Coming Up With A New Routine

Our life has changed so much this year, especially in the last two months.  Now, as we prepare to open the doors of our new business, I need to develop a new routine for navigating through my days.  My work hours are different, thankfully daycare is now out of the picture, our commute is practically nil – only 5 minutes!, and I am now my own boss.  Could things be any different? 

I tend to be a workaholic so I know that separating work and life while finding balance for both will be a constant struggle for me.  After working non-stop every day for six solid weeks I told myself I needed to take Sunday off for a family day.  Actually, a really good friend told me – four times.  I thought she was serious so I paid attention.  She was right.  I really needed a day off at home.  We all needed it.  Not only were we all tired but we were also feeling a little fragmented too. 

Sunday has always been a day I like to set aside as a family day and I need to get back to that.  I feel it is really important to have time to regroup, prepare for the week ahead and reconnect with each other.  Watching football or car races and movies or playing games and having a really nice Sunday dinner with dessert is an important part of our special day. 

We start with a nice breakfast and a few chores together.  The girls and I will also take a little time to refill drink containers and make up a few items for school lunches.  Then we slow down and do some more enjoyable things.  We talk a lot and if someone feels the need for a little solitude we try to respect that.  I usually spend a great deal of time in my kitchen on Sunday because I love to cook and bake. 

Sunday is the day I change the sheets on the beds and get all the laundry and ironing done.  I run the vacuum cleaner upstairs after all the beds are remade and the laundry is put away.  The girls shower on Sunday after supper and then we will settle down together for a favorite program or play a game before bedtime.  It always feels good to crawl into a freshly made bed after a bath or shower knowing you have plenty of clean clothes to wear for the week ahead.  I think I actually sleep better too. 

So we will definitely be getting back into our Sunday routine and as the next few weeks play out I’ll be focusing on developing new routines to make life and work come together.  For me, having routines helps me to be more productive and keeps me sane. 

How important are routines in your life?