I decided to try a new approach to my weekend. They way things normally worked was chaotic and stressful. It didn't seem to be working and I wanted to get some time to myself. April is going to be a very busy month for me, and I really need to make the most of my time. So here's what I changed.
I had been doing all of my cleaning, laundry, getting ready for the week on Sunday. It felt good to have everything ready on Monday morning. But here was the problem: that wasn't working. I spent all weekend trying to get enough homework done (as a PhD student, it literally never ends) to give myself permission to clean. It never worked. I would spend all weekend worrying about not having enough time and I would get distracted by everything in my house that wasn't clean. So this week, I changed my cleaning day to Friday. I don't have class on Friday's, so I stayed home and cleaned. I got all of the laundry washed, dried, and put away. Dishes got done. And I prepped veggies and fruit for snacks for the following week. Saturday rolled around and I went to work on my homework. I got SO much more done! I figured out that doing all of the cleaning on Friday meant I wasn't thinking about it on Saturday and I could actually focus. By Sunday at nap time, I was done with things that were due this week for my classes (even though there are other things I still need to get done) and I was able to relax on Sunday night. Even though today didn't go according to plan, I feel like I handled it better because this weekend was less stressful.
Another perk to changing things up: I was actually able to enjoy time with my boys. Instead of trying to wash dishes or fold laundry while they played, I could concentrate on them. I didn't feel guilty for playing with my kids. I used to feel like I should be cleaning or working but then it meant missing out time with the boys. But if I spent time with the boys, I felt like I should be cleaning or working. That contradiction never happened this weekend. It's amazing what changing one little thing can do.
I challenge you to take a good look at routine. How long has it been since you changed things up? How long have you been doing the same thing? And more importantly, is it working? Really think about it. Routine is good, but only when it is beneficial to you and your family. Try something different if it's not doing the job. If it is working for you, great! You are probably several steps ahead of the rest of us in that regard.
Maybe it's not your routine that needs changing. Maybe you should change your hair style or color, maybe try a new style of clothing, experiment with your makeup, rearrange your furniture, whatever! It's always good to take a step away from your "normal" once in awhile. You may find something new that you like or you may learn that what you are doing is just fine for you. Either way, it is valuable information to have. It's important to do this every once in awhile because as you grow, as your kids grow, as your family grows and changes, what worked once may not work forever. And let's face it, things can get stagnant. But no one needs to stay there.
HAVE FUN!
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