Routine Season is Upon Us

Your ability to soar in life begins with the courage to open your wings.

According to www.skilledatlife.com, there is a host of reasons to love and embrace routines as we did when we were little. A set wake up time, a set bedtime, a set way of moving through the day. Of course, we had mom and dad to help us keep to that routine but as adults, we often tend to drift in and out of our days with little to no routine, no set script to follow. There is something to be said for breaking free of routine, vacation time, sick time, mental health days, etc., but keeping to a routine helps us be more productive, in control, and aware when even small things go wrong.

“If you have good habits, time becomes your ally. All you need is patience.” – James Clear

Here is why all of us would be better off with a set routine:

1. Makes Us More Efficient

When we have a routine that we follow daily, it reduces the need to make decisions each day. It enables us to know exactly what tasks we need to do each day without having to contemplate, decide or think too much. When we are finished with one task, we know what comes next without much thought. Activities become standardized and we become more efficient as a result.

2. Reduces Our Need to Plan

When we carefully design a set routine to follow, it eliminates the need to plan our activities every morning and budget and allocate our precious time. It takes the guesswork out of our day and allows us to wake up and ‘do’ instead of wake up and ‘plan’.

3. Creates Structure in Our Lives

A daily routine provides structure and a logical sequence in our lives. It provides the framework within which we live our lives and conduct our daily activities. Soon we become familiar and comfortable with what we have to do each day. It allows us to experience a flow to our day.

4. Saves Time, Our Most Valuable Resource

Time is the most precious asset at our disposal because, once lost, it is non-retrievable. By following a routine, we free up time that would otherwise be spent on planning, decision-making and preparation. Our routine has predetermined our schedule, allowing us to use our time efficiently.

5. Instills Good Habits

The secret to building good habits is repetition. When we design a personal routine that works for us, it facilitates developing good habits by encouraging us to repeat the same tasks over and over again. Just like brushing our teeth every morning, adhering to a routine allows us to foster habits that match our goals and aspirations.

6. Breaks Bad Habits

While our routine helps us develop good habits that are in line with exploiting our full potential, it also helps to eradicate bad habits that do not serve us well. We can slowly replace our bad habits with good ones through repetition.

7. Helps Us Become More Proficient

When you have a routine, you start to become better at doing certain things because you do it regularly. That is one of the keys to mastering any skill. Think about something you are skillful at. More likely than not, you developed your skill because you have performed the task over and over again. Practice makes perfect!

8. Helps Us Get the Most Important Tasks Done

When we carefully design a personal routine and stick to it, it allows us to get the most important things done first and out of the way. There is no room for forgetfulness or neglect. Because the most important tasks have been predetermined by us, as long as we follow our routine, we know that we will complete what is important and not spend time and effort on frivolous things.

9. Prioritization

The beauty of designing a set routine is that it forces us to prioritize and decide what is important to us. Rather than make these decisions on a daily basis, we already know what we need to do and in what order because we have carefully planned it. For example, after some soul-searching and careful introspection, I decided that being mindful and healthy were goals that I wanted to attain, so I incorporate meditation and exercise into my daily routine.

10. Reduces the Need for Determination and Willpower

When we brush our teeth in the morning, it does not require a lot of determination or willpower because most of us have made it a daily ritual. We hardly think about having to brush our teeth; we simply do it. The same holds true for other tasks when we follow a routine. It simply becomes, well, ‘routine’!

11. Reduces Procrastination

When a set of tasks and activities become routine, it reduces the chance that we will procrastinate doing them. It becomes ingrained into our system and we almost do it subconsciously. For example, I do a few minutes of yoga every morning when I wake up. I do not have to think about it. I simply do it because it has become a habit. We all know that procrastination is a waste of time and having a routine is one way to combat it.

12. Builds Momentum

As we all know, when you do the same things repetitiously, it builds momentum, making it easier to persist. That is why going to the gym gets easier the more frequently you do it. Momentum is a huge factor when it comes to ensuring success and following a routine helps build that momentum.

13. Builds Self Confidence

When we adhere to a routine and stick with it, it helps build self- confidence and gives us a sense of tremendous satisfaction. That provides us with the ‘fuel’ to continue our routine and reap the benefits associated with it. And a lack of self- confidence is one of the main reasons people find it difficult to change their lives for the better.

14. Saves Us Money

When we follow a routine and do the same things over and over again, it can help us save money. For example, part of my routine involves juicing fruits and vegetables each morning. Because I know that I will follow this routine religiously, I can buy my fruit and vegetables in bulk, saving me money. The same holds true for many other things such as the cost of a long-term gym membership.

15. Helps Reduce Stress and Facilitate Relaxation

There will always be things in our lives that are beyond our control, and we need to accept that. However, there is so much that we can control, especially if we follow a routine. When we design and stick to a routine, it eliminates a lot of stress because we do not have to think and worry about what needs to get done. The act of ‘doing’ gives us a sense of control and helps us relax instead of fretting about the tasks at hand.

16. Frees Up Our Time

Contrary to what some people believe, following a routine that prioritizes repetitive tasks actually provides us with more free time to do as we please. Not every aspect of our lives needs to be scheduled or incorporated into a daily routine. There is a time and place for leisure, relaxation, and ‘non-doing’, and adhering to a routine frees up the time for it. In fact, as we discussed before, our routine makes us become better and more efficient at performing certain tasks. This means that we often spend less time completing the tasks listed in our routine via repetition.

17. Helps Us Achieve Our Goals

Our goals and aspirations are rarely, if ever, achieved all at once. Successful people accomplish their goals by doing the same things over and over again. An athlete gets good at his sport because he practices daily. An artist hones his craft through repetition. Developing and sticking with a routine that is congruent with your goals is one of the surest ways to ensure success.

18. Keeping Track of Our Success

When we slack off and fail to follow our predetermined routine, it is a clear sign that we are falling short. It is an excellent way to monitor our progress. We can subsequently adjust and get back to following our personal routines while having the confidence that we are on the right track again.

And in the midst of all that a routine can bring to a day, “a child reminds us that playtime is an essential part of our daily routine.” Play hard…

Call to Action

What are your feelings regarding routines?

In what ways does a routine help you? In what ways does a routine become a bother?

What happens to you emotionally when you break away from your routine?

In what ways do you follow the same routines year after year?