Having structure and consistency in life is very important. However, when there's no routine to follow, things can get pretty chaotic pretty quickly. Having a predictable routine is important for staying organized and helping your family with the chores that need to be done.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Creating a Daily Schedule
Step 1. Create a table with eight columns
The document will describe your schedule for the week. The left column will start with the time you wake up in the morning and end with the time you go to bed. The other columns need to be labeled for each day of the week.
- For example, if you wake up at 7am and go to bed at 11pm, the first row in the left column should say 7am. Then continue down in one-hour time increments until you reach 11 p.m.
- Try creating separate tables for each person in the family so that everyone can be more organized.
Step 2. Fill in the fixed hours
Go through the document and mark the time that has been filled with activities. For example, if your lunch time is from 12.00-13.00, be sure to include it in your schedule. Other activities you should fill include:
- Meeting
- School and study time
- Sleeping time
- Worship
- Promise
- Children's activities
- Couple activities that you will also participate in
- Travel time
- Sport
Step 3. Schedule recreation
Recreation is as important to your quality of life as work and study. In fact, recreation has been linked to health benefits related to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Recreation has also been recognized for its function in reducing stress levels. Therefore, aim to include recreation on the schedule around fixed hours. A number of recreational activities include:
- Recreational sports
- Activities in religious organizations
- Religious activities
- Programs at your area's parks and community centers.
- Consider scheduling recreation time with the whole family. There are many family programs that will cater to the whole family's recreational needs.
Step 4. Prioritize events and appointments that change suddenly
Even after making a schedule, sometimes you have to deal with a sudden task or job, or the time clashes with other activities in the schedule. No need to panic. Remember that life is unpredictable! You must learn to prioritize and classify which tasks or activities are most important.
Think about whether you can reschedule an event or task to do at a later time. If you feel the task is very important, determine what you can delegate to others, etc
Step 5. Try to stick to your schedule for the week
Be sure to pay attention to whether you have allocated enough time for certain activities. For example, do you make enough time to commute to and from work or do you find yourself often late or in a hurry to get there on time?
Step 6. Make any necessary repairs
Make schedule improvements based on the problems noted on your original schedule. This way, your schedule will better reflect the reality at hand.
For example, if you find yourself constantly 15 minutes late to get to work, your revised schedule will need an extra 20 minutes of travel time
Method 2 of 4: Creating Your Morning Routine
Step 1. Make sure your bedtime
It's important to choose a bedtime based on how much sleep you need. One of the most important factors in being organized is getting up on time each morning. Admit it, getting up late will affect the rest of your day. However, when you get enough sleep, you tend to wake up on time each morning. Make sure you also determine the right bedtime for children.
- Find out how much sleep it takes to feel well rested in the morning. Then figure out the exact time you need to go to bed for this to happen. You may need to experiment with sleeping different amounts of time for a few nights to see which one works best for you.
- Understand that most healthy adults need 7-9 hours of sleep, whereas children need 10-14 hours of sleep based on their age.
- You may need to cool off about 30 minutes before bedtime. Try turning off electronics so you can have some quiet time before bed. This is a great way to switch from daytime activities to bedtime.
Step 2. Set the alarm clock
Many people think that the morning routine starts in the morning. However, that is not entirely true. Setting an alarm the night before will help you wake up on time in the morning.
- To avoid hitting the snooze button in the morning and risking getting back on track, try placing your alarm clock away from your bed. This way, you actually have to get up to turn it off.
- Alternatively, you can set two different alarm clocks far from your bed. Make a pause of about 10 minutes. This way, even if you lie down after turning off the first alarm, the second alarm will help you keep your day on schedule.
- Make sure the alarm is set by giving you enough time to start the process of waking the kids up in a timely manner. You may need to start waking people who have been up longer a few minutes earlier.
Step 3. Schedule a morning ritual
Many people have specific rituals they like to perform before starting their day ahead. Your rituals could include praying, exercising, meditation, journaling, or even just spending some quiet time with loved ones in the morning. Whatever the ritual, be sure to really include it in your schedule. Scheduling rituals on purpose will help you avoid the problem of being late.
- Schedule a specific specific time to work on your ritual. Try to devote half an hour, an hour, or two.
- Morning rituals can often help you clear your head and increase productivity. Moderate exercise can increase blood flow and is a quick way to really increase productivity for the entire day. Something as simple as stretching can become part of your exercise routine.
Step 4. Use a timer while doing self-cleaning activities
It's easy to lose time in the bathroom, doing your beauty routine, getting dressed, or doing other self-cleaning activities. However, buying and using a timer can help keep your day on schedule. You can buy them cheaply at most stores.
- Bathing while the children have breakfast is a choice that many parents take. However, there are also other parents who prefer to have breakfast with their children.
- Taking a shower the night before is also an option to help you stay organized in the morning.
Step 5. Find ways to use your time wisely
Multitasking is a great way to keep your family organized. For example, you can think of ways to complete tasks while getting ready in the morning. Getting the kids to help out is also useful. Here are some suggestions that can be done:
- Put a pile of laundry in the washing machine before going to work. You can put it in the dryer on repeat.
- If you have a dog, you can ask the children to prepare the dog for a walk while you bathe. For example, they can prepare the rope and “poop bag” beforehand. After bathing, you can immediately take the dog for a walk with the children.
- Let the older children help the younger ones in the morning. Asking your 10-year-old to look for shoes for his younger sibling who is still in PAUD can really help save you a bit of time.
Step 6. Eat a healthy breakfast
Food is fuel for your body, so your morning routine should include a healthy breakfast. If you have a tendency to skip breakfast, try to find out why you're avoiding that meal. Maybe you're in a rush in the morning or just don't like the food at breakfast. Whatever the reason, be sure to figure it out and then figure out how to incorporate breakfast into your routine.
