We are one week in to our summer vacation and well... I need to make an adjustment to the routine. I was hoping to get up at my regular wake up time to get ready but instead of getting ready I was going to work out. First go on a 2 mile walk with my mom each morning, then do a Blogilates workout (I am doing the 21 Day Challenge) and hopefully get on the bike for a little bit. THEN get ready.
But at this point I am getting ready so late in the morning that I feel like I am not productive. Even though I am. The other day I got up and did my workout, then ran to the store for a couple of ingredients to make this month's Sweetie La Pie and made the pie before getting in the shower. Not to mention I am spending time with my kids, taking them to do things and doing my morning cleaning routine around the house. That is why I came up with the following 3 steps for summer productivity.
Write a To-Do List Daily: This is something I have done for a very long time. Each night after my big kids were in bed (back when they were the size of my little kids) I would get my notebook out and write my to-do list for the next day. It wasn't in any order, but I always wrote down what needed to happen. I swear it helped me sleep better because I wasn't laying in bed thinking about everything I had to do. When I am up and ready for the day I am ready to tackle my list. This really helps productivity when you know what needs to be done. Time isn't wasted and you are less likely to forget something.
Set A Timer: When I have items on my list that I don't want to do, I set a timer and race against myself. I also use the timer so that I can teach my kids to do the same thing. We will set the timer and see if they can get their toys cleaned up before it goes off. Or I use the timer to tell them that as soon as this timer goes off and I have the dishes done or whatever chore I am working on done then we will go to the pool, to a friends house, to the park... You get the idea. It's about making the task at hand feel more manageable.
Put The House To Bed: I learned this from Jaycee. And if you have been around for a while, this isn't new. Each evening after the kids are in bed I will make sure the dishes are done and the dishwasher set to run in the middle of the night, I will sweep and mop (if you don't have a vacuum mop for your floors you are missing out big time!), clean up the toys and wipe all the counters down. If I know I need to be somewhere earlier in the day I will also make sure my purse is ready as well as the diaper bag in case we will be out for a while and have several things to do.