Momma’s Dirty Dozen – Back To School 2012

I have had great success with my top 12 items to do every single day to maintain my sanity during the summer, the school year and during holidays and special events.

I have had such positive results that I am implementing the method into other areas of my life.  For example I will be implementing the top 12 for my work life, volunteer jobs and the children’s choir I direct and coordinate.  I feel it will be easier to check off To Do list items for all of these ongoing projects if I run a maintenance list of items once a week to keep them running smoothly.

However, for the moment I am giving my Dirty Dozen, the core of my sanity a little revamping and dusting off for this brand new school year.  This list will be my go to daily routine until the first holiday season hits.  The biggest time cruncher is Thanksgiving and of course December which is filled to the rim.

 

  1. Morning routine  in this order, coffee, check email, make bed, get dressed.
  2. 5 minute power walk – to clear my head.
  3. 5- minute pick-up – To keep clutter to a dull roar.
  4. Make breakfast and lunches ( I am a morning person)
  5. Laundry – a load a day to keep the piles from becoming mountainous.
  6. Exercise-  My routine has changed dramatically over the past few months. I am now a jog-runner!  MWF- 45 to 50 minutes running  T-TH – Strength Training – SAT- Long Walk
  7. Organized Homework Time: The more organized homework time is the quicker it is finished. We set everything out that we need before we begin and I let my son choose what he would like to start with and we finish with reading. ( This may change, technically I have no idea what third grade homework will be like because we just started back to school today.)
  8. Planned Dinner: Be it planned the day before or a week in advance, dinner at home is a time saver. I know, dishes and all, blah, blah, blah. But the children are home and can get to bed on time, which normally will not happen if we go out for dinner. Not to mention, it saves money!
  9. Kitchen clean-up: Mornings are better when you wake up to a clean and tidy kitchen.  This is the hardest part of my routine to keep up with because I am super tired at the end of the day.  Any tips on this one would be greatly appreciated.
  10. Calendars and Lists updating and checking: Before bedtime: I check my calendar for what is coming up tomorrow and what I may need to add from my notes and email. If I do this every day nothing gets missed. If I skipped a day, little Guy will not have his favorite school spirit shirt and I will be running in my pajamas instead of nice clean shorts.

     I also keep detailed lists of every single project I am working on, be it for  work, school, choir, or home. These are updated throughout the day and reviewed at night.

  11. Evening Routine: Pajamas, face, teeth….  etc…  I have also added three simple minutes of breathing exercises to help reduce my stress levels.  Apparently my doctor feels I need to take a chill pill every now and then

12. Day is Done: I read for a bit then watch mindless television with my husband.

 

Okay moms, do you have a daily dozen or daily list that you love?

Please share your ideas in the comments section.  You never know what you share that might save some young mother from pulling her hair out and throwing random    wine glasses at the nearest fireplace.

Why?  Because it not only takes a village to raise children, it takes a village to raise moms as well.

 

 

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2 Comments

  1. I’m going to print this up as a reminder to myself. The only thing I would change is I have to make my bed right when I get out of it…or I’ll just lie back down at some point. I would have to agree that cleaning the kitchen at night is my most difficult task of all. Thanks for the list!

    1. I agree with the bed thing, but in my case that first 15 minutes is devoted to work related items. I can zip through several emails while I drink my morning java.
      Pam

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