- If you don't like breakfast, you have to make sure you eat lunch on time.
- If you find yourself in a rush in the morning, go to bed earlier at night so you can wake up earlier.
- If you don't feel hungry in the morning, at least have a snack. Remember, food is fuel and it is important that you fuel your body in the morning.
Step 7. Get out of the house on time
It is important that you get out of the house at the appointed time to avoid having to rush. Make sure you include all the stops you need to make into your schedule. Whether it's dropping the kids off at daycare or stopping for coffee in the morning, make sure that there's plenty of time available to get to your destination.
- Find out how much time it will take you to reach your destination, including all the stops in between. Try to actually time yourself one morning to get an accurate estimate. Then add 15 minutes to that time frame to account for traffic conditions or other unforeseen difficulties. Arriving late will keep you off schedule and you'll definitely feel out of sorts.
- Also try to pack things needed the night before. This can save time and help you get out of the house more on time in the morning.
- Car rides to school are a great time to review exam materials, practice spelling words, or review math facts, especially if you had a busy night before.
Method 3 of 4: Preparing for the Night
Step 1. Choose clothes for tomorrow
Picking out clothes for the next day while your kids do their cleaning at night can be a huge time-saver. When they are in the bathroom, you can use this time to choose their clothes so they are not rushed the next day.
- If your children are very young, DO NOT leave them unattended in the bath tub. Also, if your child is older, he can choose his own clothes for the next day when cleaning is over.
- Make sure everything is set the night before. This includes shoes, socks and any accessories such as headbands and jewelry. Also make sure the comb or hairbrush is in place to avoid having to look for it in the morning.
- Alternatively, you can choose an outfit, including all accessories, for the entire week ahead on a Sunday afternoon.
- Make sure coats, hats, gloves are in the proper place for cold days.
Step 2. Prepare all the bags
Get all your bags ready and put them in their place before going to bed. This way, all you have to do is pick it up when you leave the house. Bags that need to be prepared include:
- book bag
- Work bag
- Lunch bags for kids, yourself and your partner can be filled with perishable food the night before. Perishable foods and bags of ice can be added in the morning.
Step 3. Arrange breakfast beforehand
Setting the breakfast table in the evening can result in a more organized morning. Arrange dinner mats, glasses, bowls, spoons and cereal the night before so that everyone can prepare their own meal after getting up in the morning. All you need to prepare in the morning is milk and juice. This can work well if your family enjoys eating cereal.
You may need to put a lot of dishes in the dishwasher after dinner. This way, you'll make sure the plates are clean to put on the table before going to bed
Step 4. fill out the form
Waiting until the morning to fill out course forms can be a hassle. This can take time, force you at the last minute, or it can be completely forgotten. Have a special place to place course forms when the kids get home in the afternoon. After the kids go to bed, fill out the form and put it in a backpack so it's ready to go in the morning.
Step 5. Make a list of your daily tasks
Making a list of daily tasks the night before is helpful. This will help keep things in order. Be sure to check your calendar and schedule before making a list so you don't forget anything.
It might help if you hang up the family calendar. Everyone, with the exception of young children, is responsible for writing the dates for upcoming events. For example, Tierra is responsible for writing the date and time for her first dance recital or basketball game on a calendar
Method 4 of 4: Establishing a Routine for Children with ADHD
Step 1. Try to stick to a predictable daily schedule
Identify the times your child does each activity and try to keep it the same every day. When children and parents know what activities are next, this will make the routine easier to follow. Specific activities you may want to include in your schedule include:
- Time to sleep, wake up in the morning, and take a nap.
- Bath
- Go to school or daycare
- Extracurricular activities
- Eat
- Other structured activities
Step 2. Organize your home
Children with ADHD often have trouble remembering where they put things. This can be quite a challenge when you're trying to keep the day on a disrupted schedule because your child can't remember where to put the lunch bag. Be sure to organize your home so that he has a reasonable amount of space to store his belongings. For example, maybe she keeps her book bag in a storage area next to the front door or her pencil in her desk drawer. Organize your home so that it makes the most sense for your family and your lifestyle.
Step 3. Make a homework plan
Let your child complete his homework in small parts. In between each section, he should be allowed to get some rest. It may be helpful to use a timer to help your child stay on task. Having a plan can help with your homework routine.
Have a special place for your child to do his homework and store his supplies. Remember that every child is different. Some children may need a quiet place away from others to concentrate, while others may need to be close to their parents to help with their chores
Step 4. Take advantage of written instructions
Use written reminders to help keep your child focused on the routine. Instructions should be brief so as not to be distracting.
Checklists are good for keeping children with ADHD organized. Try placing a checklist on the exit door, in his bedroom, or anywhere else that will help him remember his routine
Step 5. Give lots of compliments
When you see your child trying to stick to his daily routine, it's important to praise him. This will motivate him to continue doing the routine to the best of his ability. Make sure to not only focus on him in completing every detail of the task but also acknowledge his efforts.
Tips
- Take some time at the start of each week, preferably on a Sunday evening, to make a schedule for the rest of the week ahead.
- Hang on the refrigerator a table listing the various activities children do each day. This will help you remember which specific activities are taking place each day. For example, maybe Jason has soccer practice on Tuesday and Jolene has choir practice on Wednesday.
- Planning a menu for the entire week on Sunday is also a great way to save time and keep things organized. This way, you'll know that the supplies you need are complete for each day of the week ahead.
- Get in the habit of having a specific area designed to put things you need in the morning (e.g. keys, book bags, pet food, etc.)
- Give yourself a little treat throughout the day when you find yourself stuck in your routine.
- Whenever possible, give praise as soon as your child completes a goal.
