Have you noticed that towards the end of the day it becomes more difficult to make decisions? You are too busy trying to figure out what’s for dinner or what you want to watch on TV. This is because we all have a finite number of decisions we can make on a given day.
Knowing this helps us to set priorities. We can save ourselves a lot of choices if we adopt habits and routines. In this way we save them for the important things. It also frees up brain space for more creative and productive thinking. Routines are a great tool that makes our lives easier and saves us a lot of our daily stress.
Chances are that you already have a morning routine. You get up, get your coffee, read the newspaper or check your emails and make a toast before you take a shower. Let us explain this in more detail. If you design a “uniform” for yourself, you don’t even have to think about what to wear. You just grab a pair of pants and a shirt or a skirt, pantyhose and a sweater and take them off.
Implement some routines in your work day wherever possible. Meal planning will help you figure out what meals you should prepare and eat. A cleaning schedule will ensure that you stay on track with your chores without having to use valuable decision making skills.
End your day with a bedtime routine that not only helps you when you’re too tired to make smart decisions, but also helps you fall asleep. What works for your toddler, works for you.
Start with a few chores that will make the next morning easier. A good example of this is making sure that the kitchen is clean and the children’s school supplies are in order. Think of some calming things that will help you slow down and prepare for sleep. Read a book, listen to music or relax with a cup of herbal tea.
Sit down with a pen and a piece of paper and think about which parts of your day and week you can turn into routine. Write them down and create daily task lists for yourself until you have established these new habits and routines.
If you spend a little time creating routines and habits, your day will go much smoother. You may be less stressed and able to do more during your productive hours. And that’s a beautiful thing. You can save yourself a lot of decision-making for the fun things like figuring out which park to go to, which family movie to watch, or which board game to play.
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