My Saturday Routine

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Happy February 29 my friends!!  This day only comes every four (4) years so I thought I would stop on here and say hello, good morning, and Happy February 29. 

Life lately has been a little slow, full of routine and rhythms and I LOVE IT!! 

For today's post I thought it would be fun to share my Saturday Routine.  A couple of weeks ago I was on the phone with a friend and she had mentioned that she was no longer using someone to clean her house, and I quickly responded "Well, that is a good thing."  She said, "It is?" I laughed and explained my view on cleaning my house.  You see, for me I believe that cleaning my own house is so good for me personally. It helps me stay balanced, it allows me to reflect on the blessings the Lord has given me, and keeps me grounded as a wife.

Now before we go any further, please know that I am not judging ANYONE who having someone clean your house.  I know each family has there own needs, demands, and commitments, and I have several friends who make a living at cleaning homes.  This post is just to talk about why for me personally cleaning our house is good for me and our family.

Okay, back to the post!  Saturdays is officially the day of the week that I use to RESET.  Growing up it was almost always the day that my mom did housework and my dad worked in the yard and washed cars.  Some of my favorite childhood memories are rooted in Saturday routines.  So when I got older and moved out, I found myself making Saturdays a day I stayed home, cleaned, and reset for the week ahead.  Then when I got married I wanted to do the same.  But something happened.  Life happened.  My job became more demanding, and my weekdays were filled with so many commitments and meetings that by the time Saturday came around I was exhausted.  Then a few years ago when we bought our first house I noticed something.  I CRAVED a Saturday Routine.  I craved a day that was focused on family, my home, and resting from the week.

So I created a routine that I follow nearly EVERY week, and let me tell you its so good for me personally and for our marriage.  I am excited to share this routine with you. 

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1. Sleep In 

First things first.  I let myself sleep in.  I jokingly say I believe that you can make up for the time you missed sleeping during the week on the weekends.  On Saturdays, I don't set an alarm and just wake up on my own.  Some weeks its 7:00 a.m. and other weeks its 11:00 a.m.  No rush. 

2.  Coffee and Time with Jesus
I love how I make coffee.  I use a frother (thank you to my awesome friend Ryana for introducing me to this gadget), and I make sure to get an extra large cup for the morning. Next I head into our home office and spend some much needed time with the Lord.  I catch up on any bible readings/bible study lessons I missed during the week, I pray and worship, and just drawn out the world. 

3. Powersheets Check In 
Next I open my Powersheets and update for the week and make plans for the week ahead.  

4. Laundry 

Next, I usually will strip our bedding and throw our sheets in the laundry.  Next I gather the bath towels and all of our dirty clothes for the week and make stacks of laundry on our bed.  Throughout the day I wash, dry, fold, and put away our clothes.  By the end of the day all of clothes are clean and ready for the week ahead.

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5. Clean Our House One Room at a Time 

Next, I grab my cleaning basket, turn on an audible book or podcast, and start cleaning our house one room at a time.  I straighten the room (putting everything in its place,) dust, vacuum, and mop (if needed).  This takes anywhere from 1 to 3 hours and it feels so good to have a clean home.  When I am finished, I walk through the house, one room at a time, and make sure each room is tidy and then light some candles and just sit back and enjoy our home.

6. Make a Meal Plan for the Week 

As I am sitting down I take time to plan our meals for the week ahead.  I make a meal plan and then a grocery list for errands later in the afternoon.

7. Shower and Get Ready 

Next, I hop in the shower and get ready.

8.  Head out to run errands, grocery shop, etc. 

I head out to run our weekly errands.  I usually end up at a Pet Store, the pharmacy, and the grocery store.  I also use this time to pick up cards and gifts for friends in my life that are having birthdays coming up the following week.  I also always run by the car wash to wash and clean out my car each week.  Having a clean car is important to me, mostly because I want to be a good steward of what I have been blessed with, so this is ALWAYS on the list. 

9. Home - Put up groceries, finish laundry. 

When I get home, I put up the groceries and finish any laundry that may be left.

10. Dinner and Rest

Finally, I fix dinner (or we go out and meet up with friends or family) and then I just rest.  Its a very productive day, but its a day where I focus on our house and making it a home.  Its a day that I hit RESET on life and it feels sooo good. 

I think about how our home looks, smells, and feels so when people come over they feel welcome and at home.  I think about our food, and what Matt and I are going to eat in the days to come.  And, I think about rest.  I love our home and the rest it provides.  I want when Matt comes in the door he can relax, have fun, and leave all the stress outside. (And, please know he does A LOT around the house during the week and helps me clean when he is home.)

There you have it.  My Saturday Routine.  Now as you know life gets in the way and not every Saturday goes this way, but I would say that 85% of my Saturdays look like this and I LOVE IT!

Happy Saturday Friends!! 

Workday Start Up Routine

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A couple of weeks ago I posted about my Morning Routine, and I have to say that its getting easier and easier with each passing week. So, last week I began incorporating a new Workday Start Up Routine into my day, and I have to say its been a GAME CHANGER!  

