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The BEST Way to Establish & Keep a Routine

Create and establish a routine for your life that works for you, not against you! Become more productive in your daily life, and start living your life well!

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Create and establish a routine with habits and time blocking.

I’m a pretty structured person. I like order. I like knowing what’s next. I like keeping a calendar, and trying my best to plan ahead as much as possible. But, if you know me in real life, you know that I am an ever moving person. I house sit often, so I “move” ALL THE TIME. My days don’t usually look alike, because I care for 8 children, among four families. Which is why I love having a routine — not a schedule. Although, routine can often feel like a schedule…

This past year, in my Powersheets, the over arching theme has become ROUTINE. Creating one, sticking with it, adjusting as needed. And, over the past couple years, each month I put a routine oriented task in my daily list. Once, I check off my boxes over and over, I know I can take that off and put a new one. I got this tip from FlyLady’s cleaning schedule — each month she has tasks for you to do, all these tasks build on each other. This is SO helpful to do, not just in creating a routine, but for anything! Especially with kids! 

 

My first tip is to come up with a list of habits you want to create.

This will help you narrow down a focus of what you need to add in your life, and hopefully show you where you need to pare down.

 

Remember in elementary school, when your teacher would have your class schedule posted?? And you could visually see what is coming next?? That’s what I want in my life — but, that doesn’t always happen. In fact, most of the time, it does NOT happen! {{Wouldn’t it be nice if it DID happen that way?!}}

 

Here are my five tips for establishing a routine, and sticking to it. This takes major time and attention — so, don’t rush it! 

 

Step One — write down everything you do in a day. From waking up to putting your head on the pillow at night. Write down every single thing you do. 

Step Two — Get out your colorful pens/highlighters/markers what ever you love to use! Now, go through your list and CIRCLE what is absolutely necessary. What your life depends on. Next, BOX what is important, but doesn’t have to be done every single day. Finally, the items remaining, leave as is. Don’t do anything to them.

Step Three — create a blank timeline — I used a spreadsheet in Excel, however a piece of notebook paper works just fine! Start at 6am (or whenever you wake up, or NEED to wake up!) and in 15 minute increments, write the time. At the bottom of this post, you can download my Habit Worksheet and my Daily Timeline Spreadsheet! Y’all know I like to share!

Step Four — Plug in your absolutely necessary items, followed by your important items. Be sure to give yourself time during your day with nothing “scheduled” that way, when things don’t go as planned, you have wiggle room. 

Step Five — Adjust as needed. Maybe your morning workout isn’t going so well, and you need to move something to the afternoon — go ahead and try it that way! When you change a piece of your routine, stick to it for two weeks. You’ll either love it or hate it.

Also, utilize your mornings well!! This can be transformational in having a productive day! I highly recommend Crystal Paine’s Makeover Your Mornings Course. 

 

Now, I love to plug these items into my phone, and block off the time to do them. This really only goes for my morning/evening routines. Day time doesn’t necessarily mean time blocking — but, I’m hoping to move closer to that! I do however have time blocks for each family I care for. But, within those time blocks, I can still do things for myself — so I don’t always add in the little time blocks. If I know I need to get specific things done during the day, when I am with my families, I write them down on a sticky note. And cross one thing off at a time!

These are my favorite products to use when creating a routine and sticking to it!

 

    1. Powersheets — these will change your life. Seriously! And, if you can, find a powersheet buddy. I didn’t utilize them to their fullest until I started doing them with friends.
    2. Agenda — I love my Inkwell Press planner. It’s a lot like combining Powersheets with an agenda.
    3. Sticky Notes — when I’m getting in the habit of a new routine, I often write it down on a sticky note and put it where I can see it often. {I also use sticky notes when I have a super busy day, that is time sensitive! I put where I need to be and when on the sticky note, and put it on my dashboard!} 
    4. Colorful pens — it just makes it that much cuter to create your list and check it off! These Papermate Flairs are my favorite!
    5. Bulletin Board — post your routine where you will see it everyday. Even after it becomes a habit.

Here is my Amazon Influencer List, with these items at the top!

Creating and establishing a new routine often starts with forming new habits. Whether that is waking up 15 minutes earlier, or planning your weekly menu. Start slow! Be patient with yourself. Habits & routines are hard at first — but, give it time to actually become a habit! You can do this!!

 

Sign up here for my FREE habit worksheet & daily time blocking sheet. I hope these will help you live your best life, and establish a routine that works FOR you! 

 

 

Create and establish a routine with habits and time blocking.

 

I would love to hear what habits or routines are you looking to add to your daily life!

XOXO,

sweetpea lifestyle

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15 Comments

    1. Definitely! It’s so easy to let things break our routine! Stay strong, my friend!

  1. Great ideas to create and stay on a routine. Love your idea of routine and not schedule. I’m the same way and I plan ahead as much as possible because life does happen and I like to be prepared. #HomeMattersParty

    1. Yes, Jenny!! I love planning ahead, it helps for sure with keeping my routine. And, when I change places, or something comes up I’m “planned” for it! Thanks for stopping by, love partying with you!

  2. I love to write things out and see them on paper. It helps me remember what I need to be doing. You are so organized, I love it! #HomeMattersParty

    1. I love paper products. That is the one area I cannot turn into a minimalist on…! 😉 Thanks for popping over!

  3. It’s a fact of life — you can’t do everything. Creating a list of habits you want or need is a great way to figure out where you can pare down the unnecessary. Thanks for sharing at #HomeMattersParty
    ~Lorelai

  4. It’s amazing how simply writing things down helps increase productivity. I LOVE my sticky notes, too! #HomeMattersParty

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