So, if you follow me on Twitter, or if you’ve read my posts recently, you know that it’s almost time….
It’s almost time to swap out my bathing suit cover ups for cardigans, to remove my hot pink summertime nail polish, to stop caring so much about my tan and instead worry about lesson plans, and to actually start to set my alarm again.
It’s not easy, not easy at all.
Will I be happy to do it all though? Of course.
My summertime weekday routine has looked a lot like this:
- wake up between 7-8 a.m. & eat a leisurely breakfast
- blog/read blogs/email
- gym (for about an hour or hour & a half)
- lunch
- run errands, lie out, clean, read a book, try not to go crazy from lack of structure
- make and eat dinner
- watch TV or a movie with Bobby before hitting the hay anywhere between 11-12:30
I’m a creature of habit… and I like to have everything planned out, which during the school year, it is. During the summertime? Not so much. I crave that structure, as strange as it may seem, and not having it gives me anxiety!
My school year weekday routine looks like this (every.single.day):
- 5:30 a.m. – gym
- 7:25 – leave for work
- 8:00 – arrive at work and eat breakfast while prepping for the day
- 8:25 – 11:40 – Teach!
- 11:40 – 12:25 – Lunch
- 12:25 – 2:50 – Teach!
- 3:40 – leave work
- 4:00 – eat snack, watch Ellen, blog.
- 6:30 (ish) – eat dinner, pack breakfast & lunch for the next day
- 7:30 – relax on couch with Bobby
- 9:00 (ish) – Bedtime
Ya see? Each and every day is the same, and like I said, I enjoy it. Go ahead… call me crazy. 
The only thing I don’t like about it is training my body to fall back into that kind of schedule. I am left exhausted the first couple of weeks of school. Between the stress of starting the year (and everything that comes along with it), getting to know my new kiddos, and the lack of sleep…. I am like a walking zombie!
I don’t want or need that stress this year… so I am trying to get ready in advance.
So what am I planning in order to (hopefully) make this transition a bit easier?
- Be prepared. Even though we don’t actually start up school until the first week in September, I’ve been to my classroom already in order to start getting it prepared. I have plenty more to do, but having my lists and doing things little by little is helping to relieve some stress! My hope is that I won’t be running around like a crazy lady during the few days before the kids come in order to get everything ready. Hopefully, I’ll be ready to go!
- Start the sleep “schedule” in advance. This is a difficult one, because I like to sleep. Starting about a week before school, I’m going to try to get to sleep earlier and wake up earlier to try to get my body used to the schedule!
- Ask for help. I need to realize that I won’t be able to take my time grocery shopping anymore, or spend an afternoon cleaning our apartment. Instead of trying to keep up with all of my daily summer “chores,” I’ll be asking Bobby to help out when he can to make the transition easier (thanks in advance, Babe ). Without fail, I end up overwhelmed and overtired when I try to do it all… which for me, leads to stress and eventually, tears!
- Plan NOTHING for the first few weekends of the school year. During the school year, my weekends are like gold. They are a time to recharge, sleep in, be lazy, and destress. I will be doing absolutely nothing during those first few weekends back, that’s for sure!
Let’s chat… what do you do to help you fall into a routine easier?! Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
When you were little, did you look forward to going back to school? I always LOVED Back to School time… new clothes, new notebooks, new markers… ahhh!! It makes me excited just thinking about it.
I have to be at work by 7 (by choice, to finish at 3:30), so the morning workouts aren’t an option for me. My husband is unfortunately a night owl, so I run on about 5.5 hours each night – not ideal! It seems like we can adjust to any routine after a few weeks.
Ugh! How do you do that?! I wish I could run on 5.5 hours. If I don’t get my 8 I become VERY unhappy and generally not a very nice person.
I’m a creature of habit too. I like having a routine, so the first couple of weeks of not having a job were difficult!
Yeah, I hear ya. It’s always rough to get used to a change like that!
Getting back into the habits from school is so hard- my voice is always out of shape, teaching shape, that is. Leaving me with an awful cracking throat for about a week- total bummer, I wish there was a way to prepare myself to talk all.day.long.
The beginning of the school year is such a transition- except this year the husband and I will have a new school year AND a new baby to adjust to.
Girl where IS this baby?! I was hoping that there would be some good news… nothing yet??
Nope, not yet. Due next Wednesday though- I’m starting to settle into the idea that the baby will be here soooooo soon!
YAY!
I thrive on structure and unstructured time frustrates me!! I’m a school psychologist,and my kiddos have been in summer school for the last 6 weeks- but we are on vacation for 2 weeks before school starts in september — and it’s so easy to get used to later bedtimes and lazy mornings! I LOVED back to school, and just the other day I was in Walmart trying to figure out a reason to buy school supplies
Luckily, I think everyone needs “back to school” clothes!!
Lazy summer mornings are the best, aren’t they? So are “back to school” clothes!
I also need to adjust my sleep schedule before school starts – I have been waking up around 6:30 and in two weeks that needs to move back to 5:00 if I want to get to the gym. I’ve been setting my alarm this week and trying to work out a little earlier.
Hopefully your strategies pan out and you have a smooth, stress-free first few weeks of school!
You too, girl! If you have any advice, let me know!
Oh my goodness.. bless your heart for that huge routine change! Good luck
Before going back to school, I used to always start going to bed earlier, waking up earlier & eating around the time I would during school a couple weeks prior. It always helped.
Thanks girlie!
That’s quite a change for sure! Good for you for getting your workouts done in the morning – I definitely struggle with that one.
Oh I struggle too, don’t get me wrong!
I just feel much better when I get it done first thing!
Starting my sleep schedule ahead of time is something that I always tried to do as a high school/post secondary student … and I could NEVER do it. Impossible. My sister is currently a university student (off for the summer right now), and still sets her alarm throughout her entire vacation. BLECK.
Wow… that is dedication right there. I could NEVER do that.
Even though I’m going back to school as a student this time, and not a teacher, I’m doing some of the same things! I really can’t wait to get back on a more rigid schedule
I’m gradually upping my wake-up time because going from 6:30 or 7 to 5am all at once would have been torture, even if I am a morning person.
I’m a morning person too, but your right… it’s a struggle even so!
I would die if I had to get up at 5:30 every morning for my workout. I’ve had to do it a couple times these past few weeks because my days have been crazy and I’m a zombie by the end of the week. Props to you! My days tend to be all over the board based on what’s going on at work but I do always make sure to get a workout in during the day otherwise I feel like everything is out of order.
Yeah, as long as you have those “staple” things to get you through the day it makes you feel more organized, in my opinion!
Wow, you are hard core to get up that early to work out!! I am super impressed, girl!
And yes, I used to look forward to the beginning of school. Mostly because I wanted the new clothes haha!
I am getting into the swing of a new (and my first!) year teaching! I am so excited and have loved e routine so far. We will make it through this school uear together! We can keep each other accountable during the school year too (eat healthy, exercise, and sleep)!
Nice job on planning, it always helps me!
I know how you feel! I am also a teacher, and I go a little crazy over the summer without the structure. It’s like a having a bucket of cold water dumped on you that first week back. To make it a little more tricky, I’ll be going back to work after a 6 month maternity leave! Keeping fingers crossed for an *easy” transition back to school.
I am in the same boat! I start Monday so I have been getting up early (and then find myself awake and looking for something to do), I took off my green toenail polish, and I’m starting to meal plan. The thing I will miss most is how easy it is to workout when your schedule is so free. Oh well, I guess we have to join the rest of the working population again