If you feel like you constantly forget things, your to-do list is always a mile long, and you are stressed more days than not, it’s time to look at your routines.
Routines don’t have to be boring and mundane. No routines can be simple and easy and give you more time to do the things you enjoy or rest.
In this episode, I will share the three essential routines that all moms need. Plus, I will share a few more routines if you have the top 3 down pack.
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Links Mentioned in This Episode
- Episode 73 – Routines and Home Management Systems to Simplify Your Life
- Growth Day
- Episode 122 of Routine and Things
- Home-Life-Trello
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Transcript of this Episode
Toni-Ann Mayembe 0:00
If you feel like you’re constantly forgetting things, or your To Do lists is always a mile long, and you’re stressed more days than not, it’s time to look at your routines that you see routines don’t have to be boring and mundane. No routines can be simple and easy and actually allow you to have more time to do the things you enjoy, or just get some rest. In this episode, I’m going to be sharing with you three essential routines that all moms need. Plus, I’ll share a few more routines that if you have those central ones down pack, there’s some more that you can actually level and do even more. My name is Toni-Ann. And I am the host of the real happy mom Podcast. I’m a full time working mom here to help busy working moms who need help with time management, achieving their big goals without pulling their hair out. And in this episode, I’m going to share with you some routines to help you do just that. Let’s go ahead and jump on in. Before we dive into this episode, if you have been a longtime listener and never left a rating, or review, I invite you to do that today. Leaving a five star rating review literally takes you just a few seconds. So all you have to just hit pause and scroll down to where you see the stars and leave rate and review. And go ahead and hit that rock star if you don’t mind, because it helps me out more than you know. And honestly sometimes I feel like I’m talking to myself. So it’s helpful to know that the things that I’m sharing here on this podcast are helpful for you. And on top of that, it gets the message out to other moms that this is a great podcast to listen to, and gets the reach out even more. So even that rate and review helps me out so so much. And I’d be so grateful if you would do that for me today. Now, when I first became a mom, I had this idea in my head that motherhood would look a certain way. And I will never forget running around trying to do everything in the house. Not really having any rhyme or reason. But just feeling stressed out most of the time. And the problem was is I was trying to do everything. But there was no order to it. There was no structure, it was just like I was putting out fires most of the day. And because there was only a short amount of time that the baby was sleeping, a lot of times I knew I had a few minutes to get some things done. But because I looked around and felt so defeated, I would just pick up my phone and start scrolling, just to pass the time away and to kind of ease my anxiousness. And then I learned about routines. In particular, these three routines that I’m going to share with you. And they have completely changed the way I’ve operated throughout the day, and caused me to be less stressed because I know exactly when things are going to happen during the day. And I know that everything will get done. Now before we jump into those routines, I know you’re probably thinking, well, Tony and like why routines? Well, there’s a lot of benefits to routines, let me tell you, they can help you when times are unpredictable, especially when there’s times of uncertainty, like when there was a pandemic. They can help when you are stressed so that you can have that predictability in your life routines actually help with reducing the amount of decisions that you make throughout the day, which I talked about extensively when I talk about another routine that I love talking about, in particular, about decision fatigue, because a lot of times as mom, we have so many decisions that we have to make. And if we can eliminate a lot of those decisions, it will help prevent us from getting to the point of decision fatigue, which leaves us at a point where we either don’t make decisions or make really poor choices. So routines help with reducing the amount of decisions that we have to make each day. Also, it helps prevent those long to do lists. Because if you have routines already in place, you don’t need to have a super long to do list. And you don’t need to feel like you constantly need to brain dump all the time, because you have so many things that you need to get done. Because you have routines that are taking care of all those things. Also, routines help us to stay on track, both mentally and physically. They also help with creating a sense of manageability in our lives, and also helps to free up some space in our minds so that we can actually be more creative. Now I know for kids, you know all of the benefits. For kids, it’s really, really important that kids have routines because it helps them to feel like they’re in control in their environment. They feel safe and secure and comfortable. They also know what is