Routines, Rhythms, and Rest

I’ve been contemplating writing this post for many months. I get questions about things like routines, rhythms, and rest during consultations, coaching sessions, or in “real life.”

Why I hesitate to share is because I’m a recovering perfectionist, and I don’t want people to think I’ve got it all together. The truth is I don’t, so this is my disclaimer before I begin.

“I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.”
Philippians 3:12–14

Years back my husband memorized this verse and naturally it became something I found myself repeating. If anything that follows works for you and blesses you, take it. If not, keep doing your best, in the way God has convicted you.

Routines, Rhythms, and Rest in Our Home

As we enter 2026, I thought it may be helpful to answer some of these questions in a blog format for others to benefit from.

The rhythms currently in our home have developed over the last 15+ years and continue to change and develop as we enter new seasons and continue to learn from others.

Tiarks’ Routines, Rhythms, and Rest

and how I manage my time

Earlier this year I was listening to a podcast that discussed how in Genesis 1, every time God finishes a creation day, the Bible says, “and there was evening and there was morning…”  This scripture establishes a sundown-to-sundown cycle structure for our day. I cannot tell you how profound this was for me to recognize.

Our day should actually start with rest. Wow.

With that framework in mind, here’s what that looks like practically in our home.

These rhythms didn’t appear overnight, they’ve grown slowly over many years and continue to change with each season we enter.

Evening (7–9:30 pm-ish)

Family

During these hours my daughter does the dinner dishes and my husband helps her with any large pans or if there are a lot of dishes. After 7pm I am “off duty,” if you will, and he takes over caring for the kids, doing bedtime routines, and “putting the house to bed.” 

The kids do a quick pickup around the house, close up the chickens, turn on red lamps for a calming atmosphere, read books, burn any last lingering energy on the trampoline, and then around 8–8:30 they are in bed (well, that’s the goal). 

My husband prays with them, tucks them in, and gives them the nightly “talk” about not coming out (iykyk).

Rachel

From 7–8:30 pm I may exercise, walk, work on my schooling, catch up on emails, or do some computer work depending on the day and what I need to accomplish. Around 8:30 I try to be done with any computer time so my body can wind down (I also aim to wear my blue-blockers starting around 7pm).

From 8:30–9 I shower (if needed or not done earlier) and do some form of rotating self-care. I may also fold a load of laundry, feed the sourdough starter, send off text messages to friends, and make sure the house is locked up.

At 9pm my husband, Jonan, tucks my oldest in and prays with her. Jonan and I go to bed together almost every single night and have done so since we were married. We try to keep late nights rare (ahem, like a big Packers game or if I have work I feel like I just have to push through).

We try to be in bed together by 9:30 every night and then chat about all the things until I feel him do the “falling asleep twitch,” at which point I read with my red-light reading light for another 20 minutes or so until my body decides it’s time to sleep.

And our day begins with rest. When I’m rested I’m a content mother with a regulated nervous system. I am more kind to my kids and more productive with my time.

Morning

5–6 am

Since I’ve been waking up before the sun in recent months and getting morning sunlight in my eyes, my body wakes up rested about 7–8 hours later. I put on my red-light glasses and rest in my bed for a while longer until it’s time to go outside and see the sunlight.

A couple of mornings a week I go to the gym (yes, with my blue-blockers on because I’m too old to care) and get a workout in. On days I do this I don’t get back until closer to 7:30–8am. My husband gets up even earlier and works out with his F3 group a few days a week, so we switch off on workout days.

6–8 am

I go sit outside and watch the first light enter the sky, in my comfy outdoor chair, and spend time with the Lord. I love hearing the birds, the roosters, and waking up with the day. I have been doing this even in 20-degree weather. I wear this unbelievably comfortable but ugly thing, and it makes me happy to put it on every morning.

The kids start waking up around 7–7:30 and usually grab a book and a blanket and go to the couch or see if I’m still in bed to snuggle. Right now, because the days are short and it’s dark, their wake-up has been closer to 8am.

8–10 am

Around 8 we start breakfast. My husband starts work at 9 (huge blessing), so he gets breakfast going and we all eat together.

