Routines, are you stuck in one?

No set routines other than some social things which take place at the same time each week or month. I’m not rigid though and don’t always go to every meeting if something more urgent has to happen.

I do like lists though and find it very satisfying to tick things off as I do them, I had five minor things to do yesterday ( make two phone calls, collect prescription from chemist, make appt at optician and go online to order food delivery) and sadly I was pleased with myself when the last thing was ticked off!

I’m inherently lazy though so having things written down makes me do them instead of put them off for another day. I am naughty though as I don’t always write everything down, the urgent need to defrost my freezer has not yet been added to my list as I really don’t want to do it!

I think we humans gain comfort from having some sort of routine, a kind of framework for the day, although there should always be some flexibility otherwise we can get too set in the ‘washing on Monday, vacuuming Tuesday’ mindset.

When I get up in the morning I know roughly what I’ll be doing if it’s housework for instance, but if a friend phones to ask if I’d like to meet for a coffee, or if my husband suggests a day out somewhere then I’m always up for it!

We tend to be fairly regularly with mealtimes though, particularly with dinner as neither of us like eating too late in the evening.

My dogs definitely clock watch! They love their routines even though I try to amend timings etc. Obviously my fault of course in allowing it to happen.

Not much routine goes on around here - I try not to get set in them. It makes me happier to be more spontaneous.

The only routine here is during the week when MrJ is working and the alarm is set for 6:45, we go to bed relatively early too, but weekends and my week days are different.

Sure you all remember "Shirley Valentine ", still makes me laugh when I watch it with OH stating "I have my tea at 6" and "What is this, it's Thursday , we have steak on Thursday, chips and egg is Tuesday ".
Heaven forbid I ever find this remotely normal !!

I tend to fill up my calendar about a week in advance and then ‘work round it’. Next week, I’ve workmen here but Monday I have a GP appointment, Tuesday a lunch out then chiropodist. Back to the Dentist on Wednesday, then over to DD2s to dog sit.
Housework and coffee with friends will have to be fitted in and I like to collect DGS1 from Nursery one day a week, probably next Friday.
Not what I’d call a routine, but I like to be organised and love a list!

I would love to be an organised person with a set routine, but have never been able to achieve it. I just go with the flow!

We are creatures of habit, but never so much that it interferes with visitors or socializing.

Because I still work, routine makes household chores manageable, and the dog likes her walks and dinner at set times, but Lord help me if I get to the point like the fellow in the original post!

Haze193 Ohh Shirley Valentine, a classic. He'd be wearing the egg n chips that he pushed over the table, whoaaaaa....

Brilliant film .

Yes of course routine I love routine! Every day has its task, Mon washing, Tues cleaning, Wed shopping and so on. Go to bed at the same time and get up at roughly the same time. Same with meals, they have their own days, just like Shirley Valentine, we like it that way! And lists, I do lists for everything, but then I do have OCD!

I wonder what the man in the OP did, in the end.
Maybe a quick snack before 6 so he could last out until tea at 6.15?

FarNorth It was clearly worrying him! I think he would have been very discombobulated but recovered eventually!
Poor man?

Both off us like order but I would say we have patterns rather than routines which we are happy to flex and do more interesting things.

Dinner usually at about 7.30, but apart from that, no. I do things as and when I feel like it.

I invited a friend for coffee, suggested Monday morning but she declined as that’s when she does her ironing. ?

No I don’t it’s mundane, I’d hate getting up knowing it was a clean the bathrooms day ?
My mum had a day for everything , mon washing , Tues kitchen Wed bedrooms etc etc used to drive me mad she wouldn’t consider changing even if it was for a day at the coast, she simply couldn’t come out of the house until after 1.30pm then had to be home by 4pm to prepare tea. If I feel like cleaning one day I’ll do it if not so be it.

Two days routine when we look after our granddaughter. The weather tends to dictate us a bit the other days. If it is nice and sunny then out we go walking. All jobs and shopping can wait!

Dogs like routine, gives them confidence and security, so we do walk and feed him much the same time every day as well as knowing when it is time for bed, go into the garden, at his reminder if course

Weirdly when we are on holiday he goes with the flow.

The ‘tea at 5.45’ man reminded me of FiL and his sister, dh’s old aunt. They had to have their meals on the dot - I swear their mother had told them they’d sicken and die if they didn’t.

The aunt used to stay sometimes with friends in France - she’d get into a right old state because she’d be ‘all out’ with her meals, because of the one hour time difference!

Interesting that the ‘Washing on Monday’ seems to be universal!

No routine here. Every day is a muddle.

Not rigid but many are just to save me thinking about boring stuff.

I'm in a routine for dog walks and meal times, other than that I just go shopping when I'm low on items, laundry when it starts to gather up, etc.