How To Create The Perfect Routine

HOW TO CREATE THE PERFECT ROUTINE AND HOW IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

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What if I told you there was a way to stop feeling like you are suffocating under the pressures of your daily schedule?

BEFORE THE ROUTINE

Life was chaotic before I implemented a routine. I was stuck, and I was tired.

I remember stumbling home after a long day’s work at my 9-5, exhausted both emotionally and physically.

I would get home, make some sort of frozen dinner for my husband and me before wandering to the couch, where I would plop myself for the remainder of the evening watching TV.

This lack of routine, or bad routine, if you will, caused me to get stuck in a bit of a rut.

My house always fell apart during the week, and self-care went out the window as I continued to pack on the pounds due to my preference for easy frozen meals, fast food, and calorie-dense snacks.

I was working a job that I hated, in a field that I hated, surrounded by toxic people.

I was miserable, and throwing in the towel wasn’t an option. Though that had crossed my mind many times.

It was hard to recognize that I was letting life just happen around me, but once I did, EVERYTHING changed.

I woke up, and I took back my control!

I started by making a list of a few of the goals I wanted to reach in the next 6 months or so and tried to implement at least 1 task a week that would bring me closer to those goals.

I did things like,

• Walking the baseball diamond after work before driving home.
• Meal prepping on Sundays so that there were always healthy meals on hand.
• Doing a quick tidy before leaving for work in the morning.
• Taking 30 minutes a day to look for a new job, something that would make me happy.
• Going to bed 30 minutes earlier.
• Waking up 60 minutes earlier.

WHY A ROUTINE?

Routines are so incredