Continuing on from the post yesterday about sticking to
routines, Fly Lady says that the bed time routine is more important than the mooring one.
I hadn’t been one to really do this as at bed time I was ready
to just fall into bed and not even think about whether I had done a routine!
But Fly lady also has said to start it early. Over time I
have done that and after a while I could see the good in it.
I have narrowed it down to suit and also realise I have
started doing some of the things as habit anyway.
I also discovered although Harry has not seen the site he has
actually been doing his own bed time routine for years. Our children have joked
at him being OCD to an extent but I now know he is just setting everything up
so he doesn’t have to worry about the morning, it’s just all there ready for
him. He gets his clothes out the night before and gets them in the living area
where he gets changed. His breakfast is all set up and things to make his lunch,
the tablets he needs to take and he even has his cigarettes pre-rolled for the
whole day, all this of his own doing.
I start in the late afternoon getting the things ready and
just allowing me to have everything organised so that by the time I am ready
for bed all is done. One would argue its not a 'night time' routine then but you know what I mean!
So my night time routine is
1.
Check the calendar
b.
Set out clothes
c.
Arrange afternoon/evening (informing Harry
and Katrina if I am not going to be home)
and Katrina if I am not going to be home)
2.
Kitchen/living areas
a.
Do the dishes
b.
Shine the sink (a Flylady saying)
c.
Hotspots* (this is a Fly lady expression and
explained below)
3.
Bed
a.
Wash face and brush teeth
b.
Get into pyjamas
c.
Read
You may think living by routines is a bind and “who would
let someone else tell you how to live” but I have seen the sense in it and
after a while it just becomes a habit but it means all is in order. It’s
adapted to me and our home, meaning it is “mine” not someone else’s control of
me.
It works for me and gives me a sense of calm. If things pop
up that are out of the ordinary the routine is still a part of me so it gets
done and I am not “thrown off” by the change.
It takes 21 days to form a habit so if you do anything daily for long enough it will just become apart of who you are and this applies to good and bad habits. It also means that if you want to break a bad habit its not something you can do over night but takes a daily commitment to 'fighting' it and putting something in place to change it.
*Hotspots are explained by Marla the Fly lady as a place
where clutter or mess build and soon become an untidy mess. It’s the sort of
place, where if it is kept tidy or clear, it will look good. But as soon as
something is placed there, that shouldn’t be, it seems to attract more and so
soon becomes an out of controlled mess. She suggests you keep working on these
places keeping them clear. If it is cleared daily it won’t combust into a
“burning mess”.
I find that the bench in the kitchen, the dining table and
coffee table are all areas where this can happen so I try to keep them clear
and tidy.
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