routine

Daily Routine Safety

A step-by-step guide to adjusting routines in ways that reduce predictable risks.

routinesafety planning

SAFETY PLANNING

Daily Routine Safety Guide

Options for making your mornings safer and less predictable.

Leave at slightly different times on different days (for example, 7:45, 7:55, 8:05).
Vary the route you use to get to work, school, or childcare when that feels safe to do.
Keep keys, phone, wallet, and important documents in one grab-and-go location.
Pre-pack a small bag with essentials and store it where you can access it quickly.
Use weather or traffic as neutral reasons if you need to change departure times or routes.
Arrange regular check-ins with a trusted person (call, text, or message) after you arrive.
If safe, enable location sharing with one trusted person during your commute only.
Charge your phone overnight so it starts the day fully charged.
Keep a backup phone charger in your bag, car, or workplace.
Identify safe public places along your route (shops, workplaces, public buildings).

Ways to adjust evenings to reduce risk and increase options.

Plan quiet personal tasks (showers, laundry, taking out trash) for times that feel safer.
Store spare keys in a consistent, discreet place you can reach quickly.
Keep shoes and outerwear in an easy-access location, not buried in a closet.
Check that your phone is charged and not locked away by someone else, when possible.
Know at least two exits from your home (doors, patios, stairwells, shared hallways).
Keep important items (ID, bank card, medications) in one place, ready to take with you.
Agree on neutral “plans” with friends or family you can refer to if you need to leave (for example, “I promised to help my sister”).
Limit sharing detailed evening plans or locations with anyone who might share them unsafely.
Set up a routine check-in with someone you trust at a standard evening time.
Decide in advance what you would take if you had only one minute to leave.

Options to reduce how predictable your movements and habits are, when safe to do so.

Rotate which shops, gas stations, or ATMs you use and when you visit them.
Use different doors or parking spots at work, school, or home when possible.
Vary exercise routines, walking paths, or public transport stops.
Adjust social media posting so it does not show your real-time location or schedule.
Consider delaying posts about places you visit until after you leave.
Review who has access to your calendar apps and location-sharing tools.
Change predictable weekly patterns slightly (for example, grocery day or time).
Plan small “detours” on days you sense higher tension or monitoring.
Keep work or school staff informed about any schedule changes if that increases safety.
Use neutral explanations for changes (traffic, work task changes, caring responsibilities).

Adjusting routines is optional. Consider changes that are realistic, do not increase conflict, and can be explained in ordinary, everyday ways.

Backup plans can create more flexibility when regular routines feel unsafe.

Identify at least two safe places you could go on short notice (for example, a friend’s home, a busy public place).
Ask one or two trusted people if they are open to being a backup contact or pickup option.
Memorize one or two important phone numbers in case you cannot access your phone.
Prepare a small backup bag stored outside the home if that is safe (friend, locker, workplace).
Plan alternate transportation (rideshare account, bus routes, taxi number, coworker ride).
Keep a small amount of cash in a secure, separate location.
Note where public places with long opening hours are located along your usual routes.
Consider a code word or phrase with a trusted person that signals you need support.
Check workplace or school policies on safety, escorts to parking lots, or visitor rules.
Review additional safety tools and community resources listed through services such as DV.Support.