a healthy routine

I am finding myself in a better and better routine to balance work/kids/me/random life. And I like routines, and predictable schedules. I think that's part of what is hard about the "flex" schedule - you can be flexible but you need a plan as well.

With the way things are settling out, I'm trying to not leave home two days a week, to just stay on the property and do what I can here. I'm finding that very restful when I can manage it.

I've got my errands lumped on two days a week, when I'll be driving past stores/library/bank anyway. I'm resisting making any special trips for an errand, and instead just waiting for one of my normal errand days.

At work, besides the obvious need to be flexible for evening and weekend meetings, I have set my office hours up as Loose Ends and Admin Day, Prep for Sunday Day, and Big Picture/Long Term Project Work Day. By doing it in that order, I stay on top of things and then even get ahead.

We focus on the homeschooling lessons three days a week, and then only do a little bit on the other two weekdays, when we have PE class at the gym instead. The kids get their PE and I sometimes get a workout in at the same time.

My weekends are crazy, of course.

But the best thing I'm finding is that right now I have a designated Study Time one morning a week. I drop the kids off with a friend, and take my studying down to a coffee shop. Three or four hours of steady focused time on learning and studying a week, in an environment with no distractions, is just lovely. I want to keep doing that even after I'm done with this UU History course I'm taking. All DRE's should get a few hours a week to study and read and write.

Everyone will need a different routine. Every life is just a little bit different. But I think it is so worth it to find a healthy routine that balances enough time for the Emergent To Do List and the long term thinking and planning. Time for you, for your family, and for your work.