I then have what I call my power hour. While my kids are amazing humans, they eat painfully slow at times, so I typically have to give them a cut-off point and then use that time for my power hour.

During this hour I try to:

• take my organ support/supplements and drink lemon water/collagen

• make my bed and stretch (if I haven’t already)

• get dressed and do my morning skincare routine

• start a load of laundry

• get dinner out

• prep any needed food (bread, muffins, snack, etc.)

• do one cleaning task (toilets, pantry organization, windows, etc.)

Kids

After breakfast I give the kids about an hour to finish their morning jobs. Some jobs are started before breakfast (like feeding the chickens) and the rest are finished after. It took me forever to find a system that worked, and it continues to change with seasons.

We now use Google Tasks on our family computer for their jobs. The computer is in our main area and their tasks pop up daily. I can add to their list from my phone if needed.  For example, if I need baseboards dusted, it shows up when they wake up. They just love when this happens. 😂 This system has worked very well for us. 

They are also rewarded for completing their morning jobs on time. At the end of the week, based on how many days they completed without a reminder, they can ‘trade in’ for YumEarth or Unreal treats, stay up late passes, dishes passes (where we do the dishes for them), things like that. 

Example: Our Kids’ Morning Routine

• Make bed

• Brush teeth & basic self-care

• Take homeopathic remedy (if needed)

• Fill water bottle - add minerals

• Put away laundry (if needed)

• Help with one household task (breakfast dishes, vacuum, or chickens, etc)

This varies by age and season. We are also heavy on the grace in our house so if a child is just having a hard day they get grace (aka a get out of jail free card), where we come alongside and help them with the tasks or sometimes tell them to just forgo them all together, if needed. Although we value structure and routine, we are not running a bootcamp, and we work intentionally to guide, have fun with, and love on our kids. 

When they were younger they had a picture “job card” on a binder ring. Besides my son who washes breakfast dishes, their jobs take about 15 minutes. They also do rotating self-care they can choose from for example, stretching, using the vibration plate, reading their bible etc. I’m trying to instill good habits. 

The kids work alongside us often. We’ve used a blend of Montessori and Waldorf structure over the years, so our kids are very good at making up games, entertaining themselves, and at the point of this writing, still really enjoy helping our family. We’ve always tried to allow them to use the fun tools and do the messy projects, and that has seemed to build their work ethic over time. I recognize this may shift as they grow but I’m not borrowing trouble at this point in time. We have really awesome kids. 

Daytime

Our daytime routine varies. We school year-round, typically three days a week, which allows me to work one afternoon a week and keep another day open for home tasks, errands, appointments, field trips or fun.

On school days:

• 10–1: school and read-alouds (reading aloud is one of my favorite parts of the day)

• 1–2: lunch and cleanup (my oldest son does lunch dishes)

• 2–5: free play and whatever else we need to get done

During 2–5 pm, if we’re home, I may clean, organize something, read, garden in the summer, bring my laptop into the main area to work or research, order library books, etc. This is my time to be available for the kids while also keeping the home running. Sometimes I take a nap. Those are great days. 

At 5pm I head back to the kitchen. Around 6pm my husband is done working, we do a quick 10-minute home reset, then eat dinner. A few nights a week Jonan leads family worship.

Weekly Routines & Weekends

Once a week we meet with our hiking group and let the kids run wild in the woods. We also have weekly commitments like archery and a Bible study my daughter attends. Some seasons include rec sports, making evenings busier for 6-8 weeks.

We work intentionally to not overload our schedules. I do have to say no to opportunities in order to say yes to other things. Truthfully this is not always easy, but necessary right now. 

I work a large portion of the day on Saturday while my husband handles home maintenance tasks and outdoor work. 

On Sundays we attend church and usually run brief errands afterward. Most Sunday afternoons we rest, play games, hike, watch sports and spend time together. Sometimes we meet up with friends. If I have a busy Monday, I may prep food on Sunday evening instead of Monday.

Other Routines

Cleaning & Laundry 

Every two weeks I find a 3–4 hour chunk to deep clean the house. Beyond that I only do light daily cleaning.

