Inevitably, it happens. Someone poops. Worse, someone gets the snots. We often ask ourselves… what just happened here!? Nobody likes routine interruptions. Nobody.
But, life happens. Every day is different – especially with children. It’s easy to become discouraged when you have a homemaking routine and it seems like it NEVER goes according to plan.
It might be Cleaning Day and someone comes down with the Black Plague, so you head over to spend the day at the Urgent Care Clinic instead of cleaning out the dead-bug-filled window tracks in the living room.
Ain’t no thang, mama. Ain’t no thang. You CAN recover. You CAN pick up from this routine interruption and get back into the swing of life.
Don’t let routine interruptions keep you from having a routine for keeping your home. Because, if you do…you’ll NEVER get your home under control. Even when we only had a dog, she was interrupting us with accidents and, “hey, I need to go out now.” #inconvenientdog
So, what are you supposed to do when it’s Baking Day and the toddler is whiny, trying to climb up your leg (and consequently pulling your pants down), it’s raining so the kids can’t go out to play, or an unexpected visit from a plumber is required because the toilet is leaking all over the bathroom floor? I’ll tell ya.
How to recover from routine interruptions:
You pick back up where you left off
If someone comes over, if you have to leave, or if someone gets sick, you just pick up where you left off and you keep going. You forget what you didn’t get done and you DO THE NEXT THING.
Let me give you a practical example: your child wakes up sick, so you end up taking him to the pediatrician. It was Office Day for you, so you end up losing 3 hours of your day while waiting at the doctor’s office. As soon as you get home, just pretend you were never gone. Plug yourself right back into the day. Are you normally meal planning at 2pm? Then do it. Does it matter that you missed tackling your emails because you were gone? Maybe, but we’ll get to that in a minute.
Just do the next thing. Ignore that you were gone and continue on.
Make it work
Using the same example of the doctor’s office above, you just make it work. Take your meal planning stuff with you and plan while you wait. Do your emails on your phone. Make your phone calls. (Do people REALLY still use a phone? Why call when you can text? Lame.)
Don’t let it throw you for a loop so badly that you can’t recover. Adapt. Part of life and managing your home well is learning to adapt, no matter the issue. So when life hands you a week of routine interruptions, remember you can adapt.
So, the power is out on Office Day? It’s still Office Day. Go old school. Use paper. Make lists. Get ‘er done. Be creative and still get your things done.
Let it go
Turn away and slam the door? (So sorry, but that song is forever stuck in my head. Thanks, kids.) Actually, no. Don’t slam the door. That’s a big no-no here if you want the privilege of keeping your door.
Sometimes you can’t pick up where you left off. Sometimes you can’t make it work. In those cases…let it go. Keep a good attitude. Don’t freak out and just…let it go.
Maybe you didn’t get the errands done. They can wait till next week. Or you can send your husband.
Or you didn’t get the bread made. Sad. But, use the tortillas in the fridge instead.
Perhaps, you didn’t get the load of towels done today? No biggie – they can wait till tomorrow.
When I have to let something go, I usually let it go until the next week and I pick up where I left off. If I NEED to get that particular item done, I leave it until Saturday when I’m getting ahead and doing make-up work.
Now, do it
Knowing all these things, but not DOING them means jack squat (insert a mental image of Matt Foley, motivational speaker (Chris Farley), yelling this at you if you like). If you know the things, but don’t do them, they aren’t doing you any good. You know how to manage your home, now start. Start small. Don’t sweat the routine interruptions. Tackle one thing at a time and then move on. And then the random poops and plumbing catastrophes won’t mess you up as badly.
I spend all day long getting interrupted. 😀 Great tips on recovering.
The life of a….well, the life of anyone and everyone. Ha!
This was a great read and I definitely need to remember it! Also, I have an old “dumb phone” so I’m one that would rather call than text and it drives my friends and family crazy! Haha!
I think you should invest in a new phone. Bahahahahaha!!!
Great article! My mom sent me this because I recently told her that I was off my schedule to how I do things and I just felt out of sorts. Which also made me a little anxious and feeling like I lost days from my routine. I’ll be great at handling whatever comes my way next time.
Tell mom I said thanks! 🙂
Any thoughts on what to do when it’s the husband who can’t let it go? Coming home to a house in disarray or even the bathroom trashes full will make a Stress Monster.
Since I’m a husband I’ll respond. 🙂 If I understand your comment correctly your husband doesn’t deal well when something isn’t done that he expects (such as the house organization or bathroom trash). If that’s correct, it sounds like your husband doesn’t understand what a “day in your life” is like. Have him help you make a schedule for daily tasks for both of you that would satisfy the priorities of your family. In doing so, you’re involving him in the REAL activities you both are expected to do each day (and not some imaginary (and often unreasonable) expectation). The real point of the exercise would be for open and honest communication between you and good setting of priorities. Together, you’d be deciding what priorities are right for your home. Some days, I come home and Stacy hasn’t done certain tasks. But guess what – it is the exception and I know it is because LIFE happened. Set REASONABLE expectations TOGETHER and I hope/expect that will help. And if he won’t participate in that exercise with you, the problem is his, not yours. I hope that helps.
I know this concept in theory, but so needed the reminder! I love having routines to guide my day, but I can’t let them dictate my day. Having a flexible attitude is so important! Thanks!
Life is a lesson in flexibility!
I love reading your blogs. My brain is on it even if I only get two or three things accomplished. It’s on my mind now and it keeps me going. Notice your light switch, it might need cleaning, mine did. My husband said a woman’s work is never done!
There’s always something to do! Otherwise, we’d get bored. 🙂
Turn away and slam the door? That reminds me of the time my teenager was in a strop starting at breakfast before the school day. He slammed his bedroom door. I took the door off the hinges whilst he was at school and hid it under my bed. He still had his knickers in a twist after school. (He wanted his friends to have a weekend sleepover at the house but hadn’t done his chores all week, so I said no. ) He came home from school still whinging about how life was so unfair, ran upstairs, went to slam his door again and suddenly, I hear…..a blood curdling Muuuuuummmmmmm!!!! Needless to say, his chores have been done ever since and he has earned his door back. 🙂 Thanks for your advice on routine interruptions. Wise advice on not sweating over the small stuff.
That story is epic! 🙂
With Labor Day this week, it has cast a spell over the week and nothing is on schedule. Ha! I plan on just getting back into normalcy next week and go with the flow of interruptions this week. I couldn’t imagine staying in this state, I need the routine! Kids need it more, amen?!
Yes – and Monday holidays are fun…but for whatever reason, they tend to make the rest of the week feel like “what day is it?!”
Thank you for the reminders! I am such an A type person, and I have to constantly tell myself that it is ok if something doesn’t get done when I want to get it done. The world isn’t going to end if those towels don’t make it in from the clothesline and they stay out overnight. The extra time in the fresh air might just make them smell even better, right!?
Anyway, this was my first time commenting and I just want to say your posts and videos have been a blessing to me and my family. Well, they don’t really know about you, but I’ve implemented quite a few things I’ve learned from you and our household is running smoother because of it. So, THANK YOU!
Girl, trust me…I am so Type A, it’s not even funny! lol If I can do this, ANYONE CAN DO THIS. 🙂 Good job, mama! And I hear that night air adds a little something-something to laundry.
When life throws you a curve ball, yell “Plot Twist” and go with it.
I like that!