I LOVE routine, and thrive off of it. However, I also am pretty good at embracing the “go with the flow” vibe too. I mean, life is unpredictable, so I don’t want my happiness and well-being to rely solely on a perfect routine, because that isn’t reality. I’m hoping this post provides you with inspiration to make a routine out of your “not so routine” days. If it doesn’t happen every day, go easy on yourself. This will at least give you my road map for the unpredictable days ahead.
6:30 – 7:00 – Wake up, brush teeth and head downstairs. This is when I make coffee and feed my dogs. It takes about 25 minutes to do it all (I know! There’s a lot of petting, kissing and giving medicine to my old girl), so there’s enough time to pray, read a devotional and catch the first 15 minutes of the TODAY show with my coffee! Honestly, the older I get I LIVE for these moments. The days I choose to sleep in and miss them, a part of me always feels off. (But sometimes the extra sleep is totally worth it too!)
7:30 – 8:30 – Get breakfast ready for the girls. I fast, so I try to make this time an opportunity to make beds and start a load of laundry.
8:30 – 9:30 – Girls wake up. They enjoy the slow pace of these new days, so we have a leisurely breakfast and cartoon hour. This is the time I usually catch up on the phone with my girlfriends and check emails.
9:30 – 11:00 – Around this time – normally more towards 10am, I set Presley up with her take home assignment’s, and Lottie up with ABC mouse or some “playroom time.” This usually includes me setting the stage for imaginary play, and sneaking off to do some writing and blog work. This would also be a great time if you don’t have kids to workout (mid-morning TV is GREAT for working out) or taking on a house project. Clean out your linen closet, clean bathrooms, mop floors… OR learn a new task. I hope to be able to French Braid hair after this mandatory vacation is over.
11:30 – 12:00 – This is when I prep lunch for the girls and/or myself. If it’s pretty outside, send your kids out! If you don’t have kids yet, prep your lunch to music, eat at 12:00 and move on (I lived this way for many years too). Sometimes I would eat on the porch. If the weather wasn’t great, I would turn on a recorded show and enjoy watching it. I learned how to cook while eating my lunch alone. I loved watching Everyday Italian with Giada De Laurentiis.
12:00 – 12:30- Lunch
12:30 – 1:45 – Quiet time. I send each girl to their own room (sometimes they will doze off), and I decide what this time looks like for me. If I haven’t exercised, I will do it then. If I am tired, I’ll actively rest with a magazine. It’s also a great time to plan for the blog schedule. If I have a burst of energy I’ll tackle a second project – mostly what I’m embroidering for the week. This actually happens often!
2:00-4:00 – After resting your body or taking on a project, a new energy can be found. This is when we go outside, or if I’m by myself, I start wrapping up laundry and tidying up for the day (always better with music). Sometimes, if I’m feeling frisky, I make a k-cup of half-calf around this time. David is still going to work, not staying home, so I’m usually prepping dinner during this time – which keeps us on a semi-normal schedule.
5:00 – 10:00 – Daddy is HOME! Or maybe you’re wrapping up your work day from home. Wind down, pour a glass of wine and take a deep breath. We try to eat around 6:00, so there’s plenty of time for the girls to play or watch a show before their bedtime. We’ve enjoyed catching a show once our kids are down – and our recent picks are The Morning Show and Tiger King. Tell me in comments your Netflix recommendations these days! We’re always looking for the next thing to binge, and there’s plenty of time for that now! I like being in bed before 10 during the week. I find I sleep so much better if I fall asleep after reading a magazine, or book. I plug my phone in and lay it upside down and far away from me on the nightstand! I have a digital clock to tell me the time. I also take magnesium and turmeric before bed, which helps to settle me into sleep.
With these unpredictable days, take advantage of the mornings you don’t have to be up at the crack of dawn and SHOW UP for someone. If Lottie wakes me up this week, I’m okay with it… but after last week, striving for a routine is my goal. If we don’t meet these marks every day, I’ll give myself grace. Hopefully this inspires you to open up the daily portion of your planner and think about the hours of your day, even within the walls of your home! It’s a fantastic opportunity to be productive, but also a time to go easy on yourself. With so many hours, don’t feel the pressure to make every moment COUNT. If you need to sit down, Netflix and chill… now is certainly the time 😉
