How to Build Your Essential Routine
Give yourself some more time by building your essential routine. How to make sure everything gets done without getting overwhelmed. Build a daily routine that works for you.
Sometimes it's good to take a step back and really examine your daily habits. Are you spinning your wheels doing things that aren't absolutely necessary? If so, it's time to build your essential routine.
Is anyone else just feeling totally overwhelmed by all of the stuff that needs to be done? Do you feel like you need to pare things down to an essential routine?
I don't know what it is, but the busy-ness of this time of year makes me really start to look at what's essential to keep everything running semi-smoothly.
I cut out a lot of things, and figured out ways to simplify what was already a fairly simple routine. After a week of being on my essential routine, I'm convinced (again) that easier is better.
If you're looking for ways to create your own essential routine, here are some steps you can follow to build it:
Create Your Own Essential Routine
- Write down all of the stuff you have to do on a regular basis. Seriously, write down everything. Driving, packing lunches, cleaning, grocery shopping, getting gas in the car – it all takes time.
- Write down the stuff you're not doing that you really need to be doing. I had to write down things like picking up the mail, going on a walk (for exercise), and sweeping the kitchen floor.
- Look at your list, and start getting rid of stuff. If it's not essential, get rid of it. Don't forget about these time wasters that could be derailing you.
- When you're super-tired, look at the list again and get rid of more stuff. Exhaustion can help you find the unnecessary in your schedule.
- Group like-items together. Maybe you can consolidate all of your errands into one trip. When you come home from a walk or a run, you can swing by the mailbox and pick up your mail before heading home.
- Automate all that you can. Here's five ways you can automate your errands. Here are even more ideas for automating.
- Now, look at your list, and see if you can find someone else to do some things for you. My kids are now responsible for sweeping our kitchen floor. It's not done perfectly, but they love to use the little vacuum, they're learning, and I don't have to stress about the how I procrastinate in cleaning up the continual accumulation of Cheerio crumbs on the floor.
- If you're really in a tough position, consider paying someone to help you. When my back was in terrible shape, and I'd been to the doctor a couple of times for it, our house was filthy. I found a cleaning service that was willing to come in and clean just our bathrooms and kitchen (for a lower price than cleaning the whole house), and I was able to cross “cleaning” off the list for a week while my back recovers. I used part of my earnings from selling old clothes on ThredUp to pay for it.
- Chart out your new essential routine. I used a 7-day calendar, and I wrote in all of the stuff that needed to get done, and spread it out over the course of a week. I factored in activities, driving time, and how much energy I anticipated having on certain days. On days when I work, I tried to make my home routine a little easier.
- Make yourself an essential routine to-do list. I used the free workbook in this article to make myself a home management plan. To make the routine less overwhelming, I didn't add in the stuff I would never be able to forget to do (like drive kids to school, make breakfast, etc.). I did add stuff I would put off (laundry, meal prep, calling to make appointments, etc.).
- Follow your new routine. Even if it seems silly. Some days our kitchen isn't very dirty (okay, this only happens if don't eat at home). On those days, I'm tempted not to follow through with the routine of cleaning up the kitchen and running the dishwasher. But, by sticking to it, things don't get out of control as easily, and I feel like I'm accomplishing more, even though I might be doing less.
- Resist the temptation to add new stuff to your routine. Keep it simple. Protect your time.
Put together your own essential routine
Sign up to get the home management plan workbook delivered to your inbox. I'll also send you more ideas about routines and home management that will simplify things for you.
More Articles on Building Routines
- Need a good routine? Lots of ideas for creating routines and habits that work for you.
- Samples of morning routines from four regular women
- How to Make a Simple Chore Chart for Kids
- Things to do to make everything else easier – you don't have to do what everyone else is doing!
New to this community? Start here, friend!
New to this community? Start here, friend!
Being able to cross things off a list because I’m tired and don’t want to do them? Okay, this is my kind of plan, ha! While I’m not dealing with end of semester and school year stress, we’re about 2-3 months from moving (and until then we have to pay super ridiculous off-lease rent) and things are gonna get a little crazy. I have a set amount of stuff I try and get done each day, but most days get to about 3 in the afternoon and say “ah, I didn’t do x, y, and z, even though I had the best of intentions” – probably adding too much on the plate at once. So I will have to give this a go!