happening and what’s going to come next. And they know how to do certain activities because they are used to doing things in a certain way in a certain fashion. And it also helps with engaging with learning. So now that I share with you all of the benefits of routines and why it’s so important for us as moms and for the kids, so Do have routines. Let’s talk about those three essential routines. Now I know you’ve been hearing me talk about them. And you’re wondering what are those three essential routines, Tony. And well, those three central routines that I think that all moms should have are a really good morning routine, an evening routine, and a Sunday routine. Now, a morning routine, I feel like is really, really helpful in setting the intention for the day and getting you in the right headspace. But honestly, things actually start the day before. So in episode number 73, I talked to Kiana and she said it best when she said that a key to a good morning routine is an evening routine. And having an evening routine helps to minimize the work that you need to do in the morning. So you can focus on setting those intentions and the tone for the day with your morning routine. So what are some of those things that consider for your evening routine, some of those things will be like getting your lunches ready for the next day, looking and seeing what’s for breakfast for the next day, even getting out dinner for the next day. So for me, I know sometimes like tomorrow, we’re gonna have some chicken and rice, I need to take the chicken out of the freezer can start to thaw out. So I’ll take the chicken out, put it in the refrigerator, let it thaw out. So I’ll have it ready to go for the next day. Even just simply getting the punches pretty much set up. Not necessarily saying that you have to like pack the lunches. But getting things ready to go helps to minimize what you need to do in the morning. And then also helps so that you don’t have to make decisions in the morning and use up that brainpower that I was talking about that eventually leads to decision fatigue if you’re making too many decisions. Some other things that you can do in the evening is just kind of reviewing the day checking off to do list. Also, I like to journal, it really helps to get some of those things out of my mind. And onto paper. And it’s really therapeutic. If you haven’t tried it, definitely do that. Another thing that you can do is just simply just tidying up. And tidying up is something that you’ll hear me talk about often with some of these routines, because I feel like a lot of times moms get frustrated when their house is looking a mess. And they want their house to look clean. Or they say they want their house to look clean. But many times they just want their house to be tidy. So for me, when I think of clean, I’m thinking of scrubbing the floors, getting all the dirt and the grime out, you know, wiping everything down, getting everything super nice, clean. So you can like pretty much eat up the floors. That’s what I’m thinking about when I’m saying clean. But a lot of times moms just want the house to be tidy. Because how many times do you come in a room and it’s just a complete mess, and you feel like you’re about to lose it because the house is a mess again. So dissembling tidying things up. Just putting things back into the right place will help with feeling like you are going to lose it because the house is a mess again. And remember, you don’t have to do all of this yourself, you can get the help of the kids and your partner to help with getting things back in order and getting things tidy. So like I said, what the evening routine is all about setting things up and getting things ready for the next day. We want to really get ourselves in a place where everything is ready to go. So God forbid, the alarm does not go off on time, you can quickly get ready and be out of the door in record time without feeling like you forgot anything. Some other things that you can consider. And your evening routine would be things like having some family time. Also doing some one on one time with the kids, it could just be something really simple and easy. Also checking your calendar to see what you have going on for the next day. And prepping anything that you need, and making sure it’s out and ready. also reviewing any communication from the kids school, because how many times have they sent out reminders for different spirit days and different activities that they have. And those things have gone unnoticed. So checking the backpack helps out a lot so you can know exactly what’s going on. And then lastly, helping the kids get their backpacks ready for the next school day. So again, evening routine, it’s all about getting things ready for the next day. Now the morning routine for me is all about setting the intentions for the day. Like how do you want your day to go? So for me, I love to spend my time utilizing growth day. girthy is a personal development app developed by Brendan Bouchard,
