Let's talk routine!

Routine- a sequence of actions regularly followed; a fixed program. (other words used to describe it- procedure, practice, pattern, regimen)

It sounds kinda scary doesn't it? Or it sounds more like HARD work than anything. Until it's not. It took me a long time to realize that establishing a routine, making a permanent part of what you do, and learning to love that routine makes it NOT hard and NOT scary. In all honesty, I crave routine. I enjoy routine. Even when it's not fun stuff that I have to do- like laundry or dishes. At the end of the day, it makes me feel so much more calm and relaxed when things are done. It also is its own accountability system. You can easily tell if someone is off routine. It may be they look a hot mess, their house is a hot mess, they are late, they forget something....the list goes on. Now, I am not trying to say that every day will be perfect. IMPOSSIBLE. BUT, I am saying that a little routine can go a long way to making life better and easier. 

Here's a rundown of my working mom routine on a regular school day:

6:00- Wake up- I might hit snooze once, but I am definitely up by 6:10.

6:10-6:30- Hair, makeup, dressed for day. My Ever skincare and makeup routine make it super easy to do this quickly! See our beautiful palette, mascara, and lip gloss below! I make it a routine to have clothes picked out for the week so that I am not searching for an outfit. In face, I iron everything that my husband and I will wear to work for the week on Sundays. Takes 30 minutes, makes life easier!

6:30-7:00- I usually pop some oatmeal in the microwave to cook while I am unloading the dishwasher, packing lunches, and just straightening up the living room and kitchen. I might take something out for dinner or put something in the crock pot. I always meal plan. I us ClickList from Kroger and grocery shop once every 3-4 weeks. I freeze a lot of stuff- bread, cheese, whatever so that I am not constantly at the store. I make one run a week to get fresh fruit and maybe milk or something small I have forgotten. ClickList is a GAME CHANGER. No more browsing the aisles and getting unneeded stuff. No searching the stores for what you need. They do it for you, you pull up and they load up ALL your groceries! Done deal!

A little after 7:00, I am out the door and off to work! 7:30-3:30 is my work schedule. Sometimes we have meetings or other obligations, but for the most part I am off and home by 4:00 every day. 

When I get home, I usually visit with my son, have a snack with him and then get changed into work clothes. I am currently doing Beachbody on Demand. Occasionally I will get in a workout on my lunch break, but sometimes it is at home and I never spend more than 30 minutes on it. By 5:00-515 I am done and ready to get dinner going or finished. We eat around 6:00. After dinner and cleaning up, it is play time and then bath time. I aim for 7:30 to be relaxing as a family. bedtime is between 9:00-10:00. Then it is time to do it all again.

Other things I do around the house that are routine:

I clean, like really DEEP clean, every 2 weeks. Otherwise, I keep things picked up, the floors cleaned, and bathrooms cleaned weekly.

I do laundry twice during the week usually and then finish on the weekend.

I pay bills when we get paid twice a month, usually on that day so that I don't forget or let things slip away from me.

We have old people medicine containers LOL! I fill those up on Sundays so that we have all our meds and vitamins set out for the week and we aren't fumbling with bottles.

We hire someone to mow our grass- game changer, time saver.

We usually make runs once a month to get haircuts, household items, car washed (we pay for that too), and run errands. 

I use Amazon Prime for EVERYTHING else we need in between. Stuff for home or work- I order it and in 2 days it is on my porch.

I have subscribe orders for things like diapers and wipes, coffee, dog food. It comes and I don't even have to think about it. 

We regularly clean out and purge clothes and items we don't use around the house. That alone has become a routine and makes us all feel better when we have less clutter hanging around. 

Organization and routine are key for me as a working mom. It makes me feel more sane on the crazy days. It helps me to enjoy those things like working out, cooking dinner, washing clothes....because it is not stressful. 

What are your daily routines? What do you do to make life easier? How can you incorporate any of these things into your routine to try and live a healthier life, get some exercise, get some rest?