Daily, Weekly & Monthly Routines To Help Achieve Your Goals
Hi friend! Can you believe we’re already in March?! It feels like the first two months of the year went fast and here we are, about to head out for Spring Break in a couple of weeks!
If you’ve been here for long, you know I love to be productive and get things done, but I also like to be intentional about how I spend my time. I can get lost in the concept of “slow living” but I also know that, in my life, sometimes I have to hustle in the present so I can savor the down time in the future.
It’s the reason I like to wake up early, at least 30 minutes to an hour before the kids so I can have quiet alone time. I sit and enjoy the silence with my hot cup of coffee, a good book and my journal. I’ve been trying to meditate too, but I still haven’t been that consistent with it.
Then, once the kids are up, it’s a household in motion, three bodies working to get out the door to school on time. From there, I usually get a workout in, come home, shower, eat and start my workday.
Sometimes my mom helps by picking up the kids from school, sometimes it’s my turn and we also have sports practices after school. Of course, there’s homework and dinner and cleanup and getting some play time in there too.
By the time I get my young daughter into bed, I’m usually tired too and we lay down together. I will read or watch a video on my ipad until I fall asleep.
Many habits and routines carry me throughout my day and help me get most of the things accomplished that I need to do.
These habits and routines feel like they’re on autopilot most of the time since they tend to be so familiar. Wash, rinse, repeat.
If you read the book, Atomic Habits, you may recall these important notes: success is the product of daily habits and goals are about the results you want to achieve. Systems (routines) are about the processes that lead to those results.
My goals include raising my family, taking care of my health and fitness, supporting myself and my family through my work, keeping an organized and tidy home. But those goals only happen when I put daily, weekly and monthly routines in place.
I started jotting down all the routines and things that happen on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Here goes!
MY ROUTINES
MORNING ROUTINE
*morning routine video here
Hue lightbulbs turn on at 5:45 a.m.
Wake up and get out of bed
Take vitamins in the bathroom
Weigh myself (I’m currently on a fitness challenge)
Take Luke out
Make coffee in this cup that stays hot
Prepare water bottles
Sit on the couch
Meditate with Headspace app
Jordan usually wakes up and we have some snuggle time together
6:30 a.m., I wake up James
Get myself ready (wash face, brush hair & teeth, put on Vitamin C serum, moisturizer, and sunscreen, mascara, get dressed in workout clothes)
Make the bed
Tidy kitchen
Take kids to school
Exercise (video here)
GET READY ROUTINE
Shower – always start washing the left arm first. Is that weird or do you do something similar?
Dry off
Apply body lotion
*sometimes listen to a YouTube video while I get ready
Get dressed
EATING ROUTINE
I generally eat:
Before or after workout depending on what time I workout
Then at 12:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m.
Try not to eat anything after dinner, if hungry, have Greek yogurt with fruit
*I usually take Luke outside every time I go downstairs to eat
WORK ROUTINE
Clear off desk
Open Teux Deux app to see weekly tasks
Open daily paper planner and make edits
Chat with Rhonda about the day’s tasks – this could be a whole other post with routines for how I try on clothes, prepare Tuesday Goodies, Amazon Live, my content calendar, blog posts, collaborations, Instagram, Facebook posts, Pinterest,
For example, when I try on clothes for a dressing room post, here’s the routine:
DRESSING ROOM TRY ON ROUTINE
Make sure I’ve done my hair and makeup
Clothes are hung on rolling rack by retailer
Assemble head to toe outfit and accessories
Take one full body photo
Take a close up photo
Record video of outfit
Edit photos
Upload photos to blog
Write captions
EVENING ROUTINE
Family dinner together, without devices, if possible
Get outside with Jordan while she plays basketball
Always clean kitchen before bed
Nothing on the counters
Shine sink
Tidy living room
Fill water bottle for next day’s workout
Prepare any kid’s papers
Plan next day
BEFORE BED ROUTINE
Put on pajamas
Take out contacts
Brush teeth
Lay out next morning’s workout clothes
WEEKLY ROUTINES
I have certain things I calendar in my Teux Deux app to do every week, not necessarily on the same day
Clean front and back patios, wipe down walls/ceiling fans, railings, grill, table and chairs, sweep
Clear photos off phone (this app helps)
Wash bedsheets
Housekeeper once a week
Take out trash/recycling
Pull weeds or trim bushes
Declutter as I go, more of a daily thing
SUNDAY ROUTINE
Grocery delivery
Plan the week on paper
Wash laundry, fold, put away
MONTHLY ROUTINES
Budget
Month end blog review
Create blog content calendar for next month
Review calendar for dental/doctor visits/hair/nail appointments
DAILY
Special mama Jordan time – 15 minutes uninterrupted time without phones, her choice
James tuck in time – check in on James before bed, chat a bit
Family dinner – a goal, not always reality with sports and such
When I see all of these habits/routines laid out in one place it’s no wonder we often feel overworked and overwhelmed. There’s a lot of stuff to do to keep the home and family and work life going. Not to mention, trying to fit those workouts in!
