Keeping Routines In Our Not So Routine World

Time.  There is so much of it these days.  We live in unprecedented times as social isolation is the new normal; at least only for the time being, I hope.  While we are busy engaging in social isolation, my mind has been thinking about keeping routines in our not so routine world.

Through this pandemic, we have been managing here in our household.  First of all, it has been our Spring Break during these last two weeks so we have had to adjust to not working.  With the COVID-19 pandemic rearing it’s ugly head, most events have been changed or cancelled.  Physio appointments have been cancelled, doctors appointments have been postponed or are going online, and even our daily walks are taking place knowing that we will give a wide berth to our fellow walkers and cyclists on the trails.  But, surprisingly, through all of this, we have managed to keep our routines.

Recently, I read the book Creatively Productive Essential Skills for Tackling Time Wasters, Clearing the Clutter, and Succeeding in School and Life! by Lisa Johnson.  In her book, Lisa shows the reader how to…

• Devise individualized plans for personal and student organization
• Manage time more effectively and get more done
• Set and track goals–and avoid procrastination

One chapter of Lisa’s book is called Taming Time.  In it she explains why calendars, planners and bullet journals are so important in today’s world.  The chapter outlined Bullet Journaling Basics and got me thinking about my Journal Like a Pirate journal that I purchased when it was first released in December.  This journal, created by Dave Burgess Consulting Inc., is something that I wanted to try.

After finishing Lisa’s book, and feeling inspired, I continued with my research into creating and organizing my own bullet journal or a Bujo as it is called by serious bullet journalers.  My research brought me to a short video Minimal Bullet Journal Setup >>for Productivity +Mindfulness.  This video demonstrated very simple ideas about setting up your Bujo and I adapted some of the layouts for my own purposes.  Mainly, I wished to stay organized and wanted to add a couple of items to my day such as a Habit Tracker and a Gratitudes Page.  This journal, along with my planner, have helped our family stay on track and to keep routines in our not so routine world.

What have you been doing to keep up with your routines in our not so routine world?