 10 to 15 minutes earlier will make your whole day less stressful, however. You won't be as rushed to pack up and get out the door, so you'll start your day feeling calmer and less rushed.

Have prepared breakfast options on hand.

It would be lovely if you had time to cook breakfast every morning, but vowing to do so will just make your routine more stressful. Instead, stock your kitchen with prepared breakfast options like cereal bars, fruit, and yogurt. This way, you can enjoy a healthy breakfast without having to spend your valuable time preparing it.

Set time goals throughout the routine.

Part of the stress of getting ready in the morning is always wondering if you're going to be ready in time. You can ease this stress by creating specific time goals. For instance, know that you have to have your bags packed by 7:15 and breakfast eaten by 7:30 in order to be ready to leave by 7:45. You can "check" yourself along the way to ensure you're meeting your goals rather than constantly worrying you may be falling behind.

With the extra time in your morning routine, take some time to teach your kids about going green. We offer tips in the article "How to Teach Children About Going Green."