Much of life is routine.
When I think of the word “routine,” I tend to think immediately of
drudgery, a boring lifestyle, a stifled imagination, and living in a rut. I remember thinking as a young mother who changed diapers, did loads of baby clothes, mixed formula, and wiped up
messes, “Is this all there is to life?”
One day seemed to blur into the other.
If you are there right now, consider that you are caring for
God’s little life He formed and entrusted you as caretaker. What an awesome privilege to care for His
little ones!
Far from being a negative thing, a daily routine can yield
many benefits. It gives us continuity, a
sense of belonging, a place to be with things to do. What if you had no place to go and nothing to
do? Ask a homeless person or a prisoner,
and they will likely admit they miss the freedom of routine as they knew
it. Having a good routine gives us
freedom and a sense of purpose.
If you’d like some help to live each day in a balanced,
time-saving way, here are some ideas:
- Make spending quiet time with God a priority in your day. Read the Bible, asking the Holy Spirit to help you apply it to your life. Pray to God and listen quietly to Him.
- Go to bed early enough and at the same time; it assures a deeper sleep and sets your internal clock.
- Eat meals at the same time each day, and eat similar foods to save time and distraction.
- Plan meals for the coming week and grocery shop on the weekends.
- Make a daily “To Do” list. From that, make a “Must Do” list. Give attention to the “Must Do” list first; then when those are accomplished, you’ll feel rewarded and your mind will be less cluttered as you go to sleep.
- Get regular exercise, even if it’s just walking twenty minutes a day on a treadmill or outside. Your body will thank you.
- Make quality time for your family and friends. Next to God, people are the most important things in life.
- Have a daily “You” time. Allow yourself a tiny mini vacation each day where you sit back, relax, think, and just “are.”
- Before you go to bed, make sure the sink is clean and the dishes are in the dishwasher. In the morning, unload it before breakfast. Better yet, unload it before going to bed so you can start the day with a clean, orderly kitchen.
- Don’t procrastinate doing things you dislike. As you keep your schedule, you will find it gets easier and becomes a good habit.
- Don’t pack too much into one day. Life is meant to be lived with joy and fulfillment. You don’t need to be “Superman” or “Wonder Woman.” Relax.
I remember how I used to push myself to see how much I could
do in one day – how “smart” I was in pushing myself to get a lot done. I did have satisfaction in accomplishing a
lot, but I think it also made me cranky sometimes. Looking back, I wish I would have left some
things undone and spent more time playing with my children. Don’t regret your routines – be wise. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you balance your
plan for the day, plan meals, and make God-and-me-time. He will give you inspired ideas!
If you’d like more tips for a good routine, here’s a web
link for you:
Children especially need a good daily routine. Parents and caregivers need to mentally
prepare a child for changes in activities throughout the day by giving a cheerful, five-minute notice, for example, of a change in activity or schedule. If a child is rushed, pushed or threatened,
he reacts with confusion and resentment.
Temper tantrums and breakdowns are more likely to occur.
Having a good, consistent daily routine for a child is
essential. Here’s why:
- It makes for a happier, more co-operative child; and a happy child makes a happy parent.
- The child feels less anxious or nervous.
- Following a regular routine develops self-discipline and responsibility. Even though it may seem boring to an adult, it’s a foundation of success for the child.
- It builds confidence and independence.
- The child feels in control of his day.
- You will enjoy your child more.
When I thought about routines, I thought of the prophet
Daniel in the Bible. When he and his
three friends were told to eat a different diet than what they were used to,
they stuck to their routine of what they ate, and at the end of ten days were
found to be healthier and better nourished than those who ate the king’s
food. Scripture says in Daniel 1:17
(NIV) that “God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and
learning. And Daniel could understand
visions and dreams of all kinds.”
Then later, King Darius decreed that no one dared pray to
any god but the king for thirty days, or he would be thrown into the lions
den. We read in Daniel 6:10 how, when
Daniel learned of the decree, “he went home to his upstairs room where the
windows opened toward Jerusalem . Three times a day he got down on his knees
and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.”
Wow, talk about a routine!
I believe we can see from Daniel’s life that he was a diligent,
routine-keeping kind of man. And God
blessed him with a high position in government because he was a faithful
man.
Yes, much of life is made up of routine living. But it doesn’t need to put you in a rut or
make you dull and uninteresting. It
doesn’t need to be boring or make you tired. A good routine helps everyone be
steady and faithful. Just ask Daniel.
Copyright © 2013 Elaine Beachy
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