who is my coach while I say he’s my coach in my head. I can’t afford it Brendon, but I love Brendon and all the things that he shares, but I spend time just listening to some of his Personal development workshops or just some quick, daily kind of motivational things to kind of get my mind in the right place, because sometimes I wake up and I will not be in the mood for doing anything. But getting my mind in the right spot with actually listening to some of the daily fires, or even some of the workshops on girls day are super, super beneficial. So what are some things that you can do to get your mind and get you in the right intention and setting the right tone for the day? Could it be taking a walk? Could it be stretching or drinking some water? Could it be making sure that you’re having some really good snacks ready to go so that you’re not automatically grabbing for your watch? And we’ll call it or the chips, because those are like my favorite things, which my colleagues are everything to me. But anyways, what can you do to get yourself set up and in the right tone and intention for the day. So think about that when you’re developing your morning routine. So remember, like I said, the evening routine is going to help you with getting things ready for the morning. So all you’re doing in the morning is setting your intentions for the day, and getting things are off to a good start. Now, the last routine that I love, love talking about that I feel like is essential for working moms with little kids is a Sunday routine. Now a Sunday routine is something that I’ve talked about on previous episodes. But I’m just going to quickly run through some of the things to include in your Sunday routine. Now all the Sunday routine is for is really just helping to get you ready for the week. So again, you’re not making so many decisions throughout the day, and the week. So some of the simple things that I like to do on Sundays to get me ready for the week is really five core things, there’s a lot of other things that you can add to it. But five core things to do on Sundays to help prepare for the week. And that is cleaning out your purse or your bag, whatever you’re taking to work every day. Because a lot of things accumulate in there, you need to get those things out. And sometimes you may find some hidden gems or an extra dollar at the bottom of your purse. So go ahead and clean that out. The next thing is getting your clothes ready for the week, so that you don’t have to think about what you’re wearing. And if this matches with that, or if that shirt has a snag in it or holding it. What am I going to do now, because I don’t have another shirt to replace it. So really getting your clothes out, making sure everything is ready and good to go for the week. The third thing is meal planning or meal prepping for the week. So I just like to make a simple menu for the week looking at what is already in the refrigerator. So I look and see what we already have going on and put together a menu Monday through Friday or Saturday depending on how things are going. And write out what the kids and I are having for breakfast, lunch and dinner. So I know exactly what we’re having each day. So I don’t have to worry about what to cook because it’s already on the menu, you can take it a step further and go ahead and start prepping some of those things. So that things are ready to go for the week. And that’s something that I have been trying to work on. And I’ve been so proud of myself because I’ve actually been meal prepping. And it’s been a lifesaver. And only it’s been a couple of hours. And it saves me tons of time throughout the week in the kitchen. The fourth thing to do and your Sunday routine is planning out your week. So you want to look at everyone’s calendar, including your partner, your kids, look at the calendar and see what they have going on. And make sure that there’s no schedule conflicts, make sure that you have everything ready to go that you’re prepared for the week. Like for me, my work, we tend to have potlucks once a month. So I need to know what they were having the potlucks where there’s a meeting, I need to know what day the meeting is on, so that I can have things prepared and ready to go. So never ever surprised what is going on in the week. Because I’ve already checked everyone’s schedule. I know exactly what’s going on. So I’m ready to go. And then the last and final thing to do on Sunday to get you ready for the week is restarting your devices, because we rely on our devices so much throughout the week. And one thing that sucks is when your devices are running slow or when your devices are constantly crashing. And it’s because there’s so many applications running in the background. So restarting your devices helps to close everything out so your devices can run smoothly without the crashes and without the updates in the middle of you trying to get on a zoom call or the sudden crash when you’re trying to make a call or trying to give someone some information. So let me run through those really quick as far as the Sunday routine. So you want to clean out your purse, get your clothes ready for the week. Get the meals planned and prepped possibly. Then you want to plan out your week and your schedule for what you have going on. And then lastly, restarting your devices. So I just went over to the three main routines that you need. If you are a busy working mom, I know that there is a lot going on and having these three routines were really helped to make things a whole lot better for you. Now, before you go in, and you try to overhaul everything that you have going on, looking at what you’re doing in your routines right now, before you try to change anything, what are things that are going well, what are some things that are not going