Morning To Do

Oct
02

31 days to {a better} ordinary :: day 2 ~ morning to do redo

I'm a huge supporter of having a Morning To Do List. I've talked about it. I've written about it. I've even added it to my sidebar. I think having a list of routine tasks to be accomplished every morning is a good thing. It keeps a home relatively clean and in order even if everything else seems to be falling apart.

Now, are you ready for some honest reality? I haven't been following my list lately. I've fallen off the wagon, and it shows. My bathrooms may or may not be clean at any given moment, the dishes are often piled up on the kitchen counter until the ~~afternoon~~ evening, and I rarely finish the laundry before bedtime. And don't even ask about my poor plants.

I think routines are key to having an ordinary life that leaves room for enjoyable things. But a routine is only beneficial if it works for you. My Morning To Do List isn't working for me right now. I've tried quite a few times to start back up again, but something about it just isn't working. I need to take a closer look and find a solution.

Most of the time when a routine isn't working, it's caused by one of two things (or a combination of both):

My expectations are too high.
I'm not properly managing my time.

I need to find out what my problem is and fix it. Soon. The process for evaluating a list that isn't working is pretty much the same as starting a new list, so whether you already have one or are starting from scratch, feel free to join me in figuring out a usable morning routine.

--List everything that should be done in a normal morning.

Quiet Time

Drink Water

Dressed, Make-Up, Hair

--Make a note of how much time each list item will take to complete. Then add a couple extra minutes to everything. I don't know about you, but just as soon as I start a task that I expect to take five minutes, someone will ask me for something. Anything. Everything. Happens every time, and suddenly I'm distracted into chaos.

--Make a basic time schedule. At the top of your paper, jot down the latest time you get up in the morning. It's best to begin with a later, more reasonable time than to set the bar too high and end up starting every day behind. Down the left side of the page write a time schedule using small intervals (maybe ten or fifteen minutes). The last time written should be the time you plan to be done. I want my morning list finished shortly after we begin our homeschool lessons.

--Next, fill in any other tasks that didn't get written on your morning list, but still need done. For me, I'll write down the time I spend making my older son's lunch, driving him to school, and visiting with my hubby before he leaves for work. You might include feeding the baby, dressing your toddler, or going for a jog.

--Finally, plug the morning tasks into the schedule using the time estimates as a guide. This was hard for me. Very hard. In the end, I might not follow it exactly, but at least I have an idea of how to fit everything in. This exercise made it quite clear that getting up earlier in the morning will help my entire day go better. But, I still made my schedule using a later wake-up time. I would rather be happy that I'm ahead than stressed that I'm buried under an unattainable list.

--Test. Adjust. Repeat. I'll spend this week trying out my list and schedule. As I go along, I'll add tasks I didn't realize I do every day, and I'll move things around to accommodate how much time things actually take to complete. Nothing is written in stone. Unless, of course, you really did use a big rock and chisel. Personally, I prefer my iPad or piece of paper.

My Morning To Do List is essential to creating {a better} ordinary. I'm excited to try it out. Wish me luck!

How about you? Do you already have a Morning To Do List? Are you going to start one? Share!

Click to find out more about 31 days to {a better} ordinary.

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Jan
12

Morning To Do: Water Plants

My husband likes to tease that our kids should be glad they're not plants. I'm pretty good at taking care of kids. Plants, on the other hand, don't fare so well at my house.

I want my plants to thrive, yet my good intentions usually get lost somewhere between washing the breakfast dishes and putting the kids to bed at night. I think I'll remember to water them. I try to remember to water them. But I don't.

In an effort to show pity toward my poor little plants, I added "Water Plants" to my Morning To Do List. They may not need a drink every day, but at least I'm reminded to check on them and give them a splash when needed.

I'll admit that they still look rather pitiful, but maybe one day they'll be beautiful and lush and green. Hey, it doesn't hurt to dream!

Jan
11

Back to Basics: Morning To Do List

There are days when the sun seems to be shining in through every window, we're working hard while having fun, and all is well in the world. Ahhhh. Then there are the other kind of days. You know the ones I'm talking about. There are those days when a dark cloud seems to be hanging overhead, even the simplest of tasks are impossible, grumbling and tears flow freely, and my world starts falling apart. Ugh!

Of course, most of my days fall somewhere in between.

But no matter what kind of day I'm having, my Morning To Do List is the duct tape that keeps my days and weeks from falling apart. It keeps me focused on the few "must do" tasks in each day, and it keeps my home running smoothly.

Some days, finishing this list may be my only accomplishment, and it might become more of an "All Day To Do" than just a morning list. This isn't ideal, but some days are just like that. If my Morning To Do gets done, I can be confident that we'll at least have a few clean clothes, there will be something to eat for dinner, and I'll likely be showered and dressed.

