Organize and Simplify

Routines

Routines can help you organize and simplify. You can choose a simple routine and use the 28-day method to make it a habit.

Here’s an example of a routine:

• Get up in the morning and make the bed when your feet hit the floor.
  
  
• Gather a load of laundry and bring it to the washing machine;
  
  
• Help the children get dressed and ready for school;
  
  
• Unload the dishwasher, and prepare breakfast;
  
  
• Put the dishes away and clean the kitchen before taking the kids to school.

A simple routine can easily cut in half the time you spend on tasks. And that leaves you feeling efficient and energized.

Are evenings stressful because you never quite know what you’re going to make for dinner?

A routine can help.

· Pick one day a week to plan your menu and grocery list;

· Take time to plan what you’ll have for dinner for about six of the seven nights of the upcoming week, assuming you may eat out or eat leftovers at least one night;

· Make out your grocery list. There’s an array of printable and interactive grocery lists available on the internet. Find the perfect list for you by typing “printable grocery lists” into a search engine.

Go grocery shopping the next day. A list and a plan will save you time, money and stress. It may also help you and your family eat more nutritiously. (See Childhood Obesity for guidelines for healthy eating [later].)

Simple routines like these can make the difference between spending your time wondering when you’ll have time for dishes or laundry to having a comfortable feeling of having your home under control.

“But I’m not a routine person,” you may object. “I like spontaneity!”

Happily, there are always spontaneous and unexpected occurrences with children. A few routines probably won’t disrupt your spontaneity. In fact, they can afford you more time to do things on the spur of the moment.

Routines can help perfectionists, too, by allowing them to choose ahead of time what’s important to get done and what can wait. You may find routines allow things to fall into place, resulting in more time to connect with your children.