We are in what feels like day 1001, while in actual fact, it is only day 28. (Yes I totally had to go and look it up). Staying organized during the lockdown has been a huge challenge for me. I think I may have gotten it all tied up now. Although I am gauging that on the number of times I have lost it with my husband this week and the amount of impatient “let me work” shouts at the little person.
Balancing my work, the husbanders work, the mini persons homeschooling and keeping the house clean has been a real challenge. Thankfully I can say the mini person enjoys school work. So some mornings getting her to patiently wait until I can set myself up and help her is the biggest challenge. (Cue rolling of eyeballs at my difficult life!) Honestly, it’s a blessing!
The husband has been working from home, pretty much since he returned from Dubai in March. Which means I have had to give up my dining room and my additional computer screen. He pretty much spends his day on calls, thankfully he has noise-cancelling headset to drown out the craziness that is our household.
What are my top tips for keeping yourself organized during this time?
- If you don’t get to all the things in a day, “Let it go” (yes sing that in your best Elsa voice)
- Start the morning off with some stretching (you can get my free workout plan by signing up to my newsletter)
- Eat breakfast
- Do you have an easy-going kid who just gets on with school work, then choose a low-level task for you to do alongside schoolwork, if not then put aside those 30min chunks of time to help them get it done (don’t frustrate yourself and them, by making them do it all in one sitting)
- Meal planning is key, you don’t want to have to go to the shops every day or even every other day
- Schedule high-level tasks when you know the kids are playing quietly, flexibility is key
- Choose one household chore each day, but don’t stress if you don’t get to it (yes oven bake chips and salad is totally a meal)
- Plan to do less than you would normally do each day, create a chore schedule to get all the kids involved in doing something – Rose is in charge of sorting washing each week
- Make a point of connecting with those you would normally have seen regularly
Sadly yes, I actually make a note to do that last one, because its something I am really bad at. Carving out a new normal for you and your family will look unique to your family needs. Rose is an only child and one of the big fights I have had with the husbander is that she needs to have someone to play with. We have a daily jumping playdate on the trampoline and plenty of cuddles to help her feel safe. (Also to mend the plenty of “just give me a minute” prompts that aren’t always said in a kind tone of voice). She misses school and playing with her friends, shouting at each other over the wall just isn’t the same!
Share what your day looks like and if you have any other tips to add, pop them in the comments.
I have a passion for making order out of chaotic numbers and papers. With 20 years experience, I have mastered getting those admin ducks to obey and stay in their rows.
