Skip to main content

How Routines Make my Days Better

A part ofSustainable Living that doesn't get much attention is Routines.  For some of us, it's because they're so routine that we don't give them any thought (Yea!)  But for me, it's something that I didn't learn at my mother's knee, and so it's been a challenge.

When I first had children and moved from my days being dictated by my work schedule to staying home, I struggled with my home time -- how to fill it, and at the same time, how to get everything done that needed to be done.  And then one day I stumbled across Flylady (www.flylady.net) and the world of routines opened up to me.

I learned about Morning Routines and Bedtime Routines.  I learned about Cleaning Routines and Meal Planning Routines.  And honestly, I cried.  Because up until that time, I thought I was the only one struggling.  And then I dove in to learn my routines.  It was hard learning these new habits, I mean I wasn't totally unhappy with wearing my pjs until 10am!  But I persevered until they became..  well, routine.

Because it wasn't just about me, but it was also about my family.  And I learned so much about how my choices were affecting them.  I'm happier now with my routines and so is my family.  I don't have to work so hard at getting them done now as I did at the start, but...  I do still check them off my To Do list.  It gives me a feeling of accomplishment.

How does your morning routine look?  Is it working for you?

Here's a peek into mine:

Get dressed -- check

Laundry -- check

















Swish, Swipe, & Sweep Bathroom -- check






Make Bed -- check














Chickens -- check













Pack lunch -- check

Make breakfast -- check














Of course I still have dishes to wash up, but I may just cheat and leave them until lunch.  So now, I'm off to the grocery store and then morning tea and a play with friends.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

I'm in the pillowcase business!

Part of being a stay at home mom and making sustainable living choices is keeping expenses down, but the other part is to increase the income, too.  And working from home allows me to develop multiple small income avenues rather than just going after the one big avenue of income. With that in mind, I've been brainstorming, trying to come up with a project for the cold winter months.  I've kicked around various crochet ideas, but was truly inspired when I came across the idea of making custom pillowcases. Here are some photos of the one I whipped up this morning specifically so I could take photos to promote this new business venture. Isn't that a lovely pillowcase?  I can't wait to share with you all the pillowcases I have planned! Come spring, I'll add chickens, well eggs, as another avenue.  And of course the garden will go in which will reduce our food spending in a big way. What small avenues of income are you working on?
6 comments
Read more

Money

Money, the taboo topic.   We're taught, by our parents and the culture we live in, to not talk about money.  Don't talk about how much you make.  Don't talk about how much you spend.  Don't talk about the ins and outs of credit cards.  Don't talk about how much financing really costs. And if you're in a financial mess, don't talk about that either. So we're each alone in dealing with our finances.  Oh sure, you an ask your folks.  And get the lecture.  Or you can pay for a consultation with a financial advisor, and their sales pitch (usually).  But where can you just sit and talk about the basics? What if you just want to know you're not the only one who is bearing the consequences of a bad choice?  What if you just want to share ideas and hear other people's thoughts on what is working and not working? I propose that it starts here.  My sustainable living passion isn't just about the planet, environment, and being frugal because
4 comments
Read more

So Much Stuff

We live in a world of SO MUCH stuff. It's overwhelming just how much stuff there is in our world, at least in the US part of the world. Yesterday, I had a couple of hours to kill, and because my husband and I have decided we would prefer to furnish our home with antiques, I decided to take a walk through the local antiques mall. The antiques mall is in an old building downtown that used to be a JCPenney, so if you're familiar with the JCPenney stores of the 1970s and before, you'll know what I mean when I say it's big, really big, as in 3 floors of stalls of antiques. And the antiques range as far as they can from crochet-edged hankies to pyrex bowls to cast iron hand pumps to hoosier cupboards. Truly, if you're looking for a specific item, and you're willing to spend the time, you'll find it in this store. So much stuff.  Most of it just sits there, collecting dust. Like wall-hanging thread holder which I first spotted the first time I w
7 comments
Read more