Media Room

The importance of maintaining a structure and routine.

The COVID-19 Pandemic and everything else involved has disrupted and changed many of the ways we go about our day. I’ve always known how important having a structure and routine is. With the self quarantine I knew I had to stay consistent on that because it altered my schedule completely. I had started my new job at Advocacy Unlimited during the Self Quarantine, and my other job working in the school system was done for the time being because they closed the districts. I was used to getting up at 5:45 in the morning 5 days a week working a split shift schedule in the mornings and afternoons. Than my job with Advocacy Unlimited had me working Wednesdays and Saturdays. So the school job is on halt because the districts closed. So I noticed a pattern of me staying up later, getting up later than usual, and had a hard time staying occupied and busy. 2 weeks goes by and my other job called me off furlough and I was doing emergency childcare getting up at 5:15 in the morning and working one long shift. Thankfully for having 2 awesome supervisors, both jobs were able to coexist the timing of work and schedules. Advocacy Unlimited had altered my schedule to work Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and I was able to finish up Emergency Childcare until the end of June. Once that happened I started to notice the pattern of going back to a different sleep schedule and body clock and not getting out as much. As soon as I picked up on that I had written down and come up with my own schedule adapting to all the different things going on. Making sure I was up at 8:00 am even with not having to work on that day. Times to get outside, and prioritize work, and other tasks. With the loss of a structure and routine it can effect so many aspects of self care and overall health. I have always been better when staying busy, and having structure. Its always been very significant in my case. So when Covid happened I knew I needed to maintain that.