The purpose behind a Work Day Start Up Routine is to help me stay on top of key elements of my job, as well as set up my day to be productive as possible.   This routine is fairly short 30 minutes or so, but it truly helps me stay on top of my job. 

Here is my list in a nutshell: 

8:00 a.m. - Arrive to Work 15-30 minutes early 

I am a big believer that arriving to work (even 10 minutes) early can really set you up for a successful day.  Also, I believe to be a good steward of my job, that I must be at my desk and working by the official time the workday begins, not walking in at that time. (Pet Peeve of mine indeed.....LOL)

8:05 a.m. - Check emails, get back down to zero

Once I get to my office, I get settled and the first thing I do is address all emails that have come in since the day before.   I really try hard not to look at emails on nights and weekends, as I have learned over the years having that break from work actually revives me and makes me a stronger and more impactful employee.   Also, I am strict with myself to always keep my emails at zero.  That means as I go through emails, I will either decide to deal with the email right away or schedule a time in the day to address it. 

8:15 a.m. - Review most of our social media accounts 

The organization I work for has 4 Facebook pages, 4 Instagram pages, 4 Twitter Pages,a Pinterest Page, two YouTube channels, and a SnapChat channel. I am ultimately responsible for all our social media channels, even though I have a killer internal team who manages the posting and content.  So, I review all of our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and one of the two YouTube channels each morning.  I respond to messages, comments, reviews, and mentions.   This takes me about 10 minutes max, and really keeps me on top of what people are saying about our organization.  

8:25 a.m. - Check ticket sales on all upcoming shows 

At any given time, we have tickets on sale for 3 to 5 upcoming events at the same time.  Therefore, I review our ticket sales and make decisions on rather or not we need to push a certain show that day (via social, e-blast, personal emails, etc.) 

After reviewing the ticket sales, I review our marketing calendar that tells me what press releases, e-blasts, e-newsletters, or any communications we have planned to send out that day.  If something is scheduled for that day, I proofread it to ensure I approve all the copy, photos, etc. before its sent out.  We typically work 2-10 days in advance on all marketing and communication materials, so usually review everything in advance of the day we send.  But, I like to review one last time.   

8:30 a.m. Check Trip Advisor for reviews,  Review Web Analytics, and Track Google Ad Word Campaigns 

This task is fairly easy, as I review and reply to all Trip Advisor, Yelp and Google reviews, check to see how our website and blog are preforming for the week, and check and tweak our Google AdWord Campaigns.  

8:40 a.m. 

Finally, I am ready to address one of my three main projects for the day.  I try and tackle three main projects each day, and then take time to handle all the little tasks too.

Do you have a Work Startup Routine?  If so, I would love to hear about it.  If not, I would really recommend developing one.  And, soon I will share my Workday Shut Down Routine, which really helps the startup routine go smoothier and faster.  

Have a great week.  

Kim

 

A Weekend Well Spent Brings a Week of Content

This weekend was quiet.  So quiet, that it made me realize that it was the first time in over 10 weeks that we have had two days in a row with no travel, no packing, no moving, nothing.  Whew!!! Saturday was filled with running a few errands and then heading to dinner with Jamie and Kristy.  Matt had to work on Sunday, so I was able to get caught up on laundry, spend some much needed quiet time in the Word, and prepare for the week ahead.   It was so nice, and I feel rested and ready for the week ahead.

Speaking of the week ahead, its time to get serious and get my morning routine back on track.  With the move and everything else going on, I have gotten out of the rhythm of waking up early and starting off my day right.  So, this week its time to get back on track.

Here are 7 Steps to the Perfect Morning Routine.......

1.  Stretch 
It seems the older I get, the more my body craves morning and evening stretch time.  Taking 5-10 minutes to stretch and do a couple of yoga sequences really gets me ready for the day.

2.  Quiet Time with the Lord
Taking time to spend the first minutes of the day in prayer, worship, and study of God's Word is my favorite thing to do.  I'm currently reading a couple of great books on prayer, plus I'm also finishing a bible study on 2 Thessalonians, so its the perfect day to begin the day.

3. Drink Water
As soon as I get out of bed, I love to drink Ice Cold Water.  It really wakes me up and gets my body feeling great.

4. Listen to upbeat music
As I get ready, I love listening to energetic music.  I love the energy from an upbeat song, and especially worship songs by artists like Mandisa, Mercy Me, etc. 

5. Take My Time to Get Dressed and Ready for the Day Ahead
I am not a fan of rushing around, especially in the morning.  I love knowing when I go to bed, what I am going to wear the next day, so I am on auto-pilot when it comes to getting ready in the morning.

6.  Breakfast
The best habit I have picked up over the last few months is eating breakfast at home.  I love taking 10-15 minutes to sit down and eat breakfast before heading out the door.



7. Say "I Love You"
Telling my sweet husband "I love him" before I leave is a must.  Taking time to tell him I love him and I cannot wait to see him soon, is the perfect way to start my day. 

Happy Monday Friends.  And, if you have specific things in your AM routine please share. I would love to know what others do to stay healthy and keep our lives as stress free as possible.