The power of routine for balance

Do you remember how you imagined adulthood during your childhood? Was it like me, the assumption that you would have the freedom to do anything you wanted?  However, as we grow older, the reality of age brings along a never-ending list of responsibilities that constantly evolve and change. I find myself reflecting on this as I work my way through today’s to-do list. The things I want to do often get overshadowed by the things I need to do, and sometimes I discover unexpected responsibilities! When working with clients who are returning to work or navigating their careers, one recurring theme that comes up is feeling they are being pulled in a variety of directions.  Today, I want to share my thoughts on lightening the mental load and how incorporating routines can bring balance to your life.

 

The pressures of our professional lives can often be managed through established processes: systems, clear quality expectations, and, on occasion, delegating or accessing additional resources. However, when it comes to our personal lives, these structures are not always in place. On the other hand, some individuals can exercise control over their home life without considering how those skills can be applied in other settings. Regardless, whether you’re considering this from a work, home, or combined perspective, one thing is clear: many of our responsibilities are routine, occurring regularly, be it daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly. However, the mental load accompanying these routines can be quite burdensome, leaving us feeling overwhelmed and tired!

 

Now, to establish these routines, I’m going to ask you to do something for me. It may seem counterintuitive at first, but bear with me. Take a moment to reflect on your personal and professional life: each day, week, month, and year. Consider the activities that are routine in your life and work, those that occur regularly and often follow a similar pattern. To assist you, you can create a visual map by mentally walking through your day and noting the recurring tasks. If you’re having trouble, here are some prompts:

 

For personal life:

– Food

– Cleaning

– Laundry

– Shopping

– Communication

– Childcare

– Paying Bills

– Diary Management

 

For work life:

– Emails

– Meetings

– Reporting

– Payments

– Marketing

 

For both, break down how these responsibilities are fulfilled. Ask yourself questions like,  how long they take, what resources are required, who they are for, what is the cost involved, and what are the deadline(s). This detail will give you the information to start creating the routines you need, and the key to achieving that lies in scheduling!

 

Let me walk you through two examples, one for home and one for work, that have significantly impacted my own work-life balance.

 

First, let’s talk about washing clothes. It’s an essential task, but throughout my life, I had adopted a “fill the basket first” approach. This often resulted in frantic moments of searching for clean uniforms for my daughters or, even worse, finding clean clothes for myself. Now, each person in my household has a designated laundry day, which is literally scheduled in our diaries. It’s a simple change, but it has ensured that nobody runs out of clean clothes again (so far so good!). Additionally, during the summer months, this change has even led to a decrease in our electricity bill since I can hang the washing out to dry while working from home  (an unexpected but very useful benefit!)

 

Now, let’s shift our focus to work. As a micro-business owner, I wear multiple hats, including a coach, trainer, bookkeeper, copywriter, accounts payable, and personal assistant, among others. There are certain things I do every day, such as checking emails and making sure I have a proper lunch break (which is an important routine in itself). Additionally, there are weekly tasks like writing my blog, following up on unpaid invoices, and encouraging clients to schedule appointments. These activities take up several hours each week, so it’s crucial to schedule them into my work diary as dedicated time blocks. By creating a “rolling” appointment for these tasks, I can allocate the necessary time and ensure I don’t have to constantly think and plan for them.

 

I have simplified my life by making routine expectations explicit and incorporating them into my schedule. I no longer need to carry these tasks mentally or add them to a never-ending to-do list. My only action is to check my relevant diary.

 

Admittedly, initially implementing these changes may require some time investment, a resource you might feel you don’t have. However, by dedicating time to establishing a routine, you can free up internal resources, allowing you to carve out time for yourself and creatively problem-solve when unexpected challenges arise.

 

How could this approach work for you? Could you schedule your routine responsibilities? As you embark on this journey, you might discover that you can redefine what “done” looks like, and delegate tasks to others, including utilising automation. While I can’t solve the underlying issues related to the mental load, including infrastructure, policies, and culture, I invite you to focus on reducing the pressure you place on yourself. By identifying what is routine in your life, you can explore ways to automate those tasks, and maybe start removing the need to do some!

 

I would love to hear if you already take this approach and learn about your top tips for scheduling. Join me at “Creating Careers to Enjoy” and share your thoughts. Together, we can lighten the mental load and create more balance in our lives.