How to Organize your Schedule

Welcome to Week 2 of our Organize your Life series!

To read last week’s post, on Organizing your Mind, click HERE!

If you are just joining in, please link up your blog here so we can all help motivate each other…PLUS, there is still time to win the book, Organize Now!.

I am reading and using the book called Organize Now! by Jennifer Ford Berry to help me organize my life.

This week is…

Organizing your Schedule

Having an organized schedule is an essential!!!  Time management is actually something that I have struggled with in the past.  I would go on spurts.   Sometimes, I would feel in total control and other times, I had to really push myself to stay on track.  By controlling your schedule, you can choose how you spend your time!! :)  I feel way may relaxed and calm when we are following our daily schedule!

Here are your goals for this week:

Get a daily planner.  You can make one with printables and a binder or buy one.  I just use printables that I made from Word or that I made myself.  Use what works for you!  Everyone is different and so should is their planner.

Plan for the month.  Figure out your monthly schedule, dinners, babysitters, appointments, errands, monthly chores, etc.

Here is a free weekly meals planner that I found here that I thought was simple and useful.

Weekly Meal Planner

Make a master To-Do list.  This is a list of EVERYTHING on your mind!  Just write it here. 

Master To-Do List

Sort your To-Do List.

A.  Today list- Then go through your master list and then prioritize.  Make a daily to-do list.  Fill it with things that you need to do today like… pay a certain bill, register for a class, etc.

DailyTo-Do List

B.  Weekly list-  This is a list for things that  you need to do this week, like…use a coupon, send a thank you note, buy a gift, etc.

WeeklyTo-Do List

C.  Future list-  This is for things you want to do in the future, like...a playdate, a night out, etc.

FutureTo-Do List

Schedule your families appointments.   Get all your families appointments scheduled and done with! (Dentists, Doctors, hair cuts, etc.)

Get a small notebook by bed.   This is a great idea because I always feel like my brain comes up with great ideas right before bed and then I can right them down.  I keep a notebook in my nightstand for this.

*tips*

Be realistic.  Don’t try to do more than you can handle!

Schedule downtime.  You and your family needs this! :)

Schedule pampering.  This is important…make the time!

Schedule dates.  Schedule dates with your hubby, kids, friends and family!

For more tips, please read this book!

Ok, I get a lot of email from people wondering my personal daily schedule…so here ya go!

First, I have to say that it seems like it is always changing…nap times change or go away, breastfeeding or not, school, summer break, homeschooling, private school, not working out, working out, husband working really long hours or on time, ect.  There always seems to be an altar in our schedule.  We will get on schedule and then something happens and we need change up the routine again.  That is just part of life with 3 young kids, I guess.  It keep it from getting boring anyway! :)

My Schedule

6:00-  Wake Up.  I wanted to wake up at 5am but I am just too tired so 6am it is.  I get up and get ready for the day.  I get dressed, apply my make-up, brush my teeth, make my bed, pick out the kids clothes and then start breakfast.  Also, I like to start a load of laundry!

7:00- Eat/Clean.  We usually always have eggs or a shake for breakfast with a fruit.  You should always start your day with a quality protein.  Sometimes we will have bagels and cream cheese or oatmeal instead.   After breakfast, I clean up the kitchen an do all the dishes.  I also get the kids dressed and make Grace’s school snack.

8:00-  Off to school.  This is about the time that we start getting our jackets on and hop in the van to bring Grace to school.  During the drive to school, we say our morning prayers.  After we drop her off we drive across town to my gym.  All this pretty much takes the whole hour.

9:00-  Workout.  I drop the boys off at the gym nursery.  They actually LOVE it there and they get a ton of exercise there.  They run around and play in the tubes and slides.  I can’t believe that I bring them there because I never thought I would let the boys play around those germs, but they are fine!  They seriously beg to go there and I wash their hand like crazy before we leave.  Anyway,  I LOVE going too!!  Since I have been on a real exercise routine,  I feel great!  I feel better about my self and have more energy too!  I workout for about an hour 4-6x week.  I try to lift weights twice a week, and do kickboxing, pyloxing, yoga, step,  zumba and the elliptical.

10:00-  Errands.  After I workout, I get the boys, wash their hands, put on their jackets/shoes and get back in the van.  Then we run any errands that need to get done including going grocery shopping.  If we don’t have any errands, we just go home and snack, lol.

