workout-routine (Photo credit: smartmindfuel)
How are your days and weeks going? Now that we’re finished with the month of Tishrei, we can settle into our new year. And that means finding a rhythm.
Time to review what you have. And routines are key to finding a groove and making your life work for you instead of chasing whatever crisis is happening. I’m much more productive and efficient when I’m working toward something instead of chasing after it.
Some basics of routines:
- Start with your big rocks. What’s most important? Once you get those things in, you can fit all the other little rocks and other pieces in around them, but if you don’t put them in first, you will have a hard time getting them in at all. So start with what is important to you.
- How does your day flow? You can get a realistic idea for your day by looking at what happens now. If you are not a morning person, it could be hard to wake up two hours before every else to daven and run, no matter how hard you wish for it. But maybe after you get the kids off to school, you could do something you want to do. Or you could budget time into your nights for that, or choose another part of the day that works for you. The key here is to organize your day around what will work for you without it being too much of a hassle. You’ll be much more likely to succeed!
- Prepare ahead of time when you can. For example, have your kids choose their outfits, locate shoes, pack their backpacks and lunches, and whatever else they can the night before. If you’re going out with a baby (or several!), restock the diaper bag as you go so it’s ready when you need it. Don’t wait until the last minute! Build these things into your routine to stay on top of things.
- Plan in some margin time. What’s margin time? It’s the extra time for when you spill on your top and need to change or someone’s shoes go missing. If you don’t count down time to the last minute, but leave a little extra, your routine will be smoother and you will be less stressed if (OK, when!) you fall behind.
- Start changes small and add to it as you go. It’s so tempting to take on a whole bunch of things and try to completely change up life. But that’s hard to sustain. Adding a little at a time until it gets to where you want is the way to go.
- Last, don’t let perfection hang you up! You won’t stick to your routine perfectly every day, or maybe even most days. That’s okay! Keep adjusting and working on it, and the bulk will get done.
Here are some of the components of my morning routine, which is modeled after Flylady’s:
Wake up!
- Straighten bed as soon as get out of it
- Get baby and get baby dressed
- Get dressed, pjs away
- Clean up the bathroom
- Fix hair and face.
- Swish the toilet and swipe the counter/mirror.
General Household Duties
- Turn front lights off
- Throw laundry in/bring up/to dryer
- Check dishwasher and empty as needed
Kitchen
- Vitamins for all
- Get breakfast made and served
- Check and refill water bottles on table
Think About the Day
- Check calendar
- To do list for the day, most important first
- Check menu and adjust as needed
- Thaw something for dinner or set up crockpot
- Hit the hotspots: (table, kitchen counter)
Flylady has morning and evening routines as well as weekly and monthly routines. I have them as well, and will put up as post about each of these bli neder.
Do you have a routine for you days (or a piece of it)?
