Instead of doing a self-care day. Self care should be a lifestyle, not an activity. This is when routines come into play.
How you live your days is how you live your life, right? So let's get into it!
What is a routine?
In a general society, the word “routine” may feel boring, mundane and even restrictive! But this is not how it should be. If done right routines are a key for
- Good mental health
- Great stress and emotions management
- Cognitive boost
- Spiritual wellbeing
- Achieving your goals
Unfortunately, we are never taught about the importance of routines in school. So let's bust those myths around this game-changer: daily routine.
Routines make you more creative and focused!
Having a daily routine improves cognitive function and gives you the safe container to be more creative. If your body can rely on regular habits, it is easier for it to know when it's time to either focus and be productive or wind down. Habits can work as cues! 👍
There's plenty of research indicating that having regular work processes allows workers to spend less cognitive energy on recurring tasks, which can support focus and creativity for more complex tasks. Same for artists - many creatives have well defined work routines which support their creativity rather than constrain it!
Routines make you live longer!
I think we don't have to explain why making time for exercise within routines can help meet daily activity levels which support your health.
Furthermore, a very important routine many people undervalue is sleep!
Your sleep schedule and bedtime habits affect your mental sharpness, performance, emotional well-being and daily energy levels.
It is a great hack to arrange your daily activities around your circadian rhythm (your biological clock) :
Sleep experts can't stress enough the importance of maintaining a bedtime routine, to calm and relax you as you get ready to sleep. 😴
But, hey, we are not talking about just going to bed at a reasonable time (which is important too!). A good night's sleep starts already hours before going to bed! Learn more about which activities sabotage and which support a heavenly sleep HERE.
Routines give meaning and help you succeed!
For example, adding walking to your daily routine can offer chances to enjoy nature, explore new places and socialize. 🌳
Consistent rhythm also supports a flow state (being 100% present where time doesn't exist) which is fulfilling and reinforcing. Usually people reach these states with sports (more frequently in extreme sports), games, arts, music, meditating or even just being in nature!
Routines are also a great way to make time for what matters to you.
Be it a spiritual practice to nourish your soul, or working on a side hustle to provide your dream life. A routine helps to organize your day in a way you have control, and can spare time for these activities!
How to start creating a routine?
- Get a paper and write down all the things you need to do next week. Find if they are all necessary. ✍️
- Choose a time you will wake up and go to sleep every day. Make it realistic! ⏰
- Schedule in some sports or physical activity. 🏸
- Maybe book some hours of learning a new hobby!? If you've always wanted to learn either salsa, pottery or anything, routines are your way to find time for it!💃
- Don't forget your friends, family and community. Leave some spontaneous chill-spaces in days if something fun pops up. This can be especially important for women who may feel more stressed by regular routines. If this is the case, don't set specific times for activities. Rather choose 3-5 things that need to be done during a day and use your intuition and feeling to choose the right order and pace!🌻
- Add breaks for meditation, breathwork, reading, journaling. These are extremely important habits to reduce anxiety and bring more joy to life!🧘♀️
And off you go!
PS! A new routine can be hard at first. Try to keep it simple and stick to it for at least a week before you make any changes. Then see if there's something that needs a bit of adjusting (maybe waking up later and going to bed later suits better, or the opposite) and keep going. Soon it will feel natural!
Don't be afraid to alter your routines a bit every month to keep things exciting.😉
Those daily little habits will give you more productivity, creativity and joy in the long term, and according to many successful people, are the key to success.
Share it with a friend that needs some help with daily habits!❤️