Routines - do you have one?

I didn't think I was a slave to routine until I realized the other morning at work that I have a very orderly way to open my computer programs. I have to open my data base first - 2 of them. Then my web customer service application - again 2 of them. Then I have to open my email. Then Excel - both the sheets I use in it. And then Word. I like to have them in order so I can find them quickly. I get miffed if later in the day the data base or the web application times out and I have to reopen them and now one or more is out of order. I hate it! Now that I think about this subject, my weekdays are pretty regulated, at least day times. I set my phone alarm three times starting at 6:15, then 6:30, and then 6:45. I get up between 6:45 and 7:00 AM. I get the kids up, get dressed, get my lunch, and then take my daughter to school. After that, I stop at McDonald's for breakfast - almost always the same thing. Then I park nearby to butter my bagel, take my medicine, and if need be, finish applying my make up before I drive the rest of the way to work. If I arrive early enough, I write for half an hour or fifteen minutes (I take my alpha smart in the car just in case). Then when I get into work, I turn on my computer, and while it's booting up, I open our blinds and get out my notebook, letters, and pens. Then I start opening my programs. After that, the phones begin ringing and my staff ask a lot of questions so there's no real routine. I miss breaks most days since I've become manager. My shift gets off at 5 pm but I'm usually still working and don't get to leave till at least 5:30 or 6:00 and sometimes later. It depends whether I have to pick up the kids from a sports practice or run to a practice or game. I have to thank my older daughter for helping out a lot with making meals and helping with house work. Once she gets a job, I'll have to rework our schedules. At least two nights a week and sometimes more, I take my daughter to her softball games. The off nights we go to practices. I take my alpha smart and write while she plays and practices. On free nights, we go to the bookstore or library and I write while the kids read. After we get home, we settle in for the night and get ready for the next day. If I have energy left, I'll visit my blog circuit, write, and/or read for a bit. On weekends, we have more ball games and practices - part of the day on Saturday and all day on Sunday. I get a lot more writing, house work, and errands done - usually. This is my daughter's last year in high school, so it's probably the last year she'll play ball - at least where I'll be involved in every game, and then my routine will change. Today, even though it was Saturday, my daughter needed to get some new shirts. We decided to check out a new store down the road from where I work. On the way we decided to get lunch down the road from my day job. Well, we were talking and next thing I knew, I'd passed the restaurant and was on auto-pilot headed to the day job. It's such a routine to drive that way, I just spaced out and was there before I realized it. Luckily, I didn't waste much gas making a U-turn to get back to where I was going. But I had to laugh at myself. I guess I am a slave to routine. You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox, Regina Carlysle, and Cindy Spencer Pape are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)