Isn’t life is full of surprises—some good, some challenging and some that completely throw us off track. One minute everything is going great and the next minute something gets thrown at you. In the past two weeks, sickness hit our home hard—between the kids and me, I took the brunt of the sickness. This was hard for me, because I rarely ever get sick. Before I created routines and habits for us, these moments used to leave me feeling overwhelmed and out of control. I’ve learned something important: routines and rhythms aren’t just for the good days—they’re what keep me grounded during the hard ones too.

As a mom, I’ve realized that flexibility is just as important as structure. When life happens, we don’t have to let everything fall apart. Instead, we can lean on our routines to bring stability while also giving ourselves the grace to adjust as needed.

1. The Power of a Strong Foundation

Having simple, repeatable daily routines makes bouncing back easier when life gets chaotic. These habits act as anchors, preventing total overwhelm when things don’t go as planned.

• Morning resets: Even if everything else feels off, starting the day with a small reset—making the bed, tidying up or starting a load of laundry—creates a sense of normalcy. My morning reset literally helps me every day and I know my family can do it too. 
• Mealtime routines: Sticking to a meal plan and prepping ahead of time helps maintain stability, even in tough moments. If I hadn’t prepped meals before getting sick, I honestly don’t know what my family would have done for food!
• Evening routine: A simple wind-down—even if shortened—helps close out the day. While I was down, my family stepped up to keep parts of our evening routine going, which was a huge help. I was able to focus on rest and getting better.

2. Adjusting Your Routine Without Overwhelm

When plans change unexpectedly, instead of ditching all routines, try adapting them to serve your current season. The truth is, most of our days shift in small ways, so it’s about making routines work for you, not against you.

• Prioritize what matters most: Focus on the non-negotiables—meals, rest and key tasks—and let go of the rest.
• Use time blocks instead of strict schedules: Shift from exact times to flexible time blocks to allow for adjustments. I know getting back into a routine after disruptions is tough, but time blocking makes it easier. Even setting a 20-30 minute focus session helps bring structure back.
• Embrace shorter resets: Instead of a long deep clean or full routine, 5-10 minute resets throughout the day keep things manageable. When I started feeling better, this was a game-changer. Cleaning for an hour wasn’t realistic, but short resets helped me ease back into my routine. Now I’m back into my full routine. 

3. Giving Yourself Grace in Motherhood

It’s easy to feel like we’re failing when things don’t go as planned, but motherhood isn’t about perfection—it’s about adjusting and moving forward. Progress over perfection. 

• Accept that things will look different: Not every season—or even every month—will look the same and that’s okay. I’m constantly tweaking my routines to fit our current needs.
• Lower expectations, not standards: Your home and routines can shift temporarily without losing their purpose. I know no one will clean exactly like me, but I also know I can’t do it all myself. It’s about letting go of perfection and focusing on progress.
• Ask for help and delegate: Let go of the pressure to handle everything alone. This one is tough, but I had to ask for help. I literally couldn’t walk without feeling dizzy! Leaning on my family made all the difference.

The beauty of routines is that they are flexible, not fragile. They should serve you, not stress you. When life throws a curveball, even small, intentional actions can help bring stability back to your home and mind.

I always say that the habits and routines we’ve built have saved me time and time again, and this past couple of weeks proved that again.

Have you ever had to adjust your routine unexpectedly? What helped you stay on track? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear your experience!

Love and Support,

Billie-Jo

The Simplified Mom