Although, for the most part, routines can be boring, it is important to have certain routines in place in order for your life to run more smoothly.  Below are several parts of your day when having a good routine in place makes sense. 

Morning Routine:

Mornings tend to be very stressful for most people, especially families.  In order to reduce the amount of stress, establish a good morning routine

• Get up 30 minutes before your child
• Be consistent about wakeup time 
• Pack backpacks, lunchboxes, workout bags and briefcases the night before
• Select a breakfast menu at the beginning of the week
• Create a chart that details the sequence in which each morning activity should take place
• Use checklists to make sure you have everything before heading out the door
• Check Family Calendar/Planner to make sure you are not forgetting anything

 

After School/After Work Routine:

Know where things go once they come into the house

• Designate a place to put all incoming paperwork (mail, homework, permission slips, school flyers, etc.)
• Put backpacks, briefcases, purses, etc. in the appropriate spot(s).
• Empty out lunchboxes and put in the appropriate spot
• Be consistent about snack/homework time
• Establish a Homework/Mail Opening/Paper Management Routine.

Bedtime Routine

It's easier to get a good night's rest when you don't have so many things on your mind. 

• Be consistent with Bedtime
• Create a chart with the sequence of evening rituals
• Decide on Clothes:  Iron and set aside for the next day
• Decide on menu items (for breakfast, lunch, and dinner).  Pull out any frozen items that need to be defrosted for the next day.
• Take a bath or shower at night when time isn't so precious

Do as much pre-planning the night before as you can (writing To-Do lists, getting things set aside for the next day, etc.)