How to Create a Daily Schedule

Sometimes you realize that things have gotten a little off track in your home and it’s time for a change! I do a “daily routine makeover” a few times a year. Our home functions in a very different way depending on the season (for example, in the spring we want to be outside gardening! Winter is a time for more indoor learning). Read on to see what I do…

MAKEOVER YOUR SCHEDULE

When I sense a shift is needed within our home, I find it helpful to write out a fresh schedule for the days. This isn’t always something that I share in detail with my children, but it is a way for me to assess the way things have been and the changes I’d like to make. I find this necessary to do a couple of times a year, with the changing of seasons and also the changing of life (children’s ages and stages, husband’s work, etc.)

STEP ONE: LOOK AT THE CURRENT ROUTINE

First I take some time alone and begin to write down an outline of what our typical days currently look like. 

I use this as the basis for the schedule because I have found that it is unrealistic for me to come up with a daily routine or schedule that is completely different from what we naturally do. It is a much smoother transition to gently adjust our current days into a more productive version.

STEP TWO: ORDER THE EVENTS

On a second piece of paper, I now rewrite my notes into a more structured plan. I keep an eye out for  “anchor points”, those things that tend to happen regardless of what else may come up that day. This would be things like waking up in the morning, meal times, and any external commitments we may have.

These anchor points are natural places to create a shift in the flow of activity or pause for a quick house tidy.

When you have a plan that feels workable, you can create a copy to hang on the wall for everyone if you think that would be helpful for you and your kids. (There have been times when I have gone through this process simply to sort things out in my mind… without the intention of finishing up with a time-based schedule) 

Remind yourself (and your family!) that although things may change day to day (and therefore the schedule will too!), this provides a guideline for your days to help you accomplish the things you want in the time that you have.