If you don't have a morning routine that you follow, today is the perfect day to make one. You just might be amazed at how it can pull together all those loose ends that characterize your day. Take a moment right now to write down three or four things that you do (or should do) every morning. Write them down in the order you'd like to do them. It can be a simple as:

Spend the rest of this week trying to do each thing on your list. Every morning. Next week, add a couple more things until you have a workable list. Warning: Resist the urge to make a wish list of the twenty things you want to get done! That's not what this list is about. It's about reality. It's about the things that you can actually do on a normal day before the morning runs out.

If you need some ideas and tips on a few valuable morning tasks, here's my personal list. It can also be found through the Getting Started link or on the right side of the page for a quick reference.

MORNING TO DO LIST
--Quiet Time
--Drink Water
--Dressed, Make-Up, Hair
--Make Bed
--Kitchen and Dishes
--Wipe Up Bathrooms
--Start Laundry
--Water Plants
--Early Meal Prep

What kind of morning tasks help your day get started off on the right foot? Tell us about it in the comments. The more wisdom the merrier!

Linked to Works for Me Wednesday.

Oct
07

Morning & Daily To Do: Drink Water

Must. Have. Water. I can almost picture the cells in my body crawling across the desert in search of water. I can easily live in a constant state of dehydration. I get so used to it that I no longer notice or even feel thirsty. It's as though I stop listening to my body, so it finally stops asking. Sad, but true. It isn't until I decide to be intentional about my water consumption, that my body starts telling me to drink up.

For the first couple days of getting my water quota, I have to force myself to drink another glass, and I feel like I'm running to the bathroom every ten minutes (I think my system doesn't know what to do with all that liquid). But after a couple days of forcing down the H20, my body begins talking to me again. I start feeling thirsty nearly all the time, even though I'm drinking several cups more water each day than I was the week before. And the potty trips slow down, too (thankfully!).

Adding "Drink water" to your To Do List can help you remember to start your morning and afternoon with a tall glass of water. As a matter of fact, I usually drink a full glass before I have my morning cup of tea during my quiet time. It feels good to do such a simple thing for your health. Your body will thank you for it!

Feb
09

Morning To Do List

Do you ever start a discussion with someone after you've already had the first part of the conversation in your own head? You assume that the other person knows exactly what you're talking about...until you notice their confused stare. It suddenly occurs to you that maybe, just maybe, their mind reading powers were temporarily turned off. And maybe, just maybe, you should begin the discussion again. From the beginning.

Well, that's sort of what happeed when I began explaining the different elements of my Morning To Do List. I jumped right into the "how" without discussing the "what" or "why" of it all. So, let's rewind and begin again. And this time, let's start at the beginning.

Some people think routines are boring, restrictive, confining. I, on the other hand, think they're freeing. If I follow the same basic plan every day, then I don't have to think about it. And honestly, folks, one less thing begging for a share of my already short memory is a blessing. Enter: my Morning To Do List. This list, which you can see at the right side of the page, contains some things that must be done every day, and other things that simply help my world go 'round if they are done every day. Most of them are things I would do even if they weren't written on a list. But now, I don't have to think about them. They've just become routine. That's how I like it. I've got more than enough excitement during my day.

When I first started doing a Morning To Do List, I typed it out and put it in a plastic page protector. Every morning I would cross off each item with a dry erase marker as I went along. Even though I don't need the list right in front of me anymore, I still find it helpful to glance at the box at the right side of the page, just to be sure I didn't miss anything. You may have other things that need added to your list. Do you need to pack lunches or walk the dog? Put them on your list.

If you need some ideas and tips on a few valuable morning tasks, here's my personal list. It can also be found through the Getting Started link or on the right side of the page for a quick reference.

MORNING TO DO LIST
--Quiet Time
--Drink Water
--Dressed, Make-Up, Hair
--Make Bed
--Kitchen and Dishes
--Wipe Up Bathrooms
--Start Laundry
--Water Plants
--Early Meal Prep

That's what works for me. You can read more ideas over at Works For Me Wednesday.

Feb
08

Morning To Do: Early Meal Prep

There are two questions I'm asked at least once a day by each of my three children. Maybe the same words echo in your home too: "What's for lunch?" and "What's for dinner?" Hopefully, we won't wait until those questions are asked to figure out the answers.

Take a few minutes each morning to think about the day's meals. If you have a menu plan, take a quick look at what's needed for today and tomorrow. Does meat need thawed out? Can you go ahead and chop up tonight's veggies while the kids are playing quietly?

Also consider if anything needs prepared for tomorrow. Do you need to soak the beans for tomorrow's lunch or make some chicken stock for dinner? No more "I don't know" answers to those mealtime questions.

Now, if only we can come up with answers to the other one hundred ninety-eight questions we'll be asked today...