First off, if you haven't read Jana's last post on the previous thread, do please go back and read it. Firstly Jana's doing really well, and secondly she threw in an extra challenge:

remove one pile of clutter, small or large, that you've probably been walking past for weeks. Her post will give you a good incentive to just do that. No better time than the present - that's MONDAY, not the whole week, just today.

Routines. Is anybody out there groaning that this is yet another thing they have to do, another chore to remember?? I hope I'm preaching to the converted - I suspect I am. But do we actually practice what we preach?? How many routines or habits do you have that you can get through on autopilot?? Maybe your morning routine, like brushing your teeth and hair, putting on any make-up in a particular order. Or your little bedtime ritual of a cup of something soothing and a little read. Those are routines too. They ground us in the day, provide a structure which makes it easier for us to function.

I've had plenty of chats with Honey about her lack of structure and routine when DS started homeschooling. For many of us we have some form of externally imposed structure, whether it's DH's work, the kids going to school, or regular activities we do ourselves. I know Honey is still struggling with that, and I apologise for making an example of you but I do think that your own lack of basic structure causes a lot of your difficulties, and I think you believe that too, even if you haven't yet managed to implement something. For most of us that externally imposed structure does help us a bit - we fit other things into existing gaps and hey presto.

We should start by having the basic routines in place, like sleeping and eating. If you sleep somewhere between 10pm and midnight and get up after 7 or 8hrs (excluding anyone on shifts!) then you probably have a reasonably regular sleeping pattern. Good for you. Do you have three regular meals?? Hands up all who skip breakfast?? Well I used to, but when we moved into this house last September I forced myself to eat it so that my kids wouldn't have an excuse not to. Lunch is my biggest downfall - at best I usually grab something on the run. Often I skip it. Do you sit down regularly with other household members for dinner in the dining room??

Obviously if you have those in place you can start to get more sophisticated with the routines that you can carry out whilst on autopilot. The point of all this is so you don't waste time or energy thinking about what or whenyou should be doing the basic household management jobs. They get done almost automatically. Maybe you mow your lawns regularly on Saturday afternoons through the summer. Other things need to be that routine too, so that things are maintained at a manageable level. Nobody enjoys tackling a whole heap of washing, but if you know you need to do a load every day it just gets done. Habit.

I've preached long enough. I need to get some meal planning done for when we come back, as well as tonight's meal which will try to use up what's in the fridge. I know tomorrow's and Wednesday's but somehow tonight remained stubbornly blank. If you haven't tried meal planning give it a go. I'll tell you another time how I do mine, and I'm pretty sure Lenora plans, and maybe Jana too now. You have to find a way that works for you. I tried last year and didn't make it past CNY, but this time, knowing how much it has helped I'm determined to get over that particular hump and learn my lesson. You can't always expect to import another person's system and then be surprised when it doesn't work for you and your family. Be honest with yourself and know how your own family functions. If you know your family just CAN'T do without going to a restaurant on a Saturday then make space for it. Or if they love pizza stick it in the plan once a week.

No really, I'm done now!

Kerri.