What kind of system, or routine, do you follow on a working day?
Even the ‘coolest’ one among us has to have a system or else everything goes haywire.
And believe me, as someone working from home, it’s the systems that keep me afloat.
You can be a CEO or an employee or a housewife, one thing you’ve in common is you each have your plates full for the day. And juggling between meetings and errands need not get you all wired up.
Why do you need schedules?
Remember the school timetables? You would know what classes you had, how many free classes, and when. They were the lifesaver because all you had to do was move from one class to another, no questions asked.
Think how your day would go if you had something like this to guide you? The secret to your success will be in whipping up that schedule for the day.
It’s not the north star, but it’s immensely helpful.
- It helps with time management. And time being a precious commodity, you can’t afford to waste any of it.
- Reduces stress. No more fretting and blowing hot and cold because of deadlines or workload.
- Increases productivity. If you know what’s to be done and when, you’ll get it done in time.
- Organises your work. You can prioritise and decide how to go about it. Totally swear by that.
‘System’-atic Rules of Survival
It doesn’t matter where you are or what you’re doing, having a routine helps you make your life easier and comfortable.
As a young mother with two little children and a husband away most of the time, it was having a clear (and adjustable) routine that helped me sail through those demanding years.
- It provided the much needed stability. The predictable routines created a sense of security, making me feel safe and grounded.
- It helped with better time management as I was able to deal with all the chores and responsibilities effectively, without getting overwhelmed.
- Felt more calm and less stressed. That’s because I knew what was expected and hence was prepared.
- Greatly reduced the decision fatigue. No longer fighting fires or dealing with unexpected choices.
- Had more quality time with the kids. Since that was the objective of staying at home, it helped to spend lots of time with each of them, without rushing them.
Benefits For the Children
And believe me when I say that having a routine helped me but also the children, I mean it.
- The consistency provided a sense of security and comfort to the children. They no longer had to deal with new things daily.
- Encouraged better behaviour because they knew what was expected of them. No more power struggles. Bath time followed by dinner, dinner followed by reading time, reading time followed by lights out. Same cycle day after day.
- It built independence in the kids. As they got familiar with the sequence, they knew what to do next. They would try to do it by themselves, thus empowering themselves with confidence and self-worth.
- It greatly improved their sleep quality. Getting into bed daily at the same time helped establish a healthy sleep pattern, which was beneficial to them and to us. Also, a good sleep translates to a less irritated and more energetic, cheerful child.
- Improved their emotional well-being. A known, familiar schedule where their day was organised, made them feel secure. This in turn kept them happy and playful.
- Routine setting built productive habits. Children learnt about time management and responsibility. It laid the foundation of the kind of adults they have become.
- Enabled easy transitions. In spite of the regular changes in the houses, schools and locations, the children easily adapted to the changes thanks to their familiar routines which became their support system.
Of course, their routines were tweaked and adapted to the new situations, like when they started school. But they largely maintained the sequence.
The children easily adapted to the changes because it was within the broader routine that they were familiar with.
Conclusion
When I see children coming to the class, looking sleepy or not feeling energetic, it breaks my heart. I had students telling me that they stayed up till way past midnight. Unimaginable!
I feel like telling the parents, “Set a routine!”; reminding them about the importance of having a routine.
I know it’s not as easy as it sounds. But it’s also not impossible.
It needs consistent efforts, patience, perseverance and don’t-mess-with-my-routine attitude to see the benefits. And its only for a few months. Then the children get used to it and it will work in auto mode.
In short, I still got enough time to spend with the kids as well as pursue my career.
Even after all these years with the kids on their way out, I still have a routine, albeit a new one, which helps me maintain my sanity and work.
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