Sanity-saving strategies for when your a.m. implodes.

Stay chill. When the kids bicker over who has more OJ or you burn breakfast while checking your BlackBerry, don’t panic—pause. Step outside and breathe in the crisp fall air to stay calm.

Delegate. Is your to-do list full at 7:30 a.m.? Call in reinforcements: Assign scheduling the plumber’s visit to your spouse, and have your sitter come a few minutes early to wrangle the kids before school drop-off. Sip some green tea before cranking up for work.

Keep it real. You’d like your children to eat a balanced breakfast daily, but sometimes a banana muffin will have to do. Nix the guilt and applaud your best working-mother efforts. Chuckle at the craziness and vow to do it better tomorrow.

Source: Susan Bartell, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and author of The Top 50 Questions Kids Ask