This is a really good list of suggestions. I am one of the few people out there who have a really hard time letting go of keeping the house just so. For those of us out there, I suggest adding “let it go” to our list when we are really busy.
I always found April /May to be a tough time of the year. The kids were finishing up winter sports and commitments and the summer sports and commitments were starting so it was very busy. Just after I had gotten used to it being light when I woke up we would move to daylight savings time it would be dark again in the morning. Setting up an essential routine is very important so you have time to enjoy the summer and the family. Great article.
Great article. May I repost your blog on my blog and have you as a guest blogger on my blog? You will be given the credit and a link to your blog.
Hi Julie! I don’t do re-posts because Google won’t be happy with either of us for posting duplicate content. You’re welcome to link to the post on my site if you’d like.
A Routine To Do List is such a huge help to keep up with your home!
Great post Katie! I totally agree with writing it all down, sometimes we don’t realize the time spent on something until we hold ourselves accountable!
I’m definitely a list person and it keeps me focused if I can check things off. Great post!
Pintest must have known what I needed to read this morning when it lead me to you’re blog! As a mother to a disabled kiddo, a kiddo who’s a little behind & a GT kiddo….just our therapy & schooling schedules can be intense. I write out every week in my BuJu but I’m thinking I need to add more details…and build my essential routine now. Thanks so much for the great read!
Awesome! I’m glad it helped!
Love it! I also believe that getting the little ones involved helps a lot and is great for building positive habits from an early age.
Have a great Sunday!
HI Katie,
First and foremost I envy you! I have zero, yes zero, organizational skills whatsoever. My daily routine is spent chasing my own tail, and the tails of 5 children, 2 cats and a husband. I some how manage to get most things done, but at the expense of no sleep. I think the ideas you outlined are ideal, and honestly I think I may give it a try. Thanks for the great tips! #familyjoy
I am terrible with lists! Today, after I got my oldest daughter dropped off to VBS, I just started driving aimlessly. Didn’t even have a concrete idea of where I would go or what I would do. Of course, part of that was just enjoying the quiet, lol. Thanks for adding your ideas to the Family Joy Linkup!
These are really great tips! I definitely need to get rid of some of the stuff on my list! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Share The Wealth Sunday!
This is definitely a good way to get things done and I certainly do something similar when I look to plan out my week. 🙂
These are great ideas. I implement a lot of these already.
I think having a routine is important during the school year especially for moms. It just helps keep things together. & if your juggling more. Thanks for sharing at the Inspiration Spotlight party. Shared
Thanks so much for the great tips! I will be the first to admit that staying organized and productive is something that I personally struggle with on a daily basis…my guess is that I’m not alone! I’m definitely going to try to implement some of these ideas. Thanks for sharing.
If I didn’t have a routine I would never get anything done! I try to map out my days almost hour by hour, which kind of sounds like overkill but it keeps me from getting distracted trying to multi-task everything at once. I have a million things to do and I want to get them all done at once!
I desperately need to be doing this! I am so overwhelmed because I say yes to everything and then get nothing done! I am checking out all your other printables to help me get everything done! Thanks for sharing with saucy Saturdays!
Hi Katie, I love your posts and printables and have them all in a binder. I have not hardly cleaned or cooked in the last month as I lost my dear Uncle to Cancer. This post made me feel that I can get back into it gradually as now I feel a bit overwhelmed of the tasks ahead of me and not knowing where to start. My husband did offer to bring in a cleaner, but I would like to organize while I am cleaning. Your Declutter 101 which I have sent for I am sure will also help me. Thank you for giving me guidance.
Hi Petra,
I’m so sorry to hear about your Uncle. I’m so glad to hear that this post helped. Take it easy on yourself and take lots of breaks. The housework will get done eventually. You and your family will be in my prayers. Hugs to you!
My daily routine which I call my blessings ( because it blesses my family me and my home) . I find I like doing it and not resenting doing “chores”. I do this daily no mater what. Then I have weekly blessings. But my daily blessings are; make beds scrub kitchen sink clean out cat litter empty and fill dishwasher (I don’t want anything in my simk) wipe down kitchen counter sweep kitchen floor scrub bathroom sink wipe down bathroom counter clean toilet bowl and do one load of laundry. This may sound like a it but it is so automatic that it only take 30 minutes plus a little extra to fold and put away laundry. It keeps my home clean and organized.