4 Clever Ways to Work Out the Routines You Actually Need

Daily Routines

As a mother, I know the benefits that routines can have on my children. They are calmer, happier, less tired and better behaved when the routines in their lives are operating well.

Yet, I’ve never been so strict with myself in regard to the routines that would help ME be, well… calmer, happier, less tired and yes, probably even better ‘behaved’ too?!

But lately, I’m really craving a calmer, less chaotic home life. I want to be a more Zen-like mother (or at least not a total uptight mess) and therefore, just like a child, this Mumma needs some more routine around here.

​The Problem with Routines:

I have set up quite a few routines and schedules and systems over the years – all in an attempt to get my home in order, my family fed, to not look like a frazzled mess, to pay my bills on time and well, the list goes on.

I have tons of pretty files and planners and even more good intentions. Alas, most were left untouched.

Until I finally worked out that I was doing it all wrong. Yep, I was actually doing ‘routines’ all wrong.

Routines are supposed to make life run smoother, yet, I was:

• Overcomplicating them,
• Thinking of them as a chore rather than a benefit,
• Attempting too many, for the sake of it &
• Trying to get my family to fit into them, not the other way around!

Time to take a step back then.

The Daily Routines You Actually Need:

Now, there are many different routines that you could implement into your life as a busy mother (cleaning schedules, morning routines, self-care, finances, laundry, exercise, meal planning…and the list goes on).

But what will give you the biggest bang for your buck? And what will actually make your life run that bit smoother?…

The 4 Questions to Ask Yourself:

1. What are some areas that aren’t working so great right now for you and could use a little ‘efficiency’ update?

• Have you been rushing around in the morning, looking for lost shoes and yelling at the kids? An evening & morning routine will help!
• Have you been neglecting your own self-care? Eye-brows a little shabby? Not fitting in that Zumba class? A self-care routine is needed!
• It’s your child’s game day and you’ve just realised the uniform is crumpled at the bottom of the laundry basket still! Or even worse, it’s currently in the washing machine….wet! A laundry routine will definitely help!

Basically, what has been stressing you out lately and what routine can you implement that will help to relieve this stress for you?

2. What daily routines will save you time and money?

• Have you been paying a few ‘late fees’ lately because you’ve been forgetting to pay the bills on time? A simple financial routine can help.
• Have you been wasting food and throwing out some seriously rotting vegetables? Or rushing out to get groceries (again) so that you can put dinner on the table tonight? Meal planning will alleviate this stress!

Have a think about the areas of your life where you are experiencing waste of your time and money, so that you have more of both to spend on the more important things in life.

3. What tasks do you find boring and mundane?

We all have some certain tasks that we find a real chore. Yet, these things still need to be done to operate our homes and lives effectively.

• Some people love to clean. Others really don’t. This can lead to the housework getting totally overwhelming! A simple cleaning routine will help (but bonus points if you can share the load around or even outsource altogether!)

4. Anything that is important but not urgent:

Last, but definitely not least…..

In the craziness of life, there are some important things that we forget to implement into our busy lives.

When they aren’t urgent, we can sometimes neglect them until they get out of hand.

Have a think about some areas of your life that are important (but not urgent) that would benefit from you setting up a routine for. To give them the time they deserve.

For me, this includes planning date nights with the hubby, planning for the week each Sunday evening and setting up time to work on my big goals.

Remember, what we don’t schedule can get away from us. Therefore, this question is probably one of the most important of all!

Putting it altogether – The Daily Routine Mind Map

By thinking about the above questions, you can avoid implementing routines just for the sake of it, and instead implement simple routines that will reduce the stress & increase the calm and happiness in your life and home.

To keep things simple, I mapped out all the routines that I required and when they were needed. From there, you can add it to your calendar or planner. Check it out here:

You can download your own copy below, I hope it helps!

And let me know if there are any routines that you’ve found have been game changers for you and your family.

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