I hate schedules. In fact, despite the fact that I know that routines are really helpful for getting things done, I feel completely rebellious towards setting one and sticking to it. I guess that’s pretty immature for a 30-something year old, but hey, it’s where I’m at.

I recently came up with something that has really helped. Instead of creating a full-on schedule, I have assigned a day to catch up on things that I want to do regularly, on a weekly basis.

I call it “Maintenance Mondays.”

It initially started as a way to make sure I would do certain maintenance tasks with the children on a regular basis, such as cutting their nails or applying lotion. From there I modified it to also capture tasks that are not necessarily daily, like taking apart the kids’ boosters seats and washing them thoroughly. I also tend to do my weekly meal planning and grocery shopping on Mondays since it is the beginning of the week.

And for some reason, it stuck. When Monday arrives, I remind myself it’s “Maintenance Monday” and consider which recurring tasks I can do to get myself set up for the week. What do I need to catch up on that has been on my mind but I haven’t made time for?

It also relates well to work. On Mondays, after the weekend of being off from work, it helps to come in and get set up. I like to review what needs to be done. I don’t know about you, but sometimes it’s really hard for me to get back into work on Monday. This is a great time to complete a couple of small maintenance type tasks, such as follow ups or the technical stuff like website enhancements or updates.

These tasks don’t take as much brain power and concentration for me as working on an in-depth project or writing. And getting started with smaller tasks is often enough to get my creative juices flowing and I can move easily from there into more critical work.

So, if you are anything like me when it comes to schedule rebellion, try picking just one day where you will devote a day to prep work, setting up, catching up, and miscellaneous tasks. I particularly like Mondays because it sets the stage for the week, helps me organize my thoughts, and gives me simple tasks to complete to get started if I am feeling lethargic or slow to start.

But it doesn’t have to be Mondays, and it doesn’t have to be related to maintenance.

How about “Free-for-all Fridays” where you run around the house doing whatever comes to mind?

Or “Take Time Tuesdays” – maybe this is a “you day” where you spend a little extra time in the shower, shave your legs, schedule an exercise class, or hit a bookstore or a coffee shop for some “me” time.

The possibilities are endless. For me, this gets around the rigidity of a typical schedule, and yet it still provides for a regular space in my life to catch up on things that I might not otherwise make time for.

Here are more ideas of things you can do on Maintenance Mondays:

• Kid’s hygiene
• Cleaning
• Deep clean
• Phone calls
• Bill pay
• Schedule appointments
• Meal Planning
• Grocery Shopping
• Organize a space
• Digital organization

Are you good about using a schedule? I see this concept as fitting nicely into a schedule that you have already created.

Do you have certain tasks that you like to complete on particular days? I’d love to hear your tricks to getting some of the simple things done that are easy to overlook.