January 31, 2011

A Weekly Schedule

I'm one of those pathetically annoying people who thrive on routine and schedules.  For me, life is just easier when I know what my week is going to look like before I get started.  There is something comforting and relaxing about knowing what day my laundry is going to be washed, what day I will be grocery shopping, and what day my house is going to get a thorough cleaning.

I'm not an expert in time management, but there are a few things that anyone can do to improve the use of their time and create some healthy routines for the things that need to be done on a regular basis.

A weekly schedule is the foundation to organizing your time wisely.  It can be as loose or as detailed as you need it to be, depending on your lifestyle.  I keep mine fairly simple.  I’m a homeschooling mom, so my main priorities during the week include homeschool and managing my home.  Here are the main items on my weekly schedule (school is a given):

MONDAY: Thoroughly clean house.  For each room I tidy, dust, and do the floors.  I also wash the bed sheets and the bathroom towels.  My children are responsible for their own rooms on this day.

TUESDAY: Laundry and water houseplants.  This is the only day of the week I wash clothes.  For my family, that means 4-5 loads.  I also do ironing and mending if needed.  And all the houseplants get a drink on this day (I've been reducing the number of houseplants I own because I do not like this chore).

WEDNESDAY:  Gardening and church.  On Wednesday evening, our congregation meets in my home.  My main activities for the day focus on this.  I prepare a lesson for the children who will be coming and prepare snacks for everyone.  However, I begin the day by spending a little time working in my garden.  It’s good for my mind as I mentally prepare for our meeting time.

THURSDAY: Lesson plans and shopping list.  Prepare lesson plans for homeschool for the next week and make note of any needed supplies that I’ll have to purchase for the lessons.  I also prepare my shopping list (see my post about Simplified Grocery Shopping for more information).

FRIDAY: This is errand and grocery shopping day.  We only school Monday through Thursday, so I can devote Friday to running around town.

Of course there are other things that must be done in the course of a week, but I know that every week these things will happen on these days.  I plan my other activities and appointments around them. 

What does your basic weekly schedule look like?

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