Routine (part 1): the Conundrum

Do you have a routine? Is is productive? Don't be misled. Chaos can be routine...

Routine - 1. a regular, more or less unvarying procedure, customary, prescribed or habitual, as of business or of daily life.*

Conundrum - 1. a riddle whose answer contains a pun (Example: what's the difference between a jeweler and a jailor? One sells watches and the other watches cells.) 2. any puzzling problem or question - SYN. see MYSTERY*

This is a visual of the direction my routine takes me>>>

I have ALWAYS struggled with routine. I now have a vantage point of perspective that numbers into decades-s-s-s-s. For half my life I attributed my difficulties in finishing what I start and maintaining routines to a "lack of discipline." What I know now is that I have ADD. When I was a kid, I had ADHD. Fortunately for me and every boss I ever had, I outgrew the H part. Many of us do, although my oldest son still fidgets and rocks on his feet when standing. His fidgeting part always did and still drives me nuts. I didn't fidget. I did cartwheels.

Back to routine... In my efforts to homeschool my ADHD son, the struggle to create and sustain routine continues to be an enigma - 2. a perplexing, baffling, or seemingly inexplicable matter, person, etc. - SYN. see MYSTERY*

There's that MYSTERY word again. See what I'm dealing with here?!?

I have attempted to demystify the whole routine thing with tools like planners, white boards, checklists, etc., etc., etc. It seems, though, that no matter what I do, we end up back where we started. The routine is on the floor and we're just floating... again.... just floating... like the feather in Forest Gump... taken where the wind would float it.... float... float... floating...

David and I had a conversation today about routine. Our routine has been pretty non-existent for a while now. I'll blame Michigan February (NOT a lame excuse, thank you very much) and a recent round of bad dentistry that left me vicodining on the sofa for the last week (fortunately, the SECOND dentist I went to fixed the problem without resorting to a root canal). However, all excuses lame or otherwise aside, the fact remains that ADD / ADHD people will have serious problems in getting anything worthwhile or necessary for life done without a routine.

So, what to do? We decided that there doesn't have to be a conundrum about routine for us. We know what the problem is and we know that it is not likely to go away. I've been alive for over 50 years now (I don't look it and my husband look older {evil grin}) and I've not conquered it. My routine will fall apart on a regular basis. Period. But, that shouldn't stop me, or David, from getting back to it. Instead of getting discouraged, we should get used to it (GUTI). Recognize it when it happens and don't wait too long to get back to the routine. Get back to our tools. Get back to the plan. Get back to the work. Get back to the mindset.

So, I'm off now to update my planner. You should see my new planner. It's a beaut and I think it will work...sometimes...

To be continued...

Best regards,

leapinlily

* Webster's New World Dictionary - Simon and Schuster