We have know that habits are powerful. Yet, only a few people adopt some form of daily routine to set themselves up for success.
Routines are practices done everyday in a sequence to set yourself up for either a good day of work or a good night of sleep.
I’ve believed in the power of routine for a long time. Get up every morning the same time and go to bed each evening roughly about a similar time.
Every morning I go through the same sequence when I wake up (it usually involves starting with coffee), because I was set on having a morning routine, having heard of a lot of successful people talk about it. It was not until I became hyper conscious that I realized that I have developed a nightly routine as well.
Why have a morning- and evening routine?
It helps you gain focus. All of us are wired and operate in different ways. But we all need to gain focus and clarity in some way. We need a way to let go of what happened during the day, reflect on wins and focus on what it is we want to achieve next.
For me, these routines are simply a way of organizing my busy mind. My mind is always running with ideas, schemes and plans. I am far ahead of what should still be done or what hasn’t been done yet. So I constantly need to refocus my mind on the present moment in order to be able to live in the present.
How to build routines
Building routines takes time. You can decide on a few specific things and start running a checklist each night or morning till they become solid habits.
I like to start with a form of meditation and visualization and quiet time. After which I make my bed.
Making your bed every morning is probably one of the best things you can do for yourself each day.
There are so many celebrity routines and advice. But the routine that will stick and work the best is the one that is individual to you. You cannot take someone else’s approach and just plug it into your life. We have different time schedules and circumstances. Do what works for you the best.
Your routines will not always be 100%. You may forget something in the morning, or really don’t have time another day for something else. It’s okay. The idea is to build a sequence helping you to succeed. Not a checklist that makes you feel guilty or like a failure when you miss something.
I often miss my night routine for some reason (Usually on Saturday’s) and I am okay with it. It is the compounded benefit of time that makes the difference.
Don’t expect immediate success. You will often only find the benefit of these routines once they have stuck. So be patient.
Change it up
Changing your routine every now and then, big or small is not bad. Just don’t try to change it every week. Routines that work are usually very goal oriented.
My routines have differed significantly if I look back to my university days and now because my life has changed. Priorities and my surroundings are different to 2 or 3 years ago and my goals have also altered slightly. If change is embraced, it can be your biggest ally.
So consider what you want in life and how you can get it then build routines that set you up for success.
Already have routines? Please share them I would love to know how you go about crushing the day.
