Ever since DD was born late in life, I quickly realized the easiest and least stressful way to deal with this speed bump in life I hit was to have a schedule and routine and stick with it. Even before she was born I was going through whole abuse and then an extremely volatile divorce. So I stuck to my routine and schedule. Well I don't need to do that anymore but I am finding it hard to break the cycle and it is making me lose out on simple life funs.
Anyone else have this issue?
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Sometimes you're the windshield, and sometimes you're the bug.
After my divorce, I was alone with 3 very small children.
I had to have a schedule and routine just to stay sane.
I feel your pain.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
I am someone who needs a lot of notice when there is going to be a routine change. It affects my anxiety levels (which are pretty off the charts anyways) and I need to prepare myself. My work team keeps wanting to go out for lunch at a moment's notice and I keep declining (which makes me look like the team *******) but I just can't make myself deviate from the schedule at last minute. Sometimes I think that if I just went and did it I would be okay, but I can't get myself there!
(I've asked for some notice before this happens to I can 'arrange my schedule' around it. And not get blindsided.)
You have to do what works for you. For some people, they need a lot of scheduling. And, that may important depending on what is going on in your life. There are a lot of things i schedule, but i also need time to kick back without any particular plan. It sounds like you just want to be a bit more spontaneous.
What do you think you are missing out on? And, what things are you being so regimented about that you no longer really need to schedule but still do? I think you should start by eliminating some scheduled things and just take off your watch and just be.
I am someone who needs a lot of notice when there is going to be a routine change. It affects my anxiety levels (which are pretty off the charts anyways) and I need to prepare myself. My work team keeps wanting to go out for lunch at a moment's notice and I keep declining (which makes me look like the team *******) but I just can't make myself deviate from the schedule at last minute. Sometimes I think that if I just went and did it I would be okay, but I can't get myself there!
(I've asked for some notice before this happens to I can 'arrange my schedule' around it. And not get blindsided.)
Why don't you schedule a set day, either once a week, once every two weeks or even once a month? You set the day and invite them. Like every other Friday. This way, you can have it in the schedule.
I'm a scheduler. When turmoil hits, like with this remodeling bit, I have to mentally prep myself in advance. And take lots of deep breaths. It can be really difficult to let go.
Ever since my stint in the hospital and my subsequent treatments this year, I have noticed I am able to let a lot of things go. Like my house. It is no longer neat and tidy and clean 24/7 and I find myself caring less about it being dirty.
He is the happiest when he can plan and prepare for things.
I think fueled my schedule-ing.
But I do know how to deviate.
Sometimes I'd get the kids up on my day off and we would take off with no where to go and all day to get there.
Or I'd pick them up after school on a Friday and I'd have a bag packed and we would take off for the weekend.
But even then, I kept us on somewhat of a schedule.
I made sure we ate at regular times, bedtime routines were the same. things like that.
The benefit of this, my kids were putting themselves to bed around ages 6.
By 8pm, they were asleep most nights.
Even now, they will go to bed between 9 and 10 most nights.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
I'm big on sleep schedules, too. The boys are sleepy by 8 PM and fall asleep quickly. Once or twice a year they get to stay up, and it's a treat. But they are exhausted.
It made it easier to get them up in the morning, too.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.