Back to School Transition: Establish Effective Routines

Whew, it’s been a rollercoaster and the ride is not over!

It’s back to school time once again and we are still being impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.  Even without a global pandemic, transitioning back-to-school is a unique and exciting time for families.  It can also be a stressful time as families adjust to different schedules and new settings. Typically, during this time of the year there is inherently an increase in activity.  From shopping for school clothes to meet the teacher and open house sessions.

I am always seeking out ways to make transitions as smooth as possible.  Will we hit bumps in the road?  I’m sure that we will. My goal, however, is to make sure I’m strapped down as tight as possible on this rollercoaster so that we can all succeed in this season.

If you lack effective routines, you open the door to chaos.

– Debranetta

Your routines can make or break you! In fact, if you lack effective routines, you open the door to chaos. And I’m not talking about organized chaos, the type we can manage.  I’m talking about straight up mommy chaos!

In today’s post, let’s discuss some effective ways that you can better manage the flow of your day through routines. Let’s dive in…

Sunday Setup

Leveraging your Sunday’s to get organized for the week is a great practice.  Think of it as your work week jumpstart!  Use this time to determine what is going to be the most important aspects of your week by capturing your goals.

Setting your goals for the week will help to:

• Stay grounded
• Keep you on track to accomplish the things you need to get done
• Help you to structure all related activities

I designed a simple Sunday Set Up worksheet for you to use. Click below to download for FREE!

As you are transitioning back into the school year, Sunday Setup can be your golden ticket to managing the transition more effectively.

Establish Effective Routines

I personally enjoy time blocking or time chunking.  It’s not everyone’s preference, but it is an effective method for working moms who are juggling a million different priorities. Check out this video where I go into details about this planning method.

Time blocking inherently gives you a flow to your day.  Don’t overthink your routines, focus on creating flow from start to finish. Make sure that you also communicate your routine to your family so they can flow with you throughout the day.

As you are establishing your routines don’t be afraid to tweak timeframes as you go or allow yourself flexibility to pivot real time as conflicts come up.

Pro Tip: I’m an entrepreneur with a full- time career. You can say I’m building while working.  My routine consists of early mornings before my kids wake up.  During the school year, I get as much done as I can before 6:45am.  My focus after 6:45a.m. is getting breakfast prepared and my kids ready for school. I encourage you to find what is going to work for you whether it’s early mornings or late nights.

I hope that you found these tips help. Leave me a comment and let me know what you will be implementing.

As an added bonus

Click here to download my Back-to-School Essentials checklist