"Routines" and the New Year

Greetings!  Man, what a busy December, not to mention all the usual colds and various viruses the kids pick up at school and daycare.  Coughing until your head hurts, etc, etc.  Good times! I always love seeing the graphic below... It kind of sums up a lot of my days!

I was reading a post today by one of my favorite writers and current motivators, Austin Kleon.  He was discussing his daily routine.  Now, I'm usually kind of skeptical when I read someone's "daily routine" post, as I always imagine that they write these from the perspective of the "perfect day" where everything goes right, and you have unlimited time, and the kids are happy and firing on all cylinders, etc.  Ha!  Kind of like back in my triathlon days where you would read interviews with the latest hot pro triathlete and they would invariably give their "favorite workout".  It was always something insane that no one but a top-level pro would even benefit from attempting.  I always wondered how the magazines could even bring themselves to print these workouts for us mere mortal age-group athletes to read... That old feeling of "I can never do enough" was ever-present, as well as the realization that you didn't have 8 hours a day to work out...

Speaking of that feeling... So, over the years, and especially since kids came along into my life, I have been trying to cut back, simplify, and just generally concentrate my life so that the days have less items on the "to do" list and I can still feel productive.

So, here's my daily routine, which I have used for most of the past year, and will continue to stick with throughout 2015.

1.  Wake up, make coffee (unless I actually remember to set the automatic machine), get kids up/dressed/fed, and get everyone to school or daycare.

2.  Practice trombone - minimum 30 mins and ideally 60-90 minutes

3.  Exercise 30 mins - not gonna beat myself up about this... goal is to get out the door.  Walk, run, crossfit, split wood, whatever.  Just do something.  Ditch it if I'm exhausted and prioritize #4.

4.  Nap if I have time.  20-60 mins as needed.

5.  Work my J.O.B. as scheduled.  Some days this takes the place of exercise.

6.  Pick up kids, make dinner, play trains/Octonauts/cars/bike ride with the munchkins.

7.  8pm kids bath/bedtime

8.  10pm GO TO BED.  My number one weakness in life.  I stay up too late in order to have time to myself.  I think it's a sign of over scheduling and over committing during the day.  I'm gonna work on that in the new year.

Thoughts?  Leave yours in the comments... What works for you?  I'm always curious to know what REAL PEOPLE think!  Happy new year and stay motivated!