Hello my name is Kristina and I’m Type-A, a classic Virgo, thrive on routine, follow a strict schedule daily and to-do lists are my love language! Since I’ve been working from home for a couple years, routines and schedules have been a huge part of my life in order to stay on-task. It’s easy to want to do a load of laundry during the day or heck, lay on the couch and catch upon shows… but that doesn’t allow me to stay productive.
Working from home doesn’t work for everyone, but for me, I thrive on it. I’ve mastered my routine/schedule and for the most part I follow it daily. Of course life happens and sometimes my day doesn’t go as planned and I’ve learned to be okay with that too!
Throw in this life we’re currently living in, being in quarantine and having Erik work for home… now that definitely has put a wrench in things. The first two weeks were rough for us! Ha. I’m very particular about how I spend my day and trying to navigate that with Erik home was a challenge for sure. But, I’m happy to report we’ve found our groove and life is great at the Schumacher house now! Erik took over our home office and is extremely productive from home too, sometimes I forget he’s even here! He comes out for lunch and an occasional break here and there, but we’re both able to do our own thing and it’s working really well for us… I’m actually going to miss having him here when he goes back to the office.
With that being said, I learned quickly (those first rough two weeks) that although life is different now sticking to certain routines during this time is making the world of difference!
5 Routines I Haven’t Stopped During Quarantine:
Working Out
Prior to this “stay at home” order we would go to the gym early in the morning and then I would go to my Pure Barre class during the day. For Christmas we bought a Hydrow machine (think the Peloton of Rowing machines), so we’re lucky to have that since gyms are closed. The first two weeks, when our routine was out the window we’d try to workout whenever (at lunch, night, or not at all!). Since then we’ve shifted back to our morning workouts and Erik rows while I do my favorite workout dvd (yes, it’s a dvd! I’ve been using it since college!- you can stream the same workout now).
Starting our day with a workout just sets the tone for the entire day, especially since we’re in the house all day. In the evenings we’ve been going on long walks in the neighborhood just to unwind and get out. I’ve been loving my new fitness routine. I’ll do another post on my various home workouts.
Bedtime/Wake Up Times
I’d say this one has been the most important one for us and is what made our first two weeks really rough. When Erik first started working from home, we would stay up late watching tv and then were too tired to get up as early (5:00am) as we used to when we’d go to the gym (since he has a commute to work), so we would wake up just in time to get ready and to start working. That literally ruined our entire day since it felt like we rushed to get started. Since then we’ve been really good about going to bed our normal early time (between 9:30-10:00pm) and waking up early to workout (around 6:00am).
In the morning I really enjoy and value my quiet alone time… before I start my workout I like to take some time to do my daily devotional and reflect on what’s going on in my life. This is the best way for me to start my day and sets the tone for the rest of the day!
To-Do Lists
There is nothing more gratifying than crossing off something on my to-do list… best feeling in the world! Ha. Although I do use a google calendar (for my personal life, work and a shared one for Erik and I), I also write everything I need to do in a notebook. What works best for me is that at the end of the day I write a to-do list for the next day and leave it on my desk. This way I don’t have to stress when I’m sleeping about what needs to get done the next day (Virgo problems!) and don’t waste time the next morning figuring out my plan. I literally look at my list and get going… and then cross off!
I’ve continued this during quarantine but have been including added things like “row”, “prep dinner”, etc. It really helps me stay on task and get everything done.
Getting Ready
Quarantine or not, I’m a big believer in if you look good, you feel good. This has been crucial for me while working from home. If I stay in my pjs all day it gives me the “lazy” mindset and I’m not as focused and productive. Although we’re not leaving the house on a daily basis, after we workout we shower, get dressed and ready for the day.
Meal Planning
Before this quarantine, I was big on meal planning/prep. I would meal prep lunches every Sunday for the week since Erik prefers to take lunch to work. The first two weeks home I didn’t plan anything and was exhausted from cooking since nothing was planned ahead, so I was constantly in the kitchen figuring out what to cook next.
Although I haven’t been meal prepping, I have been meal planning. I’ve been making a list of what I’m going to cook all week, so when I go grocery shopping it’s easy and I follow my list during the week- making it a no brainer for me. Mondays I’ve also been making a big batch of quinoa salad, Greek potato salad, etc for lunch so we have leftovers for the week, as well as cooking more chicken (or whatever protein I’m making) for dinner so we have that for lunch too.
Sticking to these 5 routines have been key for us during this time, and now we’re actually enjoying it!
I’d love to hear from you! How are you doing during quarantine? Are there any routines you’ve been sticking with that make a difference for you?
Hope you are all doing well and staying healthy and safe!
xo, Kristina