This may sound very boring, but routines are my new “thing”! I’ve shunned routines in the past as being too rigid and not very helpful. Well, it was me making them too rigid thus they weren’t helpful.
Routines are like seasons. Sure, on the calendar it says summer starts June 20th. When does it really start? It depends on where you are. When we lived in Georgia by June 20th, we were all ready well into 6 weeks of summer-like weather usually. When we lived in Utah, I would say summer started on that day. In Ohio, we’re still trying to figure it out (but that’s probably the day we were finally able to swim in our pool - long story!). Seasons have an ebb and flow. There’s a “goal” - warm weather, sunny days - but that “goal” doesn’t really start on a certain day. Routines are the same way. I currently have two morning routines and two evening routines (and then the weekend routines are still in limbo as I work on them).
Another aspect of routines is they can be overwhelming. Starting a full morning routine might be too much. I have recently implemented elements of The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod (no affiliations [at this time]) into my early morning routine. I’m not 100% up to speed, but I’m getting there. I also use Flylady.net to help me figure out my routines.
The routine I started out with about six weeks ago was water consumption. I needed to make sure I was getting the water I needed (according to the formula of your body weight/2). For me, that’s A LOT of water. So I reversed engineered how to get that much water in my system by 11pm. To help you visualize this, I’ll give you my routine:
a bottle of water before breakfast
water/liquid at breakfast
a bottle of water once I get to work (before noon)
seltzer water for lunch (I’m addicted)
a bottle of water in the afternoon
more seltzer water at dinner
and if I’m really vigilant (my new habit [another post for another time] I’m forming), I have herbal tea with my evening scripture study. This has to be done by 10pm (no more liquid an hour before bedtime - per Fed and Fit). I’m still trying to get this habit in place on the weekends as I don’t have the exact same markers.
The point I’m trying to make is I didn’t establish the entire routine all at once. In fact, Flylady breaks the evening (Before Bed) routine down simply (though she gets much more elaborate in her post) to the very basics. “Shine your sink, lay out clothes for tomorrow, and brush teeth.”
What do you absolutely have to get done each day? Where does it fit in your day? Morning? Afternoon? Evening? Once a day? Once a week? Once a month? Again, don’t get overwhelmed (though you could write them down - FOR REFERENCE). Just pick one element that you want to include in your routine and begin working on it. I chose water, moved onto laying out my clothes for the next day, then meal planning/grocery shopping. Establishing these very narrow routines has bred more efficiency. I’m able to conquer adding two elements (or more!) at a time.
Remember, I’m a work-from-home empty nester and it’s a lot easier for me to change my life up than a stay-at-home mom with littles or middles. That’s why I’m recommending to add just one element at a time to establish a routine. (It might help to put reminders up on your mirror, refrigerator, window in front of the kitchen sink…)
The reward? This morning, after doing my early morning routine, I actually had 10 minutes show up. Don’t know how, but it did. And my 2nd morning routine, I had another 10 minutes show up. Again, I don’t know how, but I had “extra” minutes. (I’m still trying to learn how to use those “extra” minutes...another story.) When I first figured out my evening routine, I discovered about 1.5 hours of time I didn’t have before. REMEMBER: I’ve been working on this routine routine (yes, the double is necessary) for about 2 months now and I’m still not quite where I want to be. It’s a work-in-progress.
Do I always have this extra time? NO! I have a husband and I have other responsibilities that sometimes take my “extra” time - that’s what I mean by “ebb and flow”. Sometimes, the “extra” time gets eaten up because the routine blew up, i.e. dinner didn’t go as planned or you get a call for help from a friend or your husband decides he needs to tell you about the important sporting event that just happened. The established routine means you all ready have the “essentials” done and you can handle the blown up dinner or enjoy helping your friend or listening to your husband without worrying.
Will you identify one element of your life you would like to make routine and decide where it goes in your life? Please let me know what it is.
