Consistent Routine – An Anchor in the Midst of Uncertainty
It is not “breaking news” status that every nook and cranny of the American way is overwhelmed with such uncertainty. Most instincts and behaviors that were once second nature for us have been challenged and disrupted in a special sort of crazy way.
If I have learned anything this past year (feels like 10, right?), it is this…
Even though the current circumstances of the world today are such a freakin’ hot mess, there are certain aspects you can control.
You can’t eradicate this evil virus. You can’t change the behavior or minds of government officials. Heck, you don’t even know for sure if your kids will participate in seated or virtual learning in 24 hours.
But sister, you have the power to build your days with a level of certainty and predictability that you can count on. Every. Dang. Day.
When creating a routine, include the tasks and behaviors that are most important to you.
I was just having a conversation with Mike (the hot guy I call my husband) the other day about how truly disrupted our world has become… from an unprecedented election to a country that has turned itself inside-out. Will we even recognize it a year from now?
Our natural human response to such calamity and uncertainty is to run around like a bunch of chickens with our heads cut off. I can assure you I have done my fair share of that.
By the end of our discussion, our resolution was this…
The only thing we can do right now is just do what we do.
That’s deep, isn’t it? Yeah, I’m a deep thinker.
“Do what we do”… we work, we show up for our family, we make our health a priority, we love hard, we spread joy, we serve others, we show up as our best self on purpose.
Now, do we do these things perfectly 100% of the time? Ahhhhh, great big, giant heck-to-the-freakin’ NO.
But we make it a priority to include them in our everyday routine. And right now, this is the only thing we can control in this topsy-turvy world.
A consistent routine anchors me in such an unpredictable world of uncertainties.
Developing a consistent routine for you and your family is the only way to ensure any sense of worldly certainty in your everyday life.
If I wake up in the morning feeling frazzled, the first thing I do is grab my journal or planner and begin making a list of what needs to be done. This helps me focus and reminds me of the certainty and predictability my routine provides for me and my family.
Every Sunday night, I sit down to make a plan for the week. I consider what my priorities need to be and what the week’s routine is going to look like.
There are certain tasks and responsibilities that are a part of the plan every single week. For example, I go to the grocery store on the same day every week. I even water my plants on the same dang day.
And, of course, there are random, last-minute line items from week to week that require my attention. Hello, family of 7.
As I am strategizing and planning for the upcoming week, I try to look at it from several angles:
What needs to happen in the family arena this week?
How do I need to prioritize self-care?
Which of my relationships need special attention?
How do I need to show up for my business in ways that fuel forward-moving momentum?
By doing this, I can show up with a level of stability that helps me move through my day with confidence and positivity.
I can be certain I will show up for my kids after school and bring them home safely. This keeps me sane.
I can be sure I will have the time to enjoy a breakfast smoothie in the mornings with my family. I can’t think of a better way to start my day.
I can be sure I will exercise at noon. This is much more likely to happen when I have literally scheduled it into my day.
Having a routine in place will anchor you amid so many unknowns and uncertainties.
It will significantly reduce the stress in your life because of the stability it provides when you can know what to expect.
You don’t know if your kiddos are going back to school tomorrow or if we are on the brink of another lockdown because a strain of something else has shown up in our airspace.
But with an established routine, you can know when you need to show up, how you need to show up, and what you need to do when you get there.
If you’re a list makin’, pre-plannin’, get stuff done gal like myself, I have some exciting news to share with you. My team and I have been working on a kick-a$$ planner JUST FOR YOU. It is full of so much goodness.
If you have not yet subscribed to my newsletter, then you’re gonna want to do that now (just 3 full scrolls to the bottom of the page) so you can be one of the first to know of its release.
In the meantime, continue to keep an eye out for my training on how to facilitate lasting transformation. We will dive deeper into healthy habits and consistent routines. Oh girl, it’s gonna be gooooooood.
