I am in the process of creating a routine for work and home. This is not the first time I have tried. I realize now it all comes down to maintaining the routine.

What I have noticed what works for me is when I have some type of reminder whether it is a Post-It or an email to myself. I do notice that I have a habit of just filing tasks in my head because it's easier even though it ends in a disaster.

How do you all maintain the routine?

BTW: I know this is my second post in this part of the forum. I don't mean to double post, but I really need some advice. I can't stand this.

What works for you????? What have you tried? What parts of what you tried have been successful?

Look over all the areas of the site and I think you will see that there is not one right way to do things.

Lots of people use computers. I like my planner....I like writing it down. I am visual, am in sales with an always changing schedule and not always in front of a computer so the paper works best and is changeable as needed. Can the 8 by 11 book be a pain, yes, but in the long run it has been the best for me (even though I have a blackberry)

At home, again, look at the other areas of this site. Look at the branches in the home section for maintaining/deep cleaning. There are lots of great ideas here and lots of great people. Many of us have been here for years, so don't think it will get done overnight.

It takes 28 days to establish a routine that 'sticks.' I suggest you pick one thing that bothers you the most. For example where you put the car\hse keys. If you chose to keep keys on a carbiner [metal loop/spring gate] that attaches to your handbag you must consciously return keys to the carbiner each and every time. After several weeks you'll automatically return the keys to their 'home.'

It took a lot of buy-in and tweaking but we established a 9 PM ETE eliminate the evidence]. It has become routine for all in the household to stop whatever they were doing to spend 15 minutes putting things away and dropping backpacks and whatever is needed for morning...at the 'launch pad' [sm. bench] at the door. We've added setting out breakfast tableware and outfits for morning with limited success.

Doing the same thing every day helps me. For instance - my morning routine consists of:

Wake Up
Make Coffee
Feed the dogs
shower
dress including makeup and hair
make bed
take meds

I also have a launch pad where I keep anything that needs to go with me the next day. I had to move it to the top of my file cabinet as I have a puppy that likes to chew.

Funny you mention the 28 days time frame. I have heard that is the standard amount for something to stick. It is not by coincidence that is the period for rehab.

Shirt, welcome to GON! We are all working on the same things.

For me, the hardest part isn't establishing a routine; I like schedules and predictability. It's when the schedule itself is variable that I sometimes have trouble adapting. Let's say I normally do X in the time slot Monday from 7 to 8. If something else happens then, either by chance or something else scheduled (say some kind of meeting to go to), then what happens to what was supposed to be done in that slot? There are all kinds of things that upset our carefully planned lives, from weather to illness to power outages to unexpected other stuff.

I've heard that in some systems, if you don't get to a certain chore, wait a week and do it then. I think that depends what the chore is. I wouldn't wait a week to wash dishes! But I find that some tasks, seemingly low-priority compared to others, just get put off over and over. While I'm working on taxes, a lot is let slide.

The best way to set up routines is to schedule them, with the understanding that "life happens" and we can't expect to achieve 100% of what we intend. But maybe 80% will do. Try not to get discouraged by what might appear to be lack of progress. Overall, you are still improving.

Hi, Shirt! The 28-day rule to establish habits is so true! I think the key is to follow simplicity's advice and pick one or two things to focus on and really establish for 28 days before adding more. Baby steps, rather than trying to do everything all at once.

As far as tasks that need to be put off - that will happen, and the key is to make sure that you always do the top-priority things (like washing dishes!) before the lower-priority things (like cleaning out the junk drawer). For house cleaning, I have two different lists. One is a list of things that HAVE to be done weekly, such as dishes and laundry. The second is more of a "deep-cleaning" list. I keep that list in a page protector. There is a list for each room of my house. When I do a particular task in that room, I check it off on the page protector with a wet-erase marker. I try to focus on one room per week, and I never get the whole list done. The next time that room rolls around in my rotation, I just pick up where I left off with the un-checked tasks. When the whole list gets completed, I take a wet paper towel, wipe off all of the check marks, and start again. This way, even though I may get only 2 things done this week, 5 next week, none the week after, I know that everything on the list will get done at least 3-5 times per year!

Edited to add: I'm going to send you a private message with a website that you may find helpful.

I also have a hard time when my schedule gets rudely interrupted by life such as by a phone call or some other unpredictable thing. I have had some difficulties w/depression & on those days have figured out "survival mode"--what I actually need to do to survive--really basics. Some days that is all I do.

Then from there I can add on, but every day I do my "survival mode" tasks & add in LOTS of extra time to allow for the unexpected interruption when adding other tasks to my "to do" list.

I also keep Thursday mornings "sacred" for major cleaning & getting house in order. I often hire a friend who is a house cleaner to come on Thursday's to help me tackle everything. Then Thursday afternoons I have my individual therapy & "group therapy" (more like a class called Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) so by Thursday night the house is clean & the wife is sane so husband is usually happy to take me out to dinner!--Suzy

I do best if I have a small stack of routines, and try to be mindful of what I'm doing. Changing my behaviors is a slow process, because I need to change just one or two aspects at a time, and it also takes time to "tweak" good ideas to suit my family.

One example: my life works best if the library book box is stored in a central location. In our old home, that was under the couch side table, right next to the door. Well, in our new home, we don't have that couch, or that table, or that door! So, we've been trying the library box in various locations, and each time, it's like starting over with establishing the good habit. It's slow, since it's me and five other people's habits to form, but it will work out over time.

I like routines, but know I have to be somewhat flexible in order to accommodate LIFE. Some time is just carved out as sacrosanct, like Suzy's Thursdays. Other time is more open, and I can flex and choose.

Keep on working at it! Pick ONE habit to establish in the next 30 days, and don't get down on yourself if you miss a day. Just think, in one year, you could upgrade your life by twelve different practices or habits!

Another thing that I did when the kids were growing up was to post the routine in a couple of places. I had the master on the refrigerator - but simple ones in the bathroom, laundry room, etc.

For instance:

After taking shower - wipe off side of tub, faucets, make sure all shampoo/conditioner, liquid soap bottles closed, close shower door/curtain hang towel.

Pick up dirty clothes and place in hamper

dry sink after brushing teeth. (My pet peeve - I hate a wet sink)

---------------------------
On their bedroom doors -

1. make bed
2. pick up shoes/books/etc off the floor - we had a dog that loved to chew
3. any dishes such as glasses taken to kitchen and put in dishwasher


You get the point. That way you are training yourself and the family at the same time. Just remember REWARDS for them as they work through learning the routine.