That is precisely why I try to relax and nap on the weekends. We do have sports, but I try to get one afternoon weekend nap in when the house is quiet and everyone is chilling. That always feels so good!
I think what helps keep these routines up the most is my making sure we get enough sleep and planning the week out in advance every Sunday.
Do some of our routines look similar? I would love to hear what kind of routines you have in place and how they help you get through your days.
And a gentle reminder- I’ll be announcing a winner for my February Loves Giveaway tomorrow! Subscribe here to enter!
Have a fantastic day friend!
I am certainly happy that this works for you but I could never live like this. It is far too structured for me and my family and I need plenty of flexibility and spontaneity.
I wish I was more like that- only in smaller doses here!
That’s so sweet you have morning snuggle time. Snuggle time means so much to my little one. And I’ve meant to comment before that I LOVE that you have the confidence to support her in being just who she is! I think others would shy away mentioning that or try to make her into a mini-me. She’s lucky to have you as a Mom!
It’s funny how you never know how your kids’ personalities will be once they’re here. She sure knows what she likes and I can appreciate that about her even though it’s not what I would have chosen. I just adore her. I learn a lot from my kids.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this type of blog post. Thanks for putting so much time into it. I love to see how others fit it all in every day. I love how you keep the main things a priority.
Thanks so much for that Kelly! It’s wild to see it all written out and then I still feel like there’s a few things I forgot to mention! 😉
I also love this type of content. It’s very motivating to me. I admire what you are able to accomplish. You are an amazing mom and your children reflect that. Love your book recommendations. I also have read most of the books you have written about which I have loved. David Goggins is definitely up there. You are a beautiful person inside and out. I am grateful that I found your blog as I continue to grow and be my best self. Big thank you for making a difference in my life.
Oh Nanci! What a sweet compliment. I appreciate that so much, really. I’m also highly motivated by David Goggins- I’ve read both of his books now. I hope you have an awesome day. Thank you for being here!
I also love these routine and organization posts- they are motivating and give me ideas to implement for myself. I’ve had a hard time being consistent with meditating, so I’ve been mainly doing “active meditation” which is basically being mindful all of your senses (what do you see, hear, smell, etc) while doing a mindless task like dishes or taking a walk. It feels really good! P.S. I also start with my left arm!
Oh I’ve heard of that! I’m so bad at turning my mind off, but that is something I can try doing!
I also love this! It does seem like a lot on paper but I’d say I follow the same type of routines to make my life run smoothly right down to starting with my left arm in the shower too, ha ha!! I don’t run my own business or workout but I am gone for 10 hours a day and like to take evening walks all while keeping a home, spending time with 2 working teens, a hubby and our dog.
That left arm! Isn’t that funny?! Oh I LOVE an evening walk! My friend Rhonda does that every evening with her husband!
I love this!! I’m a schedule/ routine person. When my kids were younger and we were homeschooling I had a routine and schedule somewhat like yours. Now that I’m semi retired I’m spending more time to focus on me, my health and my over all well being, eating healthier and doing wall Pilates . My day starts at 7 with coffee and quite time… I make breakfast for my husband and son. Then I get ready for my day. We recently moved to be closer to our daughter and her family, so I coordinate my day with hers, helping her with her littles. She has a 3 1/2 yr old and 2 1/2 month old, and is also working on her health and over all well being. I make sure she’s getting her rest and having time to focus on herself. I wrap up my day with some TV time with my son, then try to be in bed by 11
Hi Karen! I know your daughter appreciates you so much! I know I feel that way about my own mom! We get similar number of sleep, I’m just about an hour earlier than you- but always start my day with coffee too!
I also love this type of content. Although my boys are now young men, I would have benefited by carving out more “me/wellness” time when they were younger. I love how you are putting this as a priority and scheduling it in. More of us Moms need to do this, heck all of us women need to do this! The one on one Mom time with kids is also so wonderful and they will remember that as a great childhood memory. Keep up the great job and wonderful blog content!
Thank you so much Sandra! My Grandma Nola always told me “take care of you” since I was a little girl and it stuck with me. She was so wise.
I also enjoyed this post. I struggle with all the things I have to do every day, and it’s good to see how you manage. If I woke up early, I could do it all and have time to spare. Instead I just have a long to-do list most days, and some of those things get moved to the next. This was great motivation though. Thanks for sharing!
That happens to me too Tiffany!
I love this Megan. I stopped following you for a while and I missed your blog so I came back. And as I read this article, it is exactly what I miss. That you, in your own two hands and brain, are always trying to elevate and be the best version of yourself, and I identify with that. Having a tidy home is also a top priority for me as well as my parents being well loved and cared for. I realize I don’t know enough about creating muscle tone to create my own workouts so I use an app and go to a HIIT class which works well for me. But I would love to learn how to create my own effective workouts – truly knowing what it takes. Glad to be here and looking forward to your next post!
Thank you so much for coming back Sara! Your kind words are so appreciated! For my weight workouts, I try to use a heavy enough weight that I’m struggling at the end of a set of 10-12 reps. But that’s still with good form. There’s so much more to this, but that’s a good basic principle to start with- I hope it helps!
Thanks for this! Where’s the homework? I swear we are grinding it out with massive homework overwhelm over here. My 2nd grader has spelling words and words to practice for speech therapy every night. Plus, he has to read out loud. My older one goes to middle school next year and every night is… “Do you have homework?” “Where is your homework?” “Why is the book still at school?” “You’re supposed to do X for 30 minutes; you’ve been at it for 9.” “Is that your best work?” “Are you happy with your effort on that?” He has very few executive function skills (diagnosed; not just my opinion) and it’s a lot. It overtakes our after-dinner time. Plus, they have to shower. With soap. Why do boys think it’s funny to use no soap?? No shampoo? What on earth?! Raising these little humans is intense.
That’s funny you mentioned homework because I didn’t really get much into our after school routine because right now, my son has sports practice and doesn’t get home until almost dinner time. So he showers, we eat, then he does his homework. My daughter usually does hers before or after dinner and we read in bed and that counts toward the hour of reading she’s supposed to be doing each week.
I get daily updates from the school on their assignments/grades so I can always see what’s due and if anything was missed. Since my son is in 7th, I let him take most of the responsibility for getting his work done. Luckily, my first grader really doesn’t have that much homework right now, usually just a math sheet and study her spelling words.
And I TOTALLY hear you on the soap. I had to go step by step and teach my son how to shower on his own. I thought he’d just know, but he seemed honestly confused. Now, I buy him the all in one body/face/shampoo wash so it’s all in one bottle!
I am not this organized bit would definitely love to be.
I work from home for a corporate role so my day is packed, but we do try to keep a daily/weekly schedule to make life easier.
I love your meal prep ideas, and all the get organized topics.
I love how gratiously you raise your kids. Hope they see what an awesome momma they have!
I LOVE your routine! Thank you for laying it out in a list format. I love a routine and a list! LOL
I have daily routines that are so helpful, but I got some great ideas from yours. Thanks for such a great blog. I look forward to it every day!
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