The Benefits Of Keeping A Routine

What should I wear today? What am I going to make for dinner? When should I exercise? These are some of the mind-numbing questions that many struggle with every day. I’ve been there and sometimes I fall back into my old habits. But I have discovered that more often than not, routines help keep my focus on bigger and better things. Routines might be looked upon as boring, but they allow you to free up your time & energy to more productive tasks and goals.

Do I Have To Lay Out My Clothes At Night?

As with any practice, there are many levels to which you can get into a routine. There are also many different situations to where routines can be applied. Laying out your clothes at night allows you to wake up in the morning and not stare at your closet for five minutes in the morning. You can get up knowing you already have something checked off your list! It sounds small in the grand scheme, but little achievements like this can quickly add up. Another might planning out meals for the week. Sure, sometimes it’s fun & spontaneous to ask, “what is for dinner tonight”? But that can also lead to extra stress and pressure for someone to rush around and try to put together a meal. Planning out something like meals, schedules for the kids (especially with remote learning!), and cleaning can lead to reduced anxiety for all involved. They know what to expect and are more likely to complete those tasks if it becomes a regular, expected activity.

Work Routines Increase Productivity!

Every work day I follow the same system when I turn on my computer. Why? Because within this framework, I know that I can ensure my regular responsibilities are complete but also be ready for items that occur unexpectedly. It is fixed but also flexible at the same time! Having a daily system that allows you to check off your items and giving you small goals throughout the day can be very empowering. These can lead to a positive outlook and increased positivity!

When one has a plan, they can focus on the best ways to action it. They can focus their energy on the how instead of what . With a morning workout routine, I don’t have to waste time thinking about what exercise I’m going to do next. I can instead focus on putting all my effort into doing the task itself. When one is juggling so many deadlines, tasks & responsibilities, the benefits of a routine allows that person to “trim the fat” so to speak. When you are able to lock in your meeting schedules to just Monday’s for example, you know that focus can be made on those meetings and block out other tasks. It allows you to better manage your time and prioritize items that need special attention.

Commitments Are Difficult…Are Routines For Me?

Those who have great success in either personal or professional lives utilize routines because it allows one to more or less push the little things off to the side (not ignore, but they become automatic in your every day activities). Routines do not have to be stressful or be rigid; in fact you can set aside time to plan your routines and change tasks to reduce routine fatigue. Believe it or not, you are already doing multiple routines but not even thinking about it! So, think of tasks/goals that you want to achieve and set aside time to develop a routine for them. You will be amazed on how your productivity and goals are more within reach than you realized. I hope you can find something in your life that could benefit from a routine; I would love to hear about it! Share your comments or experience with us!