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This is day 18 of 31 Days of Finding Joy in Depression. Yesterday, I shared about taking care of yourself and depression. Today, let's dive into how to take care of yourself with routines.
Routines can be monotonous, but sometimes relying on them is what gets you through some days. Find a groove that works for you. Knowing what comes next each day will help you and your kids.
What does a typical day at home look like for us?
- Daddy up and off to work / Mommy up and getting ready for the day / Boys play when they get up
- Breakfast / Morning chores like starting laundry, tidying the kitchen / More playtime
- School / Jacob's morning nap / playtime until lunch / Mommy email and blogging
- Lunch and movie / playtime
- Quiet time reading for Jonathan and playtime/ afternoon nap for Jacob / dinner prep, chores, and quiet time for Mommy
- More playtime
- Dinner
- More playtime
- Dinner clean up / 5-10 minute whole house pick up
- Bedtime routine
- Mommy & Daddy time
It really helps me budget my time. I know what needs to be done before I can try to fit something else in. I also know what I need to try to get done before I try to take a nap if I think I need one. I know how to handle the day when I'm in a low point and can't think straight. Having this routine makes sure that I do things like read my Bible, read books that I want to read, blog or read blogs, or do other things that refresh me.
Notice that my routine doesn't have times attached to it. Sometimes breakfast is at 7:30am and sometimes it is at 9am. We're not rigid about the times. It is the flow and predictability that my boys thrive on and helps me stay sane. And, it does still allow us to be spontaneous when we want to be.
What does a typical day look like at your house? Does having a routine help you manage your depression?
If you deal with depression, please comment and share your journey too. If you're a blogger, you can use the button and code below to share your story and link back on your blog. Feel free to leave links to your posts in the comments area.
I'm linking up with The Nester and others who are writing 31 posts this month on various topics. I'm not a doctor or a counselor and this is not intended to be medical advice. This is simply the story of my experience with depression.
