Creating routines and habits into your day can reduce stress and help you to be more productive.
Does it get harder to make decisions toward the end of the day? Or am I the only one that struggles after a full day of working and momming to figure out what to make for dinner?
Your brain can only handle so many decisions in a day before it just can't handle anymore. Then your stress level increases causing all kinds of mental and physical issues.
Living with a child with Autism, routine is one of our best friends. Without routine, he is lost and anxious. Aren't we are all that way to an extent.
One of the first things tossed out the window in most households during the Covid-19 pandemic was the daily routine. It was great for the first few weeks, and then it became stressful in most households and not just because of the unknowns surrounding the illness.
When we have daily routines we save our brains some decisions every day so those we do need to make are more well thought out and purposeful.
Routines are a great tool that simplify our lives and reduce much of our daily stress.
Implement routines into your day wherever possible.
Chances are you already have a morning routine, whether it is intentional or not. You get up, get dressed, check email or social media while you are drinking your coffee and eating some cereal before heading out for the day.
If you create a “uniform” for yourself, you don’t even have to think about what to wear. You just grab a pair of pants and a shirt, or a skirt, tights and sweater and you are ready to go. Learn more about creating your own Capsule Wardrobe.
Meal planning helps you figure out what meals to fix and eat. It also helps you make healthier food choices and reduces food waste.
A cleaning schedule can help you stay on track with household chores. Laundry on Mondays, floors on Thursdays, kitchen sink and countertops before bed, etc.
A bedtime routine can help you wrap up your day as well as get ready for the next. Tidy the kitchen, pack lunches and ensure the kids’ school things are ready to go. Then come up with a few calming things that help you slow down and get ready for sleep.
How to Start a Habit of Daily Routines
Sit down with a pen and piece of paper and think about what parts of your day and week you can turn into routines. Write the down and create daily to-do lists for yourself until you’ve established these new habits and routines.
Spending a little bit of time creating routines and habits will make your day run a lot smoother. You might just find yourself less stressed and get more done during your productive hours.
And that’s a beautiful thing. Routines and habits allow you to save plenty of decision making for the fun stuff like figuring out what park to go to, what family movie to watch or what color to paint the dining room.
Leave a Reply