At the beginning of the school year this year, I did something crazy for me. And then I got even crazier and I told you about it. I started a schedule. A schedule for eating, tweeting, blogging, exercising, chores, and yes – EVEN – PARENTING! I was really surprised by how much I actually loved being on a schedule. It was great.
But…I only made it ’til about Labor Day. (Just a shade over two weeks! Wow, I’m an overachiever!) Around then, something happened, and I got out of my routine. And for some reason, I never tried to get it back. So instead of a nice routine, a pleasant schedule, I’ve got myself thoroughly enmeshed in an unorganized, unproductive, daily grind.
I allow myself blog, email, and twitter too long in the mornings, I take my shower too late, I never eat breakfast until about 10:30, and if I eat lunch at all, it’s usually about 2 or 2:30 when I feel like I might die so I grab a Mountain Dew and a hunk of cheese/chocolate/cookie dough or something else not very, ahem, well-rounded.
What? That’s not healthy??
Seriously!
So. I have got to break up with this grind. The problem is, I don’t really want to. It’s like the grind is the boy we date in high school that we know is bad for us but we date him anyways because he’s mysterious and exciting! (I say, “we” because, well, I never dated a bad boy. But you get my drift.) I haven’t been brave enough to break up with the grind and go back to my sweet, sensitive, attentive schedule. And the truth is, I do know why. It is because I am afraid of failing again. And failure seems so much more acceptable to me when it’s the product of a lack of effort.
But. I have decided, win or lose, to make the effort a second time. For myself, my family, my house, and my sanity! And once again I am crazy enough to tell you about it. So why don’t you do me a favor and ask me how it’s going? And while you’re at it, leave me some tips to help me stick with my fresh, new routine!
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This article about making mornings easier is part of the Kraft Bagel-fuls “Break up with your Breakfast Routine” sweepstakes. Visit BlissfullyDomestic.com for all the fabulous details.
Again, What is it with this family and Mountain Dew? And you think I’m Waffle House Crazy!!
oh,yes, I don’t do schedules!
UP
As someone who is scheduled about 90% of her time, I feel your pain. It’s always much easier to fake that you didn’t really card in the first place, then fail when you obviously tried. But were too old to be posers. Scheduling is better for me if it’s more general. Molly’s bedtime is between 9 and 10, if we in it gown too precisely were both insane. Try making a schedule that reflects what you do now, woth a few minor tweaks. Also, I bleed mt dew.
“The only REAL failure in life is the failure to TRY!”
I lose all the time but I’m determined for people to know me as one who keeps falling forward. We can help each other! :)xoxoxo
Girl, you and me both!! I have such grand ambitions but never really do anything about them! 🙁 We need to keep each other accountable! I need some serious help!
Love you!
hey – you are free in christ to schedule or not schedule. Give yourself a break. Schedule 3 or 4 days a week – stick to it. the others – fly free – if things get done those days great if not OH – well!!!! For example, only do laundry 3 days a week….but on the days you do it – get it ALL done. schedule those days only when you know you will be home to get it all done!…Start small…work your way into a schedule….love you!
I need a schedule, but I have no clue how to go about one. The hubs is supposed to help me, but well…that has happened yet.
So if you decide to embark on this again, let me know and I will do it with you!
Hey Jenny – I’m going to be finding my new normal now that the baby is here. We can do it!
I like Ruth’s idea. It is impossible to follow a schedule that accounts for everything. There must be some wiggle room in there somewhere.
I am zero help with a schedule, but I just have to laugh because I frequently partake in a mid-afternoon hunk of cheese lunch.
I’m a big fan of schedules. It helps me achieve much more during my day and stops me from wasting time. Although on the flip side of a schedule….then sometimes I feel overwhelmed by whats on my schedule 🙂
Funny b/c I just sat down this morning and wrote out yet ANOTHER schedule in my notebook to try and follow. I’m great at creating them…not so great at following them…
I am a huge fan of schedules! First of all, let me say that we don’t follow it exactly every day of the world. If something fun or exciting comes up, we chuck the schedule and fly free! I homeschool my two children, so we have to have schedules or we wouldn’t get anything done. My children and I have our time scheduled from the time we get up, until the time we go to bed. If we fly off the schedule one afternoon for some outside fun on an unusually warm afternoon, we make up for it the next day. They are scheduled for two hours of math two days a week, but it rarely takes that long. We use those extra 10-30 minutes to catch up something we didn’t do the day before. I guess overall I’m saying what works for us is to have a schedule, but to have flexability and not freak out over taking time to live life!!
T.