Rebecca Danae
- Oct 8, 2020
- 3 min read

Rhythms & Routines

Rhythms and routines have helped me feel grounded and ready for anything, even as crazy things happen all around the world. I know that I thrive when I can maintain a sense of order in my life. Yes, I am actually a control freak, but that's not necessarily a bad thing! It can be harder for me to manage stress than for someone who goes with the flow of life more easily. But I've learned that adding a little more control when possible and helpful can be a very healthy thing to do.

My daughter was born on July 4, 2020. You can read Bee's birth story over at lavidacortes.com! As you might expect, having no routines became the new routine when Bee joined our family outside the womb. That was fine for the season we were in and Tim and I enjoyed flowing through the days and nights with our sweet baby.

We began crafting routines as a family by first observing Bee's needs and our own needs. If we noticed that she was consistently tired at a certain time of day we began to encourage her to wind down for sleep at that time. Babies change quickly so we got a lot of practice adjusting routines to fit the season. It was good! Although babies grow physically and develop mentally at a very fast pace, they also thrive on routines and come to feel safe in the expectation of how time will be spent, just like adults.

So how does this apply to you and I?

Tip: To craft a practical routine, start by observing your natural rhythms.

For me this has recently looked like jotting down what timeframe I notice I can do my best thinking, identifying what time by which I need to make sure I eat, noting the number of meals and snacks that keep me feeling strong, acknowledging the things I wish I had time to do. As a sleep-deprived new mom this was no easy task and it required time, trial, and many errors. If you try this at home please be patient with yourself! It's worth the effort, I promise.

Once I had my rhythms and Bee's rhythms in mind, I began to schedule routines for us to try. Once we tried a morning routine consistently for a few days I made adjustments and repeated the process until the routine served me very well. I did this for mornings, evenings, work, grooming (both of us!), eating, exercise, and other self-care. It sounds like a lot of work now that I'm writing about it! It was, I guess, but I enjoy it and it serves my family well.

To wrap up this article I want to share some things for you to consider when crafting your own routines. And if you want some support getting started, join my upcoming workshop on this topic later this month. Details are below!

Things to consider as you craft a routine:

What can I observe about this season of life?
What makes me feel alive?
What drains me?
Is my routine supported by the people around me?
What accountability do I need to maintain this routine?
Does this routine fit this season of life?

Things to consider as your live out a routine:

Is this routine still serving me well?
What adjustments do I want to make?
Does pursuing this routine reduce stress or add stress to my life?