We have a routine, and generally its to within an hour or so, eg get up 5.00am, do stuff till sleep at 8.30 -9.30 ish sleep for 1 1/2 hrs, get up do stuff, back to sleep 2.30-3.30 ish sleep for 1 1/2 hrs, get up, do stuff, go to bed 7.30- 8.30
We have done this for the last 6 months or so and it works great.
This way,I know there are times during the day I can do things (while he sleeps) so when he is awake, I can make it all about him. If we go out,I try and make it after the morning sleep and that way he can sleep in the car on the way home if we stay out for a long time.
Its really easy and my little bloke never gets overtired or stroppy (still get tanties, but not tired ones LOL)
We had to do it this way, for my sanity and also because my bloke is not the sort to just go to sleep anywhere, he needs quite strong sleep cues. eg teddy, bed, dark room. the exception is the car. But he wont just fall asleep in the pram at the shops KWIM?
I like structure, to a degree, it allows me to budget my time and energies into whatever I have deemed important for the day.
Just me, though