#29 - Establish Routines.
The key to keeping your life simple is to create simple routines.
I have been working hard on establishing routines for myself that focus on simplicity and healthy living. I often try to cram a lot of work, chores, and other tasks into a small window of time: my work days and nap time. While I do get some stuff done, I seem to neglect other areas of my life and then "feel bad" that I don't "do it all." There is a part of me that is an overachiever even though I hate to admit it. This past month, I have made changes to my week and added some routines that I am hoping these changes will have a long lasting positive effects on my life. Here are a few:
1. Changed my work/daycare schedule: My son used to go to daycare 2 days a week where I would work my part-time job and then teach in the evening at a local college. My lesson planning would be something I squeezed in during his nap times on MWF. This was not a successful routine. I changed my schedule around so that MWF are now work/daycare days. This enables me to work less hours a day at my part time job and have time on those days for lesson planning and any other things that might come up like doctor's appointments or errands I need to run. I still teach on Tuesday and Thursday but its early evening so that works out with my husband...so far so good. Well see it it works out long-term.
2. Exercise Routine: I really need to get in better shape. I am overweight and I am not getting any younger. I joined a fitness boot camp 2 mornings a week at 6am, and 1 morning a week at 5:45am. The 5:45am is also a weight loss competition/healthy lifestyle make-over group. Although I have a competitive streak I just want to create a healthy workout routine that I enjoy doing on a regularly basis. I have yoga class one night a week and I am hoping to also fit in 1 spinning class a week because I love spinning. My exercise routine allows me to workout as well as my husband as we alternate. I have never worked out this early in the morning but this is about creating a healthy routine. So far its been working and the way it alternates with my work schedule has been helping it not to feel like something extra I'm trying to squeeze in.
3. Household Chores: I hired a house cleaner. They will come once a month. This seems doable financially and I have been able to stay on top of keeping things tidy since she last came...for the most part. I need a bit better routine for laundry (even though I get it done) and some other light cleaning to keep things dust free. Dishes I'm cool with. I love my dishwasher but I also am working on not piling dishes up in the sink before work or bed in the evening as well as making the bed every morning. I hate coming home to an unmade bed. I am also trying to spend 30 minutes every morning tidying up. I have decided that I suck at cleaning floors and I have decided this chore would be done much better by my husband...if you're reading honey...we'll talk more later.
4. De-Cluttering: This is also a new routine and I truly enjoy it. I actually would hate staying home on the weekends. I would always want to go out and do some family activity all the time. Now I actually want to stay home and "get stuff done." This is very new for me since I started blogging about the 72 Ideas. I really think of this as the establishment of a new routine for me where I work on different de-cluttering projects on a regular basis. I get frustrated at times because I just want to do all of them NOW but I know I can't because I have other obligations. I feel depressed at times that I let things pile up the way I have. I know I have a mini-hoarder inside of me who is afraid to throw things out because its wasteful or I might need it someday. It takes a lot of mental energy to talk myself off that guilty edge.
5. Blogging: I have come to enjoy this routine of writing on a daily basis. In the past, I used to be a daily journal writer. For years I would fill book after book of thougths, feelings, and dreams (nighttime as well as wish fulfillment). I have never written in such a public way as this blog. I am actually stunned when someone I know says to me "I read your blog." I am completely aware how public access this (or any blog) is but I just never expected anyone to be interested in what I have to say. I am really appreciative and humbled by all the positive feedback Ihave received about this project. I may have to start my own blog at the end of the 72 days.
I tell you this truly: Once you get in the decluttering, tidying up habit, you'll never want to go back.
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