Create your own daily routine in three easy steps and start feeling prepared each and every day.
The hardest part of staying at home is keeping up with EVERYTHING.
Kids. Laundry. Marriage. Friends.
Sometimes it feels like I’m at a circus, just spinning plates.
Once I get one plate started, another one is about to topple to the ground.
I save that plate, and then yet another plate starts to wobble.
One thing that’s really helped me get through each day is having a daily routine.
Routine Is Important
When Ben and I first started Entertain Your Toddler, we had a newborn and a two-year-old that I was home alone with all day.
The first two months, I spent nearly the whole time focused solely on keeping the three of us alive while Ben was at work.
We were surviving, but we weren’t thriving.
My breakthrough came when I finally got tired of reacting to every event and wanted to be proactive and have a real plan for each day.
What’s a Routine?
A routine is not the same as a schedule.
Routines aren’t necessarily set by time, but are things you do in a particular order.
They are predictable, yet flexible. Which is great for me, because I hate being locked into things and I enjoy having space to be spontaneous.
A daily routine is something I was eventually able to do on auto-pilot, which freed up a lot of my mental energy.
When you know what’s coming next, you can plan and prepare for it.
Being prepared makes me feel like a superstar, and I hope it will help you, too.
The Three Steps to Creating a Daily Routine
Creating a daily routine is very simple.
I came up with these three steps to get you started:
- List the things that need to happen each day.
- Put them in an order that makes sense for you.
- Practice this routine every day until it becomes habit.
Let’s dive into the details of each step.
Step One: List the things that need to happen each day.
What do you do every day? Let’s make a list!
In your list, write all the things you (and your kids) HAVE to do.
Here are a few examples:
- eat breakfast/lunch/dinner
- naps
- chores, such as dishes, laundry, etc.
- take kids to school
Next, write the things you WANT to do or that you want to have time for each of your kids to do.
These can be general activities such as:
- independent play time
- Mom/Dad time
- family time
- craft time
For my girls, organized play and family time are both a big help to keeping us all sane.
I make sure they get a good dose of both each day using an activity plan like the ones in our Activity Playbook.
Step Two: Put the Events in Order
This is where your routine will sort of look like a schedule for a minute.
It’s helpful to write the hours of your day in 15 minute or half hour increments just for this step.
Then you just plug and chug.
Start with anything that has a set, non-negotiable time.
For instance, we have preschool at 8:30 AM and naps starting at 1 PM or 1:30 PM, so I would write these events in those time slots.
Next, figure out where mealtimes fall in and write those down.
Then work in the other things that HAVE to be done.
Take time to think about this one because you’ll want to put things where they make sense for you.
Like, I find it easiest to wash dishes while the kids are doing independent play in the living room.
Last, find places for events that you want to do or start doing.
(Like doing fun play activities already chosen for you in The Monthly Variety Packs!)
Sidenotes
It’s OK to have different routines on different days.
Also, if you’re managing the schedules for multiple children, it’s helpful to to make separate schedules for them and then merge it all into a master daily routine.
Step Three: Follow Your New Routine
This is the hardest part. Follow your new routine.
Type it out in a note on your phone, or write it and keep it on the fridge where you will see it every day.
Test drive the routine for a week.
Give yourself room to change things that aren’t working.
Remember, a routine is supposed to make life easier, not more complicated.
If you need more time between events, give yourself space.
Our Family’s Daily Routine
This is our current daily routine on preschool days (3 days a week). During the colder months, going out might happen later and playing outside may become playing inside.
I’m going to add times to give you a rough estimate of how long we spend in each part of the day.
7 AM – Wake, get dressed, eat breakfast
7:30 AM – Kids independent play time while I clean the kitchen
8:00 AM – Drop Elena off at preschool
8:30 AM – Go out (to the park, grocery store, go for a walk, etc.) with Lia
10:00 AM – Snacks and potty break
10:15 AM – Organized activity or play in the yard
11:00 AM – Pick Elena up from preschool
11:45 AM – Wash, eat lunch, clean up
12:00 PM – Watch TV while I do random chores
12:30 PM – Read together
1:00 PM – Nap time
3:30/4 PM – Wake and do an activity or have TV time until Dad comes home from work
4:30 PM – Playtime with Dad while I start dinner
5:30 PM – Dinner and dishes
6:00 PM – Family time (outside when possible)
7:30 PM – Bed time
And here’s what we do on non-preschool days (twice a week).
7 AM – Wake, get dressed, eat breakfast
7:30 AM – Kids independent play time while I clean the kitchen
8:00 AM – Organized activity time
8:30 AM – Go out (to the park, grocery store, go for a walk, etc.)
10:00 AM – Snacks and potty break
10:15 AM – Free play (kids pick what they want to do) or play in the yard
11:45 AM – Wash, eat lunch, clean up
12:00 PM – Watch TV while I do random chores
12:30 PM – Read together
1:00 PM – Nap time
3:30/4 PM – Wake and independent play or TV time until Dad comes home from work
4:30 PM – Playtime with Dad while I start dinner
5:30 PM – Dinner and dishes
6:00 PM – Family time (outside when possible)
7:30 PM – Bed time
It all looks so nice and neat on paper (or… screen, I guess?), but it’s really not always so tidy.
Some parts of the day might overtake others or might get cut short if we’re struggling.
Whatever works and makes our day happier and easier for everyone.
What does Your Day Look Like?
What do your daily routines look like? Leave a comment below and share!