Now that the holiday season is really over, it’s time to get back in the groove and back into our normal routines.
Of course, for many of us, especially those with young kids, there’s no such thing as a normal routine.
This post is for everyone else… your kids are in school (even if it’s just preschool) and you pretty much have control over your day.
You know how when you first have a baby and go home from the hospital, the first thing they tell you (and by “they,” I mean the nurses/doulas/lactation consultants/your mom), is to get the baby on a schedule.
Why is that? Babies thrive on routine. When they have a routine, they come to rely on it, and when they know when they will eat and sleep, and it makes them happier. And when they feel safe that their basic needs are being met consistently, they are better able to learn and explore their new world.
As it turns out, we adults are the same way. Setting up routines minimizes decision-making on mundane tasks, helping to free up valuable mental space for areas where we really need it, like work and parenthood.
A simple morning routine:
7 am wake up
7:15 Coffee, light breakfast
7:30 Drive kids to school
8:00 Check email and catch up on the days’ news
8:30 Get dressed for the day
9:00 Drive to office (or, in my case as a work-from-home mom, sit on my couch and start my work day)
You can even set up mini routines within your morning routine. Some people have the same breakfast every day, just to keep from having to agonize over whether to have eggs or oatmeal (it’s a struggle). I know some women who have a “uniform” that they wear each day in order to make getting dressed quicker and easier (jeans and a t-shirt anyone?).
I can tell you from experience that a morning routine makes mornings go more smoothly and with greater ease.