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Some people may believe having routines to be boring and monotonous. What's so great and fun about doing the same thing day in and day out? Well, the truth is establishing a routine and getting into the habit of doing it actually frees you from the stress of knowing there's something you should be doing.
Enter FlyLady
Around the
year 2000, I was having issues with organization in my home. I looked online
and somehow this cute little cartoonish lady character with wings touting the
virtues of routines. She was called FlyLady (Fly = Finally Loving Yourself),
and she promised to bring me out of CHAOS (Can't Have Anybody Over Syndrome.)
She not only
succeeded with that, but she helped me out of a bad relationship that I had
been determined to work out. No, she never actually talked to me, and she
didn't say, "LuAnne, you need to leave."
Instead, she
guided me step by step through building a routine that I could follow no matter
how busy, how depressed, or how frustrated I became with my situation.
She made
things fun, and in a way held me accountable. Every day I got emails about what
should be done that day. At the same time, she said "You're never behind.
Start where you are and do one babystep at a time." As she says on the
Beginner's Page, "We are here to lift you up and celebrate every little
accomplishment."
She
encouraged people to write in to her with their accomplishments. One day I did that,
and got back in an email a HUGE purple email saying nothing more than "I am so proud of you!" And I do
mean huge – big enough that I still remember, and wish I still had it to look
at every once in a while.
27 Fling Boogie Uncovers Success
Through the
27 Fling Boogie, the 2 minute pickup, and various other little work-games, not
only did I make my home more comfortable to live in, but I made room for my
self-esteem to grow.

Things I didn't love went to GoodWill
or the trash. Boxes were emptied or combined that had been sitting for 30
years.
I remember
one particular day when I had finished going through all the old boxes in the
garage, all the kitchen mismatched stuff was gone, only pens that work were in
pen holders, videos were alphabetized…the list went on of things organized.
Now this
might be no big deal for some people. But for me, someone who has a hard time
succeeding well at anything, this brought on a near panic attack. I remember
the feeling coming over me of "Oh my gosh! What am I going to do
now!?" This brought on because I had succeeded at my goal.
Hmmmm…that
makes me wonder if I might still have that issue!
Are You Ready for an Emergency?
How does
this story help you? Do you live in
an area where you might have to evacuate quickly some day, or could a move be in your future where it would be easier and cost less to HAVE less to move? Or, would you just
like your home and your life to be clutter-free?
You may
already have a routine that works for you. If you do, is there something that
you need help with that an additional good habit might help? Try adding that to
your routine. These habits can be formed not only for housework, but for
work-work (working for a company), the self-employed, teachers, holiday preparation (hint- begin holiday
prep now) – her help covers everyone.
Routines = Less Stress and More Peace of Mind
For example,
for the self-employed, sometimes it is hard to do the things you need to do to
succeed in your business.
- Write down what you need to do to reach your goal.
- Find a time in your day (first thing is best) and do it…every day.
- Then find the next thing you need to do.
That is your new routine.
Another benefit of creating routines is that studies have shown that routines can help deal with mental health issues even as serious as dealing with bipolar disorder and substance abuse.
If you need
help developing routines, you can go to www.flylady.net
to sign up at no cost or just to check out what she's about. If you'd like her book to get you started, you can read
her book, Sink Reflections, also located over on the right column.
Believe me,
as the clutter disappears, whether from your refrigerator, your coffee table,
your bedroom floor, your body or all the things you need to do are freed from your
mind, it is like peeling layers of an onion away from your stress little by
little. It is such a freeing feeling.
And THAT has
to be good for your blood pressure!
P.S. Be sure to comment below and share with Facebook if you enjoyed this post!
P.S. One of the BEST foods for controlling high blood pressure is BEETS. You may or may not like beets tho, and they sure can be a pain to fix, right? I’ve found the easiest way to eat beets is this way.
P.S. Be sure to comment below and share with Facebook if you enjoyed this post!
P.S. One of the BEST foods for controlling high blood pressure is BEETS. You may or may not like beets tho, and they sure can be a pain to fix, right? I’ve found the easiest way to eat beets is this way.