Why didn't you get it right the first time?
That's a comment you might hear in any aspect of work or family life, but in truth, we rarely get anything right the first time as life is a series of revisions.
Taking the time to analyze and revise definitely betters what we do. For example, as I embark on a new role as caretaker, I'm finding a great deal of need for revision. There's no roadmap here, and each week, I come up with strategies that work and efforts that clearly don't work.
This series of trial-and-error takes on a pattern like this. A need presents, I try to respond. Sometimes the response is right on, and sometimes the response doesn't work. When it doesn't work, that generally sends me to research other, better responses, and so the cycle continues.
To date, there have been a large number of successful strategies including the following:
- regular, predictable schedules as much as possible
- regular acquisition of specific supplies, foods
- regular chores that keep the environment up to date
- communication patterns
- role definitions
- common goals/objectives