I have always been pretty routine. I do the same things in the same way most of the time. I am TYPE A through and through, and while sometimes it’s not the best thing (I am not great at spontaneity), other times it truly saves me. I want to share the 5 routines that make my life easier. As a busy mom of an active toddler and someone who works full time for herself, routines are my saving grace.

5 Routines That Make My Life Easier

Morning Routine: I try to keep our mornings pretty much the same no matter if it’s a school day, non-school day, or weekend. Liam wakes up at the same time. I mostly wake up at the same time. When I wake up I wash my face, brush my teeth, do my morning skincare routine, get dressed. Then I eat breakfast and respond to any pressing emails while I eat as well as share my blog post for the day if there is one. Once Liam is up I am in mom mode. We read books and play then have breakfast and get ready for school if it’s a school day or get ready for whatever activity we are off to. Andrew usually leaves for work before Liam is up! By doing this I feel like Liam always knows what to expect and that makes tantrums less likely.

Workout Routine: Even though my workout may look different each day when/how I work out stays the same. On MWF I go to the gym right after dropping Liam off at school. On Tuesdays I work out at home during his nap and on Thursdays if Andrew is working from home I run to the gym after breakfast. On Saturdays I work out after breakfast at home because we leave for Little Gym shortly after and Sundays I head to the gym after breakfast.

Laundry: For some reason I always do laundry on Wednesdays and Sundays. At least for our clothes. I wash our sheets and towels on Saturdays. It has been like this for YEARS and years and the spaced out days mean that I am not doing insane amounts of laundry at once. I do Liam’s laundry on a more as needed basis but usually twice a week.

Meal Planning: Every Thursday/Friday Andrew and I meal plan for the next week. This is helpful for a few reasons. It doesn’t lead to any “so what do you want tonight?” “I dunno what do you want tonight?” endless discussions. We also waste a LOT less food. We know exactly what we need when we grocery shop and we don’t purchase unnecessary items that we end up throwing out.

Night Routine: I do a few things at night that I think really help our days. I make Liam’s lunch (and get his water bottle ready) at night if the next day is a school day. I lay out Liam’s clothes for the next day. I pack his school bag and put things in my car for school the next day. I also lay my clothes out for the next morning and make sure anything I need is ready. Andrew and I tidy up the playroom, Liam’s room, the kitchen, and the family room so we start the next day fresh. We also wipe down counters, and take out any trash. These things collectively may take 30 minutes. But they save SO MUCH STRESS and time the next day.

I think certain routines can really make aspects of your life so much easier and seamless.

I would love to know what routines you have?