Laundry happens on Mondays. I wash all daily clothes (usually 3–4 loads) and dump them on my bed. At the end of the day we all fold together and it takes less than five minutes. Kids put clothes away as part of their morning routine. Additionally, I run a load of towels most days. When they kids were younger Jonan did most of the laundry folding while listening to an audio book. 

Groceries & Food Prep

I’ve been cooking real food since 2011, so this feels like second nature. I do a monthly menu plan (you can repeat the same one monthly if that’s easier).

Our groceries typically come from:

• Azure Standard

• Local bulk meat bought annually, plus a regular raw milk pickup

• Costco (monthly staples)

• Bulk online orders (cheese, maple syrup, cocoa, etc.)

• Frontier Wholesale Coop (for spices, cleaning, and household goods)

• Whole Foods / Trader Joe’s / Aldi for produce, pickup after church

• Garden/Farmer's Market's (seasonal)

I do food prep Sundays or Mondays plus one extra item most days, looking ahead to what we’ll need that week.

How I Keep Organized

I use Google Calendar, Google Tasks, a Google Sheet, and a paper notebook. My notebook is my second brain.

Google Calendar holds all appointments and intentional time blocks. Google Tasks manages rotating tasks so I don’t have to remember them (think water the plants or wash the family room blankets). My Google Sheet (“Rachel’s Brain Dump”) stores lists, notes, and shared documents with my husband. The paper notebook is for everything else.

We also have a large family board on the pantry door with our menu, verses, and reminders, which helps cut down on “what’s for dinner?” questions.

Monthly

My husband and I have a monthly intentional meeting where we review the budget, bills, kids needs, personal and family goals, and anything else that needs attention.

Family Fun & Traditions

While this may sound like a lot of mundane planning, it actually gives us more freedom.

Some things we do:

• Monthly family fun days

• Celebrating spiritual birthdays

• Rotating one-on-one dates with kids

• Family traditions

• Movie and pizza nights 

• Quarterly brunch with unlimited bacon (yes!!!)

Keep an Organized Home

An organized home is easier to manage and saves money.

We do this by:

• Having less stuff 

• Giving everything a place

• Resetting daily (well, we try)

• Working together 15 minutes a day

My kids help often. When things feel overwhelming, I call everyone together for a 10-minute house reset: I assign tasks, turn on fun music, set a timer, and we all work hard for ten minutes.

What This Isn’t

We are not slaves to these routines and rhythms. They serve us; we don’t serve them. We are not chasing perfection. These rhythms create a peaceful, stable environment where everyone knows what to expect, while still allowing room for mess, creativity, and grace. 

Whenever I struggle, I think about how easy we have it in 2026. Laundry goes into a machine. Food arrives at our door. These systems take a bit of upfront work but offer so much margin in return.

Final Tips for Staying Productive 

Protect sleep

• Good sleep has been the single biggest factor in my productivity. When I protect my sleep, everything else becomes easier. If you struggle with sleep, I know a homeopath who could help you. 😉

Stay off your phone as much as possible

• My phone can be a massive distraction and time waster. I generally do not keep social media on my phone. I choose to put my phone up for chunks of time during the day and do my best to put it down as soon as my children come up to talk to me. 

Write things down immediately

• Pick just 1-2 organizational systems to write things down and place things there as soon as they come into your brain. When we remember we need ‘xyz’ and go grab our phone to order it or write it down, we often get distracted and find ourselves still on it 15 minutes later.

Get on the same page with your spouse 

• None of this would work without my husband. Jonan carries so much of this with me, and his steady presence, leadership, and willingness to help and serve me makes these rhythms possible.
  

I want to be clear as I wrap this up: this isn’t exhaustive. There are many details, systems, and rhythms in our home that I didn’t include here, and plenty of days or weeks that don’t go according to plan. It’s simply a glimpse into what’s working for us in this season, shared in the hope that it might encourage you. Take what’s helpful, leave the rest, and trust that God is at work in your home too. 

If you’d like me to share examples of things like our home maintenance list or organizing systems, just let me know. I’m always happy to share what’s been helpful for us.