How To Organize Your Days This Winter

 

Winter can be a very trying time of year.  Not only are you stuck in the house for most of the day when the weather is cold and dreary, but it gets difficult to not feel like the days just run together in a big unproductive blur.  If you work from home, the struggle is amplified because literally WORK and HOME both run together.  But of course, me being the queen of productivity, I have some tips for you to help you organize your days to give them structure, routine, and to help you keep your mental and physical well-being as a priority.



Establish a Morning Routine

I've posted before about how important a morning routine is, and it honestly can make a big difference no matter what your own routine looks like.  The most important part is the time you wake up every morning.  Choose a time that doesn't leave you rushing to start your day.  I know it's tempting to wake up 5 minutes before you need to log onto work or 10 minutes before you have to shoot out the door but doing that can make you neglect other important aspects of a morning routine like eating breakfast, meditating, or just setting the overall mood for the day. 

 

Select a time to wake up that allows you enough time to become fully alert and transition to the next part of your day whether it's work, home tasks, or errands.  Then make a list (you can use the notes app on your phone so it's always right in front of you) of the things you would like to do every morning, whether they take 1 minute or 30.  Maybe you want to wake up and do yoga or just meditate.  Maybe you want to journal your intentions for the day.  Make sure you create a morning routine that works for you on a daily and consistent basis.  An example of a typical morning routine is waking up, washing your face, making coffee and having breakfast as you catch up on the news, then doing a few minutes of journaling and setting intentions for the day.  You can even review your days to do list at this time.  

 

Establish a To Do List 

So this is important because this gives you things to accomplish each day and that can be really helpful on days you're stuck inside with no where to go and nothing to do.  On a Sunday before the week starts, sit down and think of the things you would like to accomplish in the next 7 days.  Maybe it's cleaning tasks or maybe there are actual little home projects (or even fun craft projects) you'd like to do.  Then split these tasks up over the next 7 days.  They don't have to be boring tasks you dread either.  Don't be afraid to add in "read for 1 hour" or "watch 1 episode of favorite show".  

 

Choose the Same Day for the Same Tasks

This will help you on a week by week basis.  For instance, I do laundry every Wednesday.  No matter what goes on in my life, I tend to stick to that schedule.  I also vacuum on Thursdays and Tuesdays.  Sundays are for a deep kitchen clean.   I do 2 runs a day on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays and do 2 long brisk walks the other days.  These are things that give me permanent structure week by week AND day by day.  I meal plan every other Monday and Tuesdays are for grocery shopping.  

Allow Time for Fun

Even having fun can feel productive.  If you've been wanting to paint or sketch in your art book, choose specific days of each upcoming week for that. Take a look at the other things on your list for each day to see where those fun things would best fit in. 

Schedule Time for Fitness DAILY

This is important regardless of if you have fitness goals or not.  Humans are designed to move and be active.  If you just lay around all day, it can get your depressed and feeling guilty.  If you don't currently have an exercise routine, start out with daily walks (yes, even in the cold) or look up simple cardio workouts you can do at home with no supplies needed.  If you are regularly working out, add these to your daily schedule so you stick to the routine of them. 

 

Schedule Time for Hygiene

Have you ever put off washing your hair for days and days and still can't bring yourself to shower? That's why I set specific days for my hair washing which also work around my running schedule.  On days I run, I shower later so that I can wash the sweat off of me.  On days I walk, I don't need to wash my hair.  This allows me to not dry my hair out by over-washing but still keeping with a schedule to keep myself feeling great because we all know how nice it feels to finally get a shower and do your hair. 

 

Eat at the Same Times

Don't eat whenever you remember to...set a schedule! Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner around the same time every day. Again, this gives you structure to your day and giving structure to anything you do regularly makes you eliminate those chaotic feelings of "oh my gosh, I lost track of time and it's too late to cook dinner!". 

So take these ideas, and do them every Sunday to prepare for the week ahead.  After a few weeks it should become habit and you may find you don't even need your lists of your morning routine. I promise once you get on a roll, Winter will fly by and then you can modify your weekly routine for the Spring and Summer months! 

 

How do you organize your time in Winter? 

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