Making the most of every day...

Ever have one of those days when you feel like the 'to do' list just never ends?  I know that I have! Over the years I've determined what's important daily, and what I would like to get done.  There is a big difference. 

Every day I know I HAVE to workout (if I don't - you wouldn't like what you saw)  Because that is something I have to do, I put it in my morning routine.

There are things that I need to do every day around the house.  I have to sweep every day due to the monster my husband begged me for...aka a Great Dane (12 month old 150 pound PUPPY!).  I like to do about 15 minutes of my monthly deep cleaning list every day (I don't do more than 15 minutes - I set a timer to stop myself).  I blog and play on Pinterest every day when I get home from work - my decompress time.  On Thursday I start working on laundry by putting in a load.  Every day has something small...these I call my "routine to dos". 

I don't call it an actual 'routine'...because there are not set time frames or a particular order.  These are the things that I need to get done daily to keep my home running properly.  When these things are done I have two options. 

First - I can attack my "To Do" List... this is a running list of miscellaneous things I'd like to get done.  There is one for school and one for home.  For example, I want to create a 'teacher toolbox' for work and I want to organize my laptop documents at home.  Those are things on the to do list that I can choose to do when I'm finished my routine for the day. 

Second, I can just chill out.  I can read a book, watch TV, spend time with my hubby or God. 

No matter what, that time is for me to CHOOSE if I want to work more, or relax.  Knowing that there is that option after I finish the daily dos I don't become resentful or frustrated when I get home from work and continue to work at my home. 

Here is my schedule for routine to do.  I have it separated by week and then weekend. 

Also, just so you know why I have ridiculous posters...I am very visual.  When I was beginning to implement these schedules in my life, I liked to SEE them daily. It helped remind me of my goals and made me feel a heck of a lot less stressed.  I know what I have to do every day.  I know that if there is more, it will go in the OPTIONAL category of my to do lists. 

Moral of my ramblings for the day?  Life is too short to be stressed out all day with what you have to get done.  Pick the things that MUST get done daily and CHOOSE to do more if you WANT to. 

Love all!!

Tilly



Routines!!

One of the ways that I keep myself organized is through daily routines.  I have a morning routine, a bedtime routine, and many 'to-dos' that can be considered routines.  Today we are going to look at an idea for a morning routine. 

I find morning routines the most important of all.  Mornings that are rushed and hurried can influence your attitude for the rest of the day.  I believe that starting your morning on the right foot can put you in the right mind to handle what every comes to you for the rest of the day. 

I always begin the day with my quiet time with God.  I know for a fact I can handle anything if I put Him first every morning.  I find I'm more patient with my little hellins...I mean students, I am able to handle any upsets in my day, and I feel more positive and happy, even on those days when I'd rather just stay in bed with a good book!

I like to wake up with my husband.  His job requires him to get up between 4:30 to 5:30 am.  We have compromised that I will wake up at 5:30 every day and that gives me time to do my bible study and get his lunch prepared before he leaves no matter what time he got up. 

He leaves for work between 5:30 and 6:30, so after I make his lunch, I go about my morning routine.  Okay...next comes working out...I HATE working out.  I'm not going to lie.  ONE of my MANY resolutions was to talk only positive talk about working out...so really..I LOVE LOVE LOVE to workout.  If I wait until I get home from work, I usually make excuses that I need to clean the house.  So, about a year ago I put it in my morning routine.  At first, it was a nightmare.  I woke up every morning in a terrible mood.  I hated that treadmill looming at me in the garage as I ironed my husband's shirt.  I cursed Jillian Micheal's name on the days I did her video.  It was horrible...until, one day I realized that I had more energy since I began working out than I had in years! So, the workout in the morning is here to stay!

After workout begins the necessities of almost any woman's morning routine.  I put them in the order that makes the most sense to me (why brush your teeth after you've washed your face?)

Now, the question some of you nay-sayers might be thinking out there...why do you have to have a routine!?  Why not just do it?! BECAUSE, how many mornings could you make excused to NOT do it?  I know for me, if it was a hard sleep night, or just a late night up grading papers, I could easily hit the snooze and sleep until 7:30, rush to get ready, and get to school just in time for pickup bell.  Why let the bad previous day influence the new day?  With a routine, even those mornings when I feel completely brain dead I can just follow the routine. 

Here is an example of my weekday morning routine!!

Now, to begin your own, FIRST list everything you need to do in the morning and how much time you estimate it will take.

SECOND, you will need to put it in the order you would like to complete it.

THIRD, use it as a living document.  It will change. You'll realize that you forgot about picking up the house, or walking the dog.  You'll discover makeup takes you longer than you thought. ETC!

FOURTH, once you think you have your time frames and order down, type it up, post it, and set weekly goals to meet every item on it until you build the habit.  Eventually you'll get to the point I'm at, it's a walk in the park.  I barely look at the routine order cause my mornings just flow. 

DON'T get frustrated when your routine is not perfect immediately.

DON'T overload your routine.

DON'T short yourself on time per item.  The point of the routine is for RUSH FREE mornings. Doing time frames that are too short creates more stress as you rush from thing to thing like running a relay race (not my idea of a calm, God centered morning).

DON'T make excuses and DON'T give up!!

Good luck all!!

Let me know if you need any help!!

Blessed By Him,

Tilly

Organization...Why I do, what I do!

I love being organized.  Believe it or not, I used to be a mess.  My dear friend Lori loves to remind me of my high school days where you could not see my bedroom floor due to the layers of clothes, papers, bags, etc that covered the floor.  My mother and father, however, were the perfect Type A Personalities.  My dad loves bins and labels. My mom love lists and perfection in cleaning.  With these two bringing me up, I guess it was just in my genes and had to grow into it.  When I became a homeowner and wife, everything just CLICKED.  I loved bins and labels, I loved routines, I loved cleaning, I loved lists!

My life is very organized, which relieves so much stress in my life! I love watching shows like 'Hoarders' and thinking, what could I do with their space?! I'd love to do something like organizing their lives.  When everything has a system, it just makes every little upset work out a little bit better.  I know where everything is in my house, and my hubby (who isn't as organized) knows where everything belongs. 

Here are some of the things that I do to keep myself organized...

Bins and Labels - yes they work, I love them.  I love Rubbermaid and Dymo - those two things together make my laundry room what it is, as well as my closet, kitchen, office, and classroom!

Planners - I'm trying a new planner out this year.  In the past I have always had a planner, schedule notebook, and to do list notebook.  This year I am trying my new Control Journal for the to do list and a 'meeting' style planner for a combination of planner and schedule.  I believe having your day in mind is very important to staying on track and organized.  Every night before I go to bed I write out the to dos I need to get done in the time slots that they fall into as well as what's going on in the day. 

Control Journals - where I keep everything for my home and for my school (I have 2).  For school I keep tabs for the Lesson Plans, Important Info, Calendar/Meeting Notes, To Do's, and To Copy and File. For home I keep a tab for Routines, To Do's, Family Calendar, Important Info, Home (Chores/Deep Cleaning List), Food (Menus, Reciepies, and Shopping Lists according to the store), and a couple of other things.

Routines - I have a morning routine and evening routine.  When I was getting used to them, I posted them.  Now I just keep them in my Control Journal for referenece when needed.

To Dos! - I love to do lists almost as much as I love bins and labels! I love the sense of accomplishment when I can cross something off...when I can see the list get smaller and smaller.  I have my to dos that are daily (the to dos are also like a routine when they happen daily, or weekly, but they don't have a time frame associated with them).  The daily to do's include things for my home and my school work.

There are many other things that keep my life in order and each week I will expand, help, and show how I do this!! I hope that I can help anyone out there that needs a little kick start for organizing the way they have always dreamed! Everything you see will be expaneded in the ....Gosh I still can't think of a cute name for Thursday...Thursdays! Lol..

Have a great one all!!

<><   (<= Thats a Jesus Fish...duh)

Tilly