Hi friend! Can you believe we’re already in March?! It feels like the first two months of the year went fast and here we are, about to head out for Spring Break in a couple of weeks!
If you’ve been here for long, you know I love to be productive and get things done, but I also like to be intentional about how I spend my time. I can get lost in the concept of “slow living” but I also know that, in my life, sometimes I have to hustle in the present so I can savor the down time in the future.
It’s the reason I like to wake up early, at least 30 minutes to an hour before the kids so I can have quiet alone time. I sit and enjoy the silence with my hot cup of coffee, a good book and my journal. I’ve been trying to meditate too, but I still haven’t been that consistent with it.
Then, once the kids are up, it’s a household in motion, three bodies working to get out the door to school on time. From there, I usually get a workout in, come home, shower, eat and start my workday.
Sometimes my mom helps by picking up the kids from school, sometimes it’s my turn and we also have sports practices after school. Of course, there’s homework and dinner and cleanup and getting some play time in there too.
By the time I get my young daughter into bed, I’m usually tired too and we lay down together. I will read or watch a video on my ipad until I fall asleep.
Many habits and routines carry me throughout my day and help me get most of the things accomplished that I need to do.
These habits and routines feel like they’re on autopilot most of the time since they tend to be so familiar. Wash, rinse, repeat.
If you read the book, Atomic Habits, you may recall these important notes: success is the product of daily habits and goals are about the results you want to achieve. Systems (routines) are about the processes that lead to those results.
My goals include raising my family, taking care of my health and fitness, supporting myself and my family through my work, keeping an organized and tidy home. But those goals only happen when I put daily, weekly and monthly routines in place.
I started jotting down all the routines and things that happen on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Here goes!
MY ROUTINES
MORNING ROUTINE
*morning routine video here
Hue lightbulbs turn on at 5:45 a.m.
Wake up and get out of bed
Take vitamins in the bathroom
Weigh myself (I’m currently on a fitness challenge)
Take Luke out
Make coffee in this cup that stays hot
Prepare water bottles
Sit on the couch
Meditate with Headspace app
Jordan usually wakes up and we have some snuggle time together
6:30 a.m., I wake up James
Get myself ready (wash face, brush hair & teeth, put on Vitamin C serum, moisturizer, and sunscreen, mascara, get dressed in workout clothes)
Make the bed
Tidy kitchen
Take kids to school
Exercise (video here)
GET READY ROUTINE
Shower – always start washing the left arm first. Is that weird or do you do something similar?
Dry off
Apply body lotion
*sometimes listen to a YouTube video while I get ready
Get dressed
EATING ROUTINE
I generally eat:
Before or after workout depending on what time I workout
Then at 12:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m.
Try not to eat anything after dinner, if hungry, have Greek yogurt with fruit
*I usually take Luke outside every time I go downstairs to eat
WORK ROUTINE
Clear off desk
Open Teux Deux app to see weekly tasks
Open daily paper planner and make edits
Chat with Rhonda about the day’s tasks – this could be a whole other post with routines for how I try on clothes, prepare Tuesday Goodies, Amazon Live, my content calendar, blog posts, collaborations, Instagram, Facebook posts, Pinterest,
For example, when I try on clothes for a dressing room post, here’s the routine:
DRESSING ROOM TRY ON ROUTINE
Make sure I’ve done my hair and makeup
Clothes are hung on rolling rack by retailer
Assemble head to toe outfit and accessories
Take one full body photo
Take a close up photo
Record video of outfit
Edit photos
Upload photos to blog
Write captions
EVENING ROUTINE
Family dinner together, without devices, if possible
Get outside with Jordan while she plays basketball
Always clean kitchen before bed
Nothing on the counters
Shine sink
Tidy living room
Fill water bottle for next day’s workout
Prepare any kid’s papers
Plan next day
BEFORE BED ROUTINE
Put on pajamas
Take out contacts
Brush teeth
Lay out next morning’s workout clothes
WEEKLY ROUTINES
I have certain things I calendar in my Teux Deux app to do every week, not necessarily on the same day
Clean front and back patios, wipe down walls/ceiling fans, railings, grill, table and chairs, sweep
Clear photos off phone (this app helps)
Wash bedsheets
Housekeeper once a week
Take out trash/recycling
Pull weeds or trim bushes
Declutter as I go, more of a daily thing
SUNDAY ROUTINE
Grocery delivery
Plan the week on paper
Wash laundry, fold, put away
MONTHLY ROUTINES
Budget
Month end blog review
Create blog content calendar for next month
Review calendar for dental/doctor visits/hair/nail appointments
DAILY
Special mama Jordan time – 15 minutes uninterrupted time without phones, her choice
James tuck in time – check in on James before bed, chat a bit
Family dinner – a goal, not always reality with sports and such
When I see all of these habits/routines laid out in one place it’s no wonder we often feel overworked and overwhelmed. There’s a lot of stuff to do to keep the home and family and work life going. Not to mention, trying to fit those workouts in!
That is precisely why I try to relax and nap on the weekends. We do have sports, but I try to get one afternoon weekend nap in when the house is quiet and everyone is chilling. That always feels so good!
I think what helps keep these routines up the most is my making sure we get enough sleep and planning the week out in advance every Sunday.
Do some of our routines look similar? I would love to hear what kind of routines you have in place and how they help you get through your days.
And a gentle reminder- I’ll be announcing a winner for my February Loves Giveaway tomorrow! Subscribe here to enter!
Have a fantastic day friend!