elizabeth clare

practical solutions for the modern catholic

in Homemaking· Living Well

Nourishing Routines: Framing our days to feed our soul, family, and homes

We’ve been discussing nourishing routines and contemplating what we need to include in the rhythm of our lives to accomplish goals, conquer the mundane to-do list, and create beauty and order in the home.

Here are all the posts in this series in one place:

If you missed the first post in this Nourishing Routines Series, I asked you to make a master to-do list and provided you a printable worksheet to help you accomplish that.  (If you missed that post you can find it and it’s companion worksheet here.)

I also gave you a picture of the routines I have incorporated into my life.  I hope you found encouragement and inspiration in them. (You can find that post here.  I also touch on the routines in my days, weeks, and months in the post on my cleaning schedule here; you may find that helpful.)

Today, we are going to really dig in and get to creating routines that fit our season in life.  Don’t feel overwhelmed and remember to cater it to you, your personality, your family, and your home.  We’ll focus on the daily grind first and then move beyond that as you are ready.

Worksheets for Nourishing Routines Project:

Here are all the worksheets in one place, as well as an editable Excel document.

Reflect…

Check out Post One of this series to get a more in-depth explanation and access the worksheets.

Worksheet One:  What habits/tasks?

Worksheet Two: Tacking on to current routine?

  • Routines Worksheet 2:  Tacking on to Current Routines
  • Where are breaks in your day where these tasks most naturally go?

Beginning with the Daily Grind

We must first grasp the stuff of day-to-day life if we are to move on to less frequent activities.  Using the worksheets from Post 1 (here) will help you see what you need to accomplish in your daily routines.

Step 1:  Choose several new tasks and assign them to a current routine

After filling out your current routines on Worksheet 2, refer to Worksheet 1:  What Tasks/Habits? and choose several daily items to begin assimilating into your days.  Assign these tasks to their most natural place on Worksheet 2.  Be careful, don’t take on too much, but assure the necessities are completed on a daily basis. (Don’t forget the 8 tips I gave you in Post 1!)

Step 2:  Fill out Worksheet 3:  My Daily Routines

Take time to write out your routines on Worksheet 3″  My Daily Routines, even if there are only a few tasks per routine.  Don’t stress about getting it perfect the first time, you can always reprint and rework them.

This chart will give you a reference as your new habits develop.  Eventually they will become second nature and you won’t need to refer to anything, but in the meantime it will take the guesswork out.  You can always use an index card if you prefer something smaller and more portable.

Routines Worksheet 3

Step 3:  Execute and establish

Work on establishing those few new habits.  It may take a while for them to become a natural progression in your day, but it will be so worth it when they do!  Deep change happens slowly, so allow yourself lots of grace.  In accomplishing your new habits everyday, your routines will become second nature and you can move on to adding new tasks/habits.

Step 4:  Rinse and repeat!

After you feel your new routines are becoming habits, start back at Step 1.  Tack on more tasks and habits to your daily routine.

Here are tasks I would add in to your routines immediately if you are not doing them already.  These tasks are foundational to good homemaking, in fact, they are what I boil everything down to if things go awry:

  • Laundry
  • General pick-up ( a house can look clean if things are put away )
  • Meal planning/ preparation
  • Getting dressed/ready for your day

Beyond the Daily Stuff of Life

Once you have established a natural rhythm to your day and are getting most of the dailiness of life out of the way, you are ready to fry bigger, but less frequent fish.

Step 5:  Fill Out Routines Worksheet 4:  Beyond Daily Routines

Referring to Routines Worksheet 1 fill out Worksheet 4:  Beyond Daily Routines.  This will help you wrap your mind around what needs to get done less frequently around the house.

Step 6:  Schedule times for Less Frequent Tasks

A list of tasks is great, but it rarely gets accomplished if it is not scheduled.  Take time to add a new task in your daily routines where you can accomplish your weekly tasks.  You can check out Post 2 of this Series:  Routines that Shape my Day to see how I schedule the weekly and monthly tasks into my days.

Step 7:  Fill out Worksheet 5:  More of my Routines

Print off Worksheet 5 and layout what needs to be done less frequently.  I keep a list of all the tasks that need to be accomplished less frequently than monthly in list format in my homebinder.  I have “Office Day” once a week where I refer to this list and schedule these items in my planner as I see the need or if I know I have the time.  I also keep a copy of all my daily, weekly, and monthly routines in both my homebinder and on the hidden side of my fridge for quick reference.

Worksheets for Nourishing Routines Project:

Here are all the worksheets in one place!

Yet to come…

I know all of this planning can take time, but you will be rewarded in full as you see simple tasks no longer taking up your mental bandwidth.  There will still be things that slip through the cracks, but knowing these have an assigned time to be completed will bring peace to your days.  If something is left undone, the routine will repeat itself soon enough.

There is one more last step if you have little ones.  Delegation.  We’ll dig into creating routines for our children that foster independence, establish a work ethic, and take a load off of mother’s shoulders.  I can’t wait!

Here are all the posts in this series in one place:

 

Do you have established routines in your life?  Or is this something you need to work on?

Worksheet, guide, and tips for creating routines, schedules, and habits that last: daily, morning, evening, and beyond

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