Establishing structure and a daily routine can be surprisingly challenging. As a work from home girlie, I have to work actively to create and KEEP structure in my life. It’s difficult to have structure when you don’t have an obligatory, regular reason to leave the house. I’ve been experimenting with ways to establish structure and routine for a while now, and I want to share some of my ideas with you as I implement them into my day-to-day.
Here are 5 ways I’ve been successful in creating structure and routine in my life:
1. Automate as much as possible to create structure in your life.
I’ve talked about this before, but Google Tasks is my saving grace when it comes to creating structure in an otherwise formless life. You can set tasks to recur on whatever basis you want. Some examples of tasks that recur every day for me are:
- Setting daily intentions
- Picking an oracle card
- Scooping cat litter
- Watering plants
- Playing with the cats
- Stretches and physical therapy
Some tasks I have set to recur “every week” include…
- Vacuuming/Swiffering the house
- Laundry
- Oiling my hair
- Calling my parents
Some tasks I have set to “every other week” include…
- Wash the duvet cover
- Dermaplane (something I do at home!)
- Linen laundry
And some tasks that recur every 3-4 days include…
- Working on my novel
- Hitting the gym
You can also set tasks to recur every month. My monthly tasks include:
- Budgeting
- Monthly bills, like credit card payments and rent
To give you an idea of how this works, I wake up in the morning and have a to-do list already created for me most days. If I can give you just one excellent way to create structure in your life, this is the one I’m talking about. I’m planning to do a whole post about Google Tasks and how I use it in detail later, because this is truly my best defense against my days slipping away from me.
2. Categorize your days into “types”
Society has progressed past the usefulness of simply “weekday” and “weekend.” For example, what if you have an irregular schedule like my BFF? What if you get two days off a week, and one is for rest, one is for housework? Try categorizing your days into “types” that each have a distinct pattern or structure. For example…
- Monday: Workday: Regular Version. (Work, then rest.)
- Tuesday: Work, then gym, then rest.
- Wednesday: Work, then cooking, then rest.
- Thursday: Workday: Regular Version again! (Work, then rest.)
- Saturday: ✨ Day Off: Personal Version. Gym, park walk, grabbing coffee, maybe a social call!
- Sunday: 💪 Day Off: Housework Version. Bigger tasks like laundry, cleaning the patio, cooking, and prep for the week.
3. Do one thing at the same time every day to create structure in your life.
It’s a long shot for me to have a daily, repeating schedule, so I like to instead aim for something more achievable. I have one task done at the same time every day. This is usually lunch or dinner. Meals are the ideal thing to have at the same time every day for me, since they impact my sleep schedule.
4. Think about what you do every day, then create physical spaces for those things
It helps to have a physical location to go through each part of my day. If you work from home and don’t have an office, I highly recommend creating a place where you can actually focus on work and then leave it there. I have a work desk in one of our common spaces right now, and I’m working on my actual office so I can even “shut the door” on work when I’m done with it. If you want to follow my office development process, follow me on Instagram!
I also spend my mornings and evenings in the living room. If I’m really in need of a change of scenery, I choose a coffee shop to work in for the day. Switching up your location goes a long way to help you create structure in your life.
5. Set an intention every day, then reflect on them at the end of the week
Setting a daily intention in my journal has been game-changing for me. I try to do this as part of my morning routine, but if I don’t get to it then, I jot something down on my lunch break. It’s an amazing way to keep your focus when you’re working on creating structure in your life. Sometimes, my daily intention ties into an oracle card reading, and sometimes it’s just how I plan to feel that day. Or, if I’m really at a loss, what I’m trying to achieve that day. There’s a lot of wiggle room in how you construct your intentions every day. Try experimenting with this and seeing what works for you!
I hope these tips help you create structure in your life, because they’ve definitely helped me. I want to close out with a little reminder to be compassionate to yourself. Building your daily routine (or in my case, routines) is not easy. There’s always an adjustment period when my life needs to change a little to accommodate new projects, habits, or relationships. Don’t beat yourself up if things don’t fall into place right away!
Happy routining. 💙
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