It won't be perfect day one

New routines take time

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio.
Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.
Today's tips for all those households who are starting new
routines as school resumes and maybe as workplaces start bringing

(00:25):
people back in person as well. It won't be perfect
on day one. New routines take time to establish. That's
okay as long as you approach the rough patches mindfully.
My kids start school after Labor Day, so we are
not quite back yet. But I have lived through enough

(00:48):
back to school seasons to know that those first few
days can be nerve wracking. This year, we've got three
kids starting new schools. There are new start time, some
new end times. There will be new transportation arrangements after
being under scheduled for a long time. The kids have
all sorts of activities that they would like to do.

(01:13):
Plus did I mention that my work travel is starting
up again in September. It's a lot to sort out.
But here's the thing. Not everything has to be perfect
on day one. The first day back to school will
definitely have its challenges. Somebody is going to forget something,

(01:35):
a bus will be late, there will be drama. But
it will be okay. By the end of the day,
everyone will most likely have returned to the house. The
rough patches can be sorted through, those challenges will inform
the next day's schedule, and any tweaks that need to

(01:55):
be made. Things will come up and become more clear
over time, and all those realities can be dealt with
in the moment. The problem is that when people assume
that everything will go perfectly, or that we can solve
all schedule problems ahead of time, we can wind up
out of sorts when life doesn't go as planned. A

(02:18):
late bus isn't just a late bus, it is a
sign that everything will be chaotic all year long. So
something big needs to change, like mixing and activity, changing
a school apparent, making a big change at work. Well maybe,
but most likely things are going to be better tomorrow.
So there is no need to interpret a rough first

(02:40):
day as anything but a rough first day, And there
is no need to spend months worrying about potential schedule
glitches that might happen weeks in the future. You will
still be able to solve problems this weeks in the future,
and so you will solve those problems. Then that said,

(03:03):
there are some things that can happen to make the
first day of a new routine go better. For instance,
if you are returning to your office this fall, maybe
on a hybrid schedule, perhaps you don't want to make
your first day back the same day your kids go
back to school. The first day of school is a
great day to work from home. That way you won't

(03:27):
be stressed one of us is late. You can do
a run of the kids getting ready routine without adding
a timed version of yours on top. If you are
starting new lessons or new activities, trying to time the
start for this second week of school might be better
than aiming for the first. I would also suggest planning

(03:50):
something really fun for the first weekend after the school
years starts that will stretch the vacation feeling a little longer.
I am reminded how in the past, the Miss America
pageant was always the weekend after Labor Day in Atlantic City.
It was an excuse to keep the summer season going
a little bit longer. You can channel the same impulse

(04:12):
by planning a family beach trip or a bike ride,
or even apple picking for that first weekend. Apples often
hit their peak around September in many places where they grow,
so plan a family beach trip or bike ride or
even apple picking for that first weekend. Those apples hit
their peak around September in many places where they grow,

(04:35):
so that is a nice transitional activity that has a
little scholastic element to it, even if you don't put
the apples on your desk. In any case, day one
won't be perfect during this back to school season, so
be ready for that. But there are things you can
do to make day one more fun and those are

(04:58):
well worth doing. In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks
for listening, and here's to making the most of our time.
Hey everybody, I'd love to hear from you. You can
send me your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just

(05:20):
connect with me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before
Breakfast pod that's B the number four, then Breakfast p
o D. You can also shoot me an email at
Before Breakfast podcast at i heeart media dot com. That
Before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters. Thanks
so much, I look forward to staying in touch. Before

(05:48):
Breakfast is a production of I Heart Radio. For more
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