"The secret of your future is found hidden in your daily routine."
Does anyone else struggle with routines? I know how important they are in keeping things form becoming chaotic. But I always find myself in a mess of chaos. This quote is to keep me on track in hopes that someone can relate and find inspiration in it as well. What a powerful reminder that if we have goals or a future in mind, the small steps we take in the moment will get us there.
I often conceptualize an ideal version of myself.
I imagine bathing my children, getting them ready for bed, reading to them, singing to them, and allowing them falling asleep. I then clean up the kitchen, throw in a load of laundry, and organize a drawer. I pack lunches for the next morning and lay out my clothes. I get in some yoga. I get in the shower, shave, and get into silky pajamas with a robe to continue with a skin care routine and flossing. I peel back covers of a made bed and read a chapter of a book. I make a to-do list for the next day, pray, and fall asleep.
THIS NEVER HAPPENS LIKE THIS. My night usually falls short at cutting book time in half and falling asleep while attempting to get the kids to sleep. I don't even own silky pajamas.
Here are the areas my life becomes "messy" and I start to lose control.
1. Healthy lifestyle. Eating habits. Exercise habits. Sleeping habits. Hygeine habits.
2. Parenting style. Bedtimes. Meal times.
3. House Maintenance. Clean Room. Landscaped yard.
4. Spiritual lifestyle.
I WILL say that I have improved over time with mindful, intentional effort. This does not come easy to me. *Please feel free to comment with strategies you have that make your daily habits a pattern for future success!
Here are some things I have improved on:
1. Healthy Lifestyle
*Meal Prepping. Whoever made this so popular has my eternal gratitude. I still have not become overly dedicated to this but on Sundays I throw chicken and salsa in a crockpot and voila! I have lunches for myself for the week.
*Working out at lunch. I know, I know. This is not possible for everyone. And often doesn't work out for me. But I get an hour lunch and my gym is 10 minutes away. And it is the only time I have found to work for me without children sitting on my shoulders.
*Hygeine habits. I am desperate for a clearer complexion so I have made skin care routine a priority in both the evening and morning. Still have worse acne than I did as a child but it is soft?
2. Parenting style.
*I make sure everyone knows my desire for a nightly routine. I made a visual schedule and put it in my daughter's room. I honestly do not know if my children have looked at it but maybe it is helpful to me?
3. House maintenance.
*EHH>>little improvement has been made. My husband is a huge help and mainly out of necessity, we have gotten better at sweeping each night directly after dinner. BUT HELP ME!
4. Spiritual lifestyle
*I have not personally done much to help with this. I have friends who are inspiring and hold me accountable so the only thing I can pat myself on the back for is having good friends.
I know for a fact that people have nighttime routines that actually look like my vision. What are your secrets? What do you tell yourself to get it done?