so well, and start to see some of the small things that you can begin to tweak so that you can have that great morning routine, or have that evening routine that sets you up for the next day? Or have that awesome Sunday routine so that your weeks run smoothly? And then also, you want to look at your routines that you already have right now? And see what is the outcome that you’re looking to achieve? So in your morning routine, are you looking to feel a little bit more energized? Are you looking to feel a little bit more at ease? What is it that you’re looking to achieve with these routines, and really start to kind of work from there on developing what you want to do in those routines so that you can be doing something that’s working for you and not just something that Tony told you to do on episode 195. Now, if you have those three routines, and they are down packed, and you’re like okay, Tony, yeah, I’ve got that I’ve got that everything is running good. Here are a couple other routines to think about and to see if you can begin to incorporate into your days and weeks. Having an after school routine, so things that you are doing with the kids after they get home from school, so that they are not just throwing everything down and running off and making a mess somewhere. So the kids know exactly where to put their their backpacks. They know how to unpack everything, take their lunchboxes, put them wherever it needs to be, whatever it is, that is going to help make things easier for you after school. Another routine is having a cleaning routine so that you’re not having to feel like you’re cleaning every single day. The next one is having a weakened reset routine. So something that helps you to kind of reset and get ready for Mondays so that you’re going into the week feeling refreshed. Another routine that I actually started incorporating is a beauty routine. And this is just something that you’re doing to how to take care of your your skin, your nails your hair, just so that you’re always feeling and looking like your best because there’s nothing worse than feeling like your hair is a mess and you’re just looking super raggedy. And it’s because you just haven’t had any time to really spend on yourself getting those things down pack. So having a beauty routine so that you are making sure that you are keeping your hair looking nice and making sure your nails are at least trimmed and looking presentable. Because we always want to look our best so that we can feel our best. So having a beauty routine is really a fun way to make sure that everything is taken care of. Next one is having a workout routine. You all know that having a workout routine, even if it’s just something you do at home can really be beneficial. And then a laundry routine. This is one thing that I have heard many different ways of doing laundry. When of my friends Ashley from routine and things she has an episode, Episode 122, where she talks about her laundry routine. So if you’re like Tony, and my laundry is a mess here, check that episode out and see if that helps. And then lastly, a couple others are having some seasonal routines, travel routines, spiritual routines, tidy routines. Again, all of these routines are just kind of next level to really make things even easier and even better for you for your days and
weeks. So that is it for this episode. I know I shared a lot with you today. If you are driving or doing laundry, or you’re just out and about and you are not able to write any of these things down, don’t fret, just head on over to Real happy mom.com/ 195. And there you’ll find the show notes, and everything that I mentioned there. Now before I leave, I really want you to know about this awesome resource that I have for you called home life Trello. And I know that we are still at the beginning of the year, and you probably got this new planner, thinking it was going to help you to be super organized. Or maybe you’re feeling like oh, if I follow exactly what that productivity growth is teaching. Maybe I’ll finally be this productivity ninja that I’ve always wanted to be. But you find yourself not having enough time. You’re not getting anything cross off your to do list. I have a solution for you because I have been there. And I have found an awesome resource called Trello that has helped to transform the way I’m doing things in my days or weeks. Now if you haven’t heard of Trello Trello is a free app that helps you to get things organized and free For me, it helps to get my brain organized in a way that makes sense. Now Trello has been the reason why I’ve had much success at home and with real happy mom because of the systems that I created, all of which you can find in my new resource called home like Trello. Home like Trello is a system for various areas of your life that includes video courses, and other systems all wrapped up in one. It is a system that you need all box together so that you can show up like a boss at work and at home. So give yourself the gift of home life Trello and a peace of mind knowing that there is a 14 day money back guarantee by getting home like Trello so head on over to rob him on.com/trello to go ahead and snag it. I promise you, you will love it and if you don’t again, 14 day money back guarantee. All right. Now that is it for this week’s episode. Stay tuned for next week for another full episode. Take care and with lots of love
