Howdy howdy, I used to run some decent CS at my first store but generally, just stock things man, syrups, cups, lids, it’s all about anticipating the Bar’s needs and trying to be ahead of them. At least that’s my experience with it. ^^ hope this helps.

I... L O V E CS.

If I know it’s gonna be a CS kinda day for me (i.e., almost every shift), I do a little prep beforehand. Lots of pens/notepads in my apron pocket or back pants pocket in case I’m washing dishes and the water’s going every which-a-way. Always have the timers on you, clipped or within reach, and try to bring as much stuff to the front so that way all you have to do is swap out empty bottles for new ones and don’t run back and forth.

CS is my favorite role, seeing a need and filling it is so satisfying. Generally, best tip if you're unsure is ask people what they need. Bar first, then warming/reg if it's busy. People will appreciate being seen and helped too. Prioritize helping bar (some stores plant those baristas more than others), check beans/milks/ice as first priority. After that I pretty equally prioritize making sure coffee is brewed, cups and lids are stocked, and the warming fridge isn't too low on anything (restocking warming isn't a big priority unless it's getting busy). If all the major things are covered I switch to checking the sanitizer, then doing dishes /cleaning counters if RTD&E and the condiment bar are solid. Best ways to speed up CS are by counting/anticipating needs before you go to retrieve things (and maybe bring things when you go to get ice as well). Decide how many cups and lids of each kind you need (I usually bring extra to keep on hand in a large black bin for when a rush will hit, if we usually have a rush a bit later), count what you need to fill RTD&E and write it down, then go in the back and fill a bin with it to bring up all at once. Make sure you know what/how many milks you need to bring up so you're not just grabbing whatever and seeing what fits. CS is often the 'yes man' role and people appreciate the help, just ask coworkers what/if they need anything and it will go a long way!

It's been hard for me as well because I had the old routine ingrained in my mind. In particular, my store currently uses what they call "GO Mode" (which means we have no CS) and the way the store is built means that it's more often the person working cafe who brews coffee. I digress.

The big thing that helped me most was just, as much as possible, to do the routine. You don't need to do each task flawlessly at first - it's more important to go in order and keep up the order of the routine. Keep it on a notecard in your apron, tape a sign with the new cycle on it somewhere you'll see it, make a mantra of it you repeat to yourself -- whatever it takes to internalize the sequence. Also, accept that you may not get to every single thing (eg every single restock item) before your cycle restarts. Eventually it becomes muscle memory and you won't have to think about it as much.

Something else that helps me at my store is our cycle task "to do list" system. Basically, the cycle task list is taped to the wall and we have a paper clip to mark what cycle task needs to be done next. When we complete a task on the list, we slide the clip down 1 task, so we know to do that task on our next cycle. We go down the list in order, unless there's something urgent, like the warming trash is overflowing and needs to be taken out. That way all of the tasks get done, even if they seem 'low-priority' every little bit helps reduce the workload down the road.