It
makes sense that kids thrive on routine.
It is obvious that Baya is at her best when she has stayed on her
schedule. I’m also at my best when
Baya stays on her schedule!
Starting with her wake up time, we are at the point where I can expect
certain things from her at certain times now. Illness, traveling for holidays, and other things sure know
how to mess up routine and I can see how it affects her mood and behavior (mine
too).
Yes,
routine is amazing for kids.
Consistency is so beneficial to children. It is also superb for me when she stays on her schedule
because then I know what to expect from her. I can plan things around her schedule. I know my time frame for getting in a
bike ride on the trainer. I know
how much time I have afterwards for if I can fit in a shower, or do the dishes,
etc. Routine is more than just
that though. It is said,
“Motivation is what gets you started.
Habit is what keeps you going.”
Winter has already arrived here in the Northwoods, and so I am seeing
some newer people come into the Wellness Center to try to establish a new
routine that involves working out (and the New Years’ Resolutioners will soon
follow). One woman was saying that
her struggle is motivation. It
seems that is common for many.
As
I’ve said before, motivation is not something I typically struggle with, rather
it often comes down to opportunity instead. If I have the opportunity, then I will certainly follow
through on planned workouts, and sometimes I may need to put in a little extra
work in making it happen, but I always do my best to fulfill what I have set out
to do. I believe a lot of it comes
down to routine, not motivation. I
am in the routine of working out every day. I am in the routine of running everyday. It feels wrong to not run, or take a
day completely off. In fact, it
bothers me to do so. This may seem
extreme, but it is a good example of what routine can do to you. It is my routine to go to the Y in the
morning and get my swim in first (if it is a day I get to swim). It is never a question of if I feel
like swimming. I am in a swim
block right now, and some of the workouts I am doing are very tough. Some days I struggle to hit my
intervals. However, I never allow
myself to question whether or not I FEEL like doing the workout. I just do it. It think Nike is on to something. Don’t question it.
Don’t allow excuses to pop up.
Just do it. Make it your
routine.
My
next training block will be on the bike.
On the trainer. In the
garage. It will not be exciting by
any means. In fact, it can be
downright unpleasant. Given Baya’s
schedule though, I know I only have a small block of time during which I can
make my ride possible. There is a
minimal amount of time for procrastination, which I think is another pitfall
that we can easily fall into. The
more we allow ourselves to procrastinate, the more likely it becomes that the
workout becomes compromised. If we
stick to a routine though (come home from work, have lunch, hop on the bike),
then procrastination is eliminated and the work gets done. While I know schedules should be
flexible and expected to change, we can adapt easier just by shifting our
routines around, but not abandoning them altogether!
Simply
put, routine means happy baby, which in turn equals one happy momma!
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