11:00-  Pick up.  Time to pick-up Grace.  That was quick!  Actually, I need to leave at 11:15.  I go get her, talk to the other moms and drive home.

12:00-  Lunch.  We eat lunch at noon everyday!  We usually have leftovers, sandwiches, salad, pasta or something like that.  I also make sure that we eat a fruit and veggie too!  I then enjoy my cup of coffee while I read or do flash cards with the kids. We like the Your Baby Can Read flashcards!   They love when I read to them and so do I.  They can actually pay attention to me because they are still in there chairs/highchair.  After this, I switch my load of laundry and clean up after lunch.

1:00-  Nap/work.  I give Matthew naps everyday still.  He is almost 2 and he loves needs his naps.  To put him down, I change his diaper and clothes, give him a sippy cup and read to him.  After that, I lay him down in his crib, say his prayers, turn on a little fan (to block the noise) and walk out.  Next, I get Grace and Michael started on worksheets or crafts, get out a toy and they can watch a movie.  Since Matthew is sleeping, this is my only time to get any real work done.  I finish the laundry and get all my chores done for the day.  I will share my cleaning schedule with you next week. :)  I forgot, sometimes the kids help me with the chores.

2:00-  Shaklee/Blog.  This is when I work on Shaklee and blog.  I also take my pictures during this time.

3:00- Learning time.  This is when I like to sit with the kids and do crafts, worksheets, numbers, letters, read, sing songs, homework, etc.  We LOVE this time! :)  The kids love to do workbooks and color.  We also LOVE all crafts for kids!! :) Matthew usually wakes up sometime during this hour.  This is one of my favorite times of the day!!!

4:00-  Clean-up/Make dinner.  This hour is my “prepare for hubby hour”!  I like to have all the toys picked up, house spotless and dinner ready on the table before Scott comes home.  My mom always did this for my dad so I was just used to that idea and my husband really appreciates it.  I start by preparing and cooking dinner. The kids LOVE helping me cook! :)  While the food is cooking, we do a quick run through the house and pick up everything!  I straighten all pillows and throws, turn the lights on, and try to look good.  Yes…I fix my make-up and sometimes change my clothes.  I love wearing yoga pants all day but my hubby likes me in jeans so sometimes I will change.  This can be a hectic hour but totally worth it.

5:00-  Eat dinner.  Dinner and clean-up usually takes the whole hour.  We eat together as a family every night and never watch tv while we eat.  We love to talk about our days and enjoy the family.

6:00-  Play/Read.  Every night, after dinner, we spend quality time as a family!  LOVE this! :)  Since it is cold out now, we play inside games.  We love board games, cards or other educational games.  This is also a great time for the kids to spend quality time with their daddy!  After games, we read to the kids on the couch and then one parent takes Matthew and the other takes Grace and Michael.  One person will get Matthew ready for bed and the other will get the older kids ready.  (You know…brush teeth, jammies, etc.)  Then we read to them…Matthew in his room and Grace and Michael in Michael’s room.  Matthew’s routine is the same as his naptime routine.  For the other kids, we start by having Grace read aloud and we read to them.  After that, we say prayers and tuck them in.

7:00-  Hubby time.  This is when me and the hubs can hang out and talk, read, watch tv or whatever.

8:00-  Shower.  I like to shower at night after the kids are in bed.  It also saves me so much time in the morning.

9:00-  Work.  I get back to work answering emails and writing posts.

10:00-  Bed.  Pray and go to bed!  :)

So there you go!  I hope it was not too long.

To be honest, this was a little scary writing all this.  Now, I feel like you know A LOT more about me.  I know everyone’s schedule is different and different routine’s work for different people.

I might of missed stuff, but that is a normal day.  Of course, everyday is not the same.  We also have play dates, visits the the library, etc.   I feel that there is enough room for downtime and I also feel that this is pretty realistic.  Sometimes I stay up way to late and sometimes I don’t workout.  This is my guideline that works for us now.  This summer, we will change it again, lol!

For more tips or organizing your mind, please read Organize Now!

So please try to organize your schedule this week and tell us how you did that. 

How did you apply these goals to your life?

We love reading about this so please share all!!!! 

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Now it is your turn to share your schedule!!!!