We’ve all stood there—oatmeal dust on our shirts, school shoes missing, and that sinking feeling that productivity hacks failed us. But what if the real secret wasn’t in an app? What if it’s been in our kitchens all along? Mise en place—the chef’s mantra of ‘everything in its place’—isn’t just for restaurants. It’s the quiet shift that turns daily chaos into moments where kids actually want to help. And trust me, you don’t need to be a chef to make it work.
Mise en Place Isn’t Fancy—It’s Your Secret Calm
Let’s be real: when we hear ‘mise en place,’ we picture Michelin-starred chefs calmly dicing shallots. But it’s simpler than that. It just means having what you need ready before the storm hits. Think about your morning rush—lunch boxes, permission slips, the missing left shoe. Now imagine laying out backpacks and clothes the night before. Not perfectly folded, just… there.
That’s mise en place in action. When everything’s where it should be, you’re not scrambling. You’re breathing. And suddenly? You catch that tiny voice asking, ‘Mom, why’s the sky blue?’—not because you stopped working, but because you stopped frantically searching for bandaids under the couch. One mom told me: ‘I tried this last Tuesday. The lunches got packed faster, but the real win? My kid handed me a spoon without being asked.’ That smooth rhythm—no interruptions, no panic—changes everything.
The 60-Second Pause That Saves Your Sanity
Here’s what no one tells you: mise en place starts with stopping. Not when things are calm—when they’re exploding. That moment your preschooler turns laundry into a fort? Instead of snapping, try a 60-second reset. Stand at the counter, take one breath, and ask: ‘Where do I need things to be for the next hour?’
Maybe it’s prepping snacks in containers. Maybe it’s leaving the laundry basket right by the hamper so folding becomes a game. It’s not about perfection—it’s about removing that mental search mid-chaos. Like chefs who never hunt for salt mid-sauté, you’re setting yourself up to actually see your kid’s smile when they ‘help’ stir pancake batter. We’ve all overlooked it: the better the setup, the more present you become. And honestly? That tiny pause where you notice their mismatched socks? That’s where connection lives.
When ‘Let’s Figure It Out Together’ Beats ‘Hold My Coffee’
Kids ask ‘why’ constantly—not to annoy us, but because they’re curious explorers. Mise en place turns those moments from interruptions into invitations. Next time they wonder why clouds float, try: ‘I don’t know—let’s see if the library has a book!’
That’s mise en place for curiosity: having resources ready (a bookmarked science site, a rain jacket by the door) so you can pivot from ‘not now’ to ‘let’s go!’. One mom shared how she leaves a ‘wonder jar’ by the sink—slips of paper with simple experiments like ‘melt ice on windowsill’. When her son asked about rain, they pulled one out. They’re not just answering questions; they’re building a habit of exploring together. And that’s the real productivity win: by removing the ‘I’ll look it up later’ barrier, you create space for those ‘aha’ moments to just… happen.
As one wise parent put it:
Kids remember how we made them feel, not how spotless the counters were.
Good Enough Beats Perfect Every Single Time
Here’s what mise en place taught me: a ‘set’ space isn’t about neatness—it’s about readiness. That means leaving one dish in the sink so you can sit and draw with your toddler. Or keeping mismatched socks in the basket because finding pairs matters less than hearing about their day.
I tried this last week. Left the laundry half-folded, sat on the floor to build a block tower. My son whispered, ‘You’re not rushing.’ In that moment, I realized: kids remember how we made them feel, not how spotless the counters were. Mise en place isn’t about sterile efficiency—it’s freeing up mental space to be fully here. When we stop chasing perfect, we find the real treasure: those quiet giggles during sock sorting, the ‘I did it!’ when they help set the table. Those moments stick. Not the crumbs on the floor.
Your Turn: Mise en Place for Monday Morning
Start small. Tonight, pick one chaotic moment—packing lunches, bedtime battles, morning shoe hunts. Ask: ‘What could I prep in 5 minutes so I’m not scrambling?’ Maybe it’s filling water bottles before bed. Maybe it’s letting kids choose pajamas early.
I’m no chef, but bringing mise en place home transformed how I work. One mom told me: ‘I lay out breakfast supplies now. When the toast burns, we laugh instead of yell.’ That’s the shift: from surviving chores to sharing them. Because when everything’s in its place, you’re not just getting things done—you’re present for the little hands passing you spoons. And that? That’s the kind of productivity we all need.
Source: Partnering with generative AI in the finance function, Technology Review, 2025/09/11 13:00:00