Starting the new year right is something that everyone looks forward to – shedding those old habits weighing you down, and building new healthier habits. I love any opportunity for a fresh start. Now that we are halfway through the longest month of the year, most people, unfortunately, have fallen off the resolution wagon. One of the most common resolutions these days is about regaining control of your life. Sometimes it seems like things in life are spiraling out of control, leaving you feeling drained thinking about everything you need to get done.
The best way to get out from under this stress?
Routines!
After a ton of trial and error, I have found these three routines both decreased stress and increased my free time:
Routine #1 – Dishes
Erggg…doing dishes is the worst! We are all guilty of letting dirty dishes pile up. Maybe even so much so that you have to wash dishes to eat your next meal. Dishes are one of those never-ending cycles; you dirty the dishes, you clean the dishes, you dirty the dishes…
Dealing with those dishes immediately rather than letting the food harden on makes the job way easier. It also gives you a win – a reason to pat yourself on the back. The beauty part is you get to win multiple times a day. Not only benefitting your mood but also building those very fragile self-love and motivation muscles. You get to feel good about yourself instead of beating yourself up.
It is amazing how doing one little thing can quickly snowball into something huge. Once you start doing your dishes regularly, it becomes easier to shine your sink. Shiny sinks breed clear countertops, and eventually, you’ll have a perpetually clean kitchen.
Routine #2 – Laundry
Now I don’t know about you, but I feel like putting your laundry in the washing machine is one thing. Getting it moved over to the dryer AND putting it all away is an entirely different thing! I have rewashed more forgotten loads of laundry than I care to admit. I also hate having to dig through a basket of clean laundry looking for a pair of socks.
Doing laundry all the way (Wash, Dry, Fold, & Put Away) doesn’t seem like self-care, but it is. I believe there is nothing better you can do than give yourself clean clothes to wear. Doing laundry eliminates unneeded stress in your life. There are a couple of schools of thought on laundry routines. FlyLady suggests doing a load each day. I could never get this method to work for me. It may work best for a large family, but I don’t have enough dirty clothes to make a load every day.
I prefer the Laundry Day method suggested by Dana at A Slob Comes Clean. I usually have one load of clothes per week because my Leo does his laundry. I do my load all the way through in one day. I set a timer for the washer; after rebooting, I set a timer for the dryer. Then the miraculous part… I fold and put it away while it’s warm out of the dryer. It takes less than 15 minutes, and I get a win for doing the laundry and another win every time I get dressed. Yay me!!!
Routine #3 – Meal Planning
If you are like me, the words ‘meal planning’ immediately give you a feeling of overwhelm and dread! There are so many meal ideas online, and then there’s the pressure to be Pinterest perfect. Not to mention the preparation and shopping involved with getting meals on the table. It’s easy to see how you can find yourself in the lineup at the drive-thru night after night. Luckily, I’ve found a way to ease the overwhelm and make planning and preparing meals enjoyable.
Here’s my secret: I keep it simple. I’ve realized meal planning doesn’t have to be complicated. I have found the easiest way is to have a general plan for each day of the week. Then I fill in any recipes I want to try wherever they fit. Or I can always use my tried and true fallbacks:
Monday: Chicken
Tuesday: Taco Tuesday
Wednesday: Freezer Meal
Thursday: Crock Pot Meal
Friday: Pizza Night / Take Out
Weekends: Leftovers / Batched Meals
I keep a well-stocked pantry with basic staples that can be used in many different recipes. It’s easy to mix and match or make substitutions. I have a list of meals I could make blindfolded. Keep a calendar of the meals you usually make to help you make your list. I love double (or even triple) batching when I cook. For example, when I make lasagna, I make three or four pans at once. Then I freeze them giving me a simple and easy supper in the future (Win!).
Having routines is essential to relieving stress, increasing productivity, and freeing up your time. It also doesn’t hurt to keep your house clean and stress-free! Which of these routines will you be implementing? Let me know in the comments below!
