Our lives are made up of dozens of little habits that we repeat day after day.
Routines that work are ones that fit your family’s life. Our lives are different so what I do each week might not work so well for you. Also, what I did each day when my kids were little is VERY different that what I do daily today. Different seasons of life require solutions for different challenges and situations.
However, habits and routines can make our lives run more smoothly.
How I remember what chores and tasks to do each day
Knowing how to do something and remembering to do something are two very different things.
I have struggled to keep plants alive in the past. I can grow pretty much anything outside because most of the time I don’t need to water those plants.
Indoor plants are NOT as easy. But since I adopted a new way of remembering to water I have had MUCH better success.
Forgetting tasks doesn’t happen as much when I have a little clue for myself each day.
Silly little reminders
Monday is MENU making day. It is also laundry day because I am usually home all day. I also try to pre-MAKE some of my go-to meals on Monday’s. This saves my sanity on those other crazy busy days when there is NO time for cooking.
Tuesday is my TOWN day. I get groceries on Tuesday from our weekly menu that I made on Monday. Love how that works out. These little routines keep me from going to the store without knowing what I need to buy.
Wednesday is usually hubby’s day off because he works Saturdays so I try not to plan much because the day can be unpredictable. We do our school and I WATER my plants.
Get it Watering Wednesday? I love FINALLY have a system to not kill my plants.
Thursday is open to whatever chores or projects I need to do. Usually grading and working on the budget. I haven’t come up with a good word for today. Suggestions?
Friday is FINISH IT day. We finish our school and get started on the weekend. We also clean house so that our weekend is freer. Then if we have company show up, at the least the bathrooms are clean and I don’t have to wonder what my friends think when they see my dirty house. But that’s a whole other battle I fight.
We are also out of town a bunch on Saturday's so it is awesome to come home to a clean house!
Saturday is a SLEEP in lazy morning (unless we are out of town). Projects happen in the afternoon if hubby hasn’t had a too crazy of a work morning. Or we play games and hang out together. Often the kids have social events in the evening which can mean a late night for me so sleeping in is a luxury on Saturday and Sunday morning.
Sunday is our SLOW down day of rest. Often we sleep in a bit and then go to church as a family. I try to do slow cooker meals or leftovers so I’m not cooking much. Mom deserves a rest from chores too! By Sunday afternoon, I’m thinking of the week ahead. Making some muffins ahead or preparing egg cups for breakfasts is a routine I try to do each week. It doesn’t always work but I know mornings go better when I do this task ahead of time.
Other ways to have a simple routine & build habits
I recently ran across this post about how to simplify your schedule & I’m intrigued by the short list(free printable) of just 3-4 things. Of course there are other items that we must accomplish each day beyond watering the plants or going to town so this method of focusing on the essential MUST do items is a great idea. It keeps things from slipping through the cracks and would force me to prioritize.
Do you need a flexible weekly check list to help you remember your chores? List your chores & divide them by the days of the week.
It can be as simple as writing them on a few sticky notes. Then place the notes inside a cabinet door. Need to rearrange your days?
Easy peasy. Move the notes.
There are countless ways to organized your days. Remember what works for me might not be good for you. Keep searching and trying things until you find what works for YOUR family!
I love learning about other ideas on how to implement habits and routines in my life. I keep tweeking things and improving or changing them as our situation changes. In fact there's a whole board on Day to Day's Pinterest account for Organizing Life.
What do you use in your life to keep organized and get it all done? Please share!
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