You ever start a new routine and think… “This is it. This is the week I become that girl.”
The meal plan is cute. The mornings are smooth. You’re feeling proud.
And then boom. A kid gets sick.
Work blows up. Practice runs late.
You get home and you’re looking at the calendar like… “Yeah… no. Not today.”
And suddenly your routine feels dead and gone, and you’re telling yourself, “I guess I’m just not consistent.” Girl, no.
You’re not inconsistent. You’re overloaded.
And most routines don’t fail because you “lack discipline.” They fail because they weren’t designed for real life.
In this episode, I talked about the consistency killers that quietly wreck routines for busy working moms. Let’s break them down in a way you can actually use this week.
The real problem: your routine only works in a perfect week
Here’s the truth: A routine that only works when everything goes right… doesn’t work.
Your routine has to work when life is life. That means it needs:
- a “bare minimum” version
- flexibility built in
- a way to restart without drama
Because kids will kid. Work will work.
And somebody is always going to need something at the exact wrong time.
Consistency Killer #1: Overplanning
This is when you try to cram a whole lot into a little bit of time. You create a routine that looks amazing on paper… and takes 90 minutes.
And then you’re shocked when you don’t do it. Friend.
Ninety minutes is basically a vacation for a working mom. Of course it gets skipped the minute you’re tired or running late.
What to do instead: Create a 10-minute version
Ask yourself: “What’s the smallest version of this routine I can do that still helps future me?”
Because small routines keep you in motion. And motion is what makes routines stick.
Here are some easy examples:
- Meal planning: pick three dinners, not seven
- Home reset: do three main things (trash, dishes, counters) instead of cleaning the whole kitchen
- Weekly planning: check your calendar + pick top three priorities (don’t map out every hour)
Small things count. Small things are sustainable.
Consistency Killer #2: Copying someone else’s routine
Just because a routine looks good on TikTok doesn’t mean it works in your house. A routine should fit your life.
Not the other way around. So if you’re trying to force a routine that doesn’t match your real schedule, you’re going to feel like you’re failing.
But really… The routine is the problem.
What to do instead: Build around your real constraints
Look at what’s true in your life:
- your work hours
- school drop-off and pick-up
- practices, meetings, bedtime
- the “witching hour” in your house
Then customize. Some examples:
- If mornings are chaotic, skip the big morning routine. Try a midday reset or after-bedtime 10 minutes.
- If weekends are packed, your “Sunday reset” might actually happen Saturday morning or Sunday night.
We’re not copying routines. We’re customizing them.
Consistency Killer #3: Not restarting with a plan
Most people don’t quit because they miss a day. They quit because they don’t know how to restart… without feeling behind.
And once you feel behind, your brain starts doing that little glitch thing like… “Welp. Might as well give up.”
What to do instead: Pick a reset trigger
A reset trigger is a moment in your day that reminds you: “Okay. Now we’re getting back on track.”
Examples of reset triggers:
- Sunday afternoon
- Monday after drop-off
- right after dinner
- right after bedtime
- the first thing you do when you sit at your desk on Monday
So if you miss your Sunday planning, your reset trigger might be: Monday after drop-off → 10 minutes → done.
No big production. No shame spiral.
Because the restart plan is the routine.
Consistency Killer #4: Too many goals at one time
This one will humble you fast. Because you get excited and decide:
“I’m going to meal prep, work out, wake up at 5am, drink a gallon of water, read 12 books, and deep clean my pantry.”
And then Wednesday hits. And you’re like… “Sweet baby Jesus, why did I do this to myself?”
You’re not inconsistent. You’re overloaded.
What to do instead: Pick one or two habits for this season
Keep it simple:
- One home habit
- One personal habit
- For 30 days
Everything else goes on the “later list.” Examples:
- Home: 10-minute kitchen reset
- Personal: lights out by 10:30
Or:
- Home: simple dinners three nights a week
- Personal: 10-minute walk three times a week
Less is sustainable. More is stressful.
And we are not signing up for extra stress on purpose.
Quick recap: the consistency killers (and the fixes)
Here’s what we covered:
- Overplanning → scale it down
- Copying someone else’s routine → customize for your real life
- No restart plan → choose a reset trigger
- Too many goals at once → pick one or two for the season
Try this today: the “10-minute save” plan
If you want a simple next step, do this:
- Choose one routine you keep falling off (meals, planning, bedtime, workouts—whatever).
- Write your 10-minute version.
- Pick your reset trigger.
- Commit to one week of “bare minimum consistency.”
Not perfect.
Just consistent enough to keep moving.
Because you don’t need a whole new life.
You need a routine that fits the life you already have.
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Links Mentioned in This Episode
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