“First comes thought; then organization of that thought into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality.” — Napoleon Hill
I live by my calendars & journals which are neatly organized with my routines and lists. I strive for organization in the midst of my daily responsibilities as I wear several different hats: wife, mother, writer, podcaster, YouTuber, and entrepreneur! When I need to take a breath from all of my responsibilities, I love to get lost in my garden. It is my reprieve from the daily grind of life. It’s where I go and write down my thoughts, to-do lists, inspirations for articles, & topics for my podcast. The garden welcomes me without hesitation and without judgment. It just requires a bit of time weeding and tending to it… which has never been a chore for me to do.
Many of the topics I discuss in this series I learned from an incredible lady named Marla Cilley, A.K.A. The Flylady. Her book, “Sink Relections” taught me how to incorporate all this lessons. It was from the inspirations from her book how I developed my P.M.S. concept! So now lets get into today’s topic!
I recently retired from my ‘Day-Job’ where I organized & managed over 70 events for a local DDA (Downtown Development Authority) and over 40 for a local Chamber- not at once, but back to back for the last seven years.
I also have a second cookbook and gardening book in the works while I am building my new Podcast and YouTube channels. I love to stay busy doing what I love!
To say the least, I have to keep things organized!
Pro Tip: Understand & realize your limitations! This will help you stay organized & focus on what is time sensitive and what can wait. Being able to say “No” is essential to not becoming overwhelmed. Oh wait… I’m getting ahead of myself. That is my upcoming topic- P.M.S.- I can’t wait to share that with all of you!
Organize= Peace of Mind
I plan a daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal agenda according to what project is at hand.
Over the next few weeks, I’m going to help you organize your life by teaching you how to set and maintain routines.
Routines are the key to success in life and when you have a plan of action written down to visually see, you will succeed!
There are many benefits to creating routines which include keeping yourself organized, scheduled, and on track. You’ll be able to create daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal routines that will be geared toward your life and what is happening with you and your family.
The first step in the process of creating YOUR happy organized life is to begin creating your routines!
Creating and Maintaining Routines
Think about YOURSELF!
First, think about yourself and what your needs are. For instance, do you work a part-time or full-time job away from home? Do you have kids at home? Are you single or married? How big is your house?
Make a detailed list, but not too detailed!
Get a notepad and write down what you’d like to accomplish in your home over the next week & through the current month. Start small and don’t worry about trying to organize the list right now, you’ll do that later. Right now just focus on brainstorming and write down everything you think of no matter how large or small the task.
What are your normal tasks in the home?
Write down your normal household chores on your notepad. For example: laundry, cleaning out the fridge, stripping the sheets, vacuuming, etc. Include any & all chores you do throughout the week.
Get your calendar out!
Now take your calendar & make a list of your appointments for the current month. This will be your point of reference. Include everyone in your household, even the fur-babies!
Now that you have all the basics down, you’ll be able to create routines for everyday of the week and organize your time through the year.
The next step is my favorite! P.M.S.~ This is not going to be what you think…and this is for the next day, so keep posted!
Now that I’ve created my routine, how do I maintain them?
Like anything else, once things become a habit it’s much more likely you’ll continue to do them. Routines are no different. By doing your routines on a daily, weekly and monthly basis, they’ll become second nature to you!
I have my routines for each day of the week written down in a journal. I keep it open on the counter during the day so everyone can see it freely.
Here is a sample of a simple routine.
MORNING ROUTINE
- 6:30 am~ Rise and shine with a smile and get the coffee brewing!
- Head to the bathroom to get ready. While I’m there, swish the toilet and sink; get a load of laundry together to start- Wednesdays & Saturdays for laundry.
- Brush my teeth; get a quick shower; put lotions on; get dressed.
- Throw laundry in if it’s laundry day
- Check email/messages with my cup of java; send any responses that need done.
- 7:00 am~ start waking the rest of the clan up… get breakfast going.
This would be during the school season. I have a different one for our summer schedule.
If you missed Day 1 follow this link to see the schedule of topic posts http://fordragonfliesandme.com
Keep posted for the next in the series as we look at P.M.S. and how wonderful it is! I’m excited to share this with you in a Podcast. Jump on over to my Podcast & SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss an episode!
If you enjoyed this blog , please LIKE, Follow, Share & leave me a comment! I love your feedback!
If you aren’t following me on Facebook, go on over & give a LIKE & Follow me for daily tips & tricks for your home & garden!
Happy Day,
Jean
Copyright Policy
All text and images on this site are copyright of For Dragonflies And Me. Unless otherwise noted, you may not use this content.
For Dragonflies And Me 
I dunno. I try to NOT have routines (I have weekly things to accomplish, but they are not set by dates and times) so I don’t get bored. (LIke laundry- can be done any middle day of hte week. so fresh clothes are ready for the Shabat.
LikeLike
Well Ray… when you have children, work, and many responsibilities I would have to disagree with you. Routines help people remove stress from their lives, not add it. Of course everything is adjustable, but having some type of routine in place is a much better way to live than by flying by the seat of our pants. A perfect example of this theory is the way our school systems are set up for our children. If teachers didn’t have routines in place, children would get very anxious and not know what to expect on a day to day basis. By no means am I suggesting spontaneity is bad! I am a very spontaneous person… in the right circumstances. Thanks for the response Ray and have a FANTASTIC DAY!
LikeLike
Thanks for the tips. My cats help me keep on schedule too. They are very routine driven.
LikeLike
LOL!! Yes they are… as are dogs & kids! Our two kitties know when dad get’s up it is chow time. Frankie, our cute little pug also knows when it’s din-din time lol! I honestly feel my kids have an internal ‘it’s time to eat’ alarm!!! Thanks for the thoughtful comment Amanda! Have a fantastic day!
LikeLike
I recently created a project plan to declutter my home, we’ve been slowly (very slowly) working through it, but I like having the structure. No decisions to be made as to where to start which makes things so much easier to tackle. Now, as far as organizing my day-today, I am so glad I found your blog because I NEED this! Looking forward to taking the steps you outlined here and reading upcoming installments!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am so happy you found it as well!!! I will have several more blog posts as well as Podcast episodes dedicated to this topic. Be sure to let me know some tips & tricks you’ve tried and had success with. We can all learn from each other! Have a fantastic day!
LikeLike
I am a list maker and planner, however not in such detail. I use the calendar in my phone to capture daily/weekly/yearly task.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Debra! It’s not in how much detail it’s just in the process of keeping things organized and what works for you works then stick to it. Happy new year.
LikeLike
A few years ago I decluttered our home (hard to tell now LOL) I’m in the planning stages again to reduce clutter. I’ve also started writing my goals down in a notebook, I like to see it in my hand instead of on computer. I’ve also set morning time to make my goals on my earning sites. Get them out of the way and move on! I enjoy your blog very much!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Setting time aside to do particular tasks always makes the day go by more smoothly in my opinion. I have 6 kids and without a schedule or a monthly menu… oh my, things could quickly go awry LOL!
Looking forward to connecting with you if you are interested in discussing my note to you on your blog!
Have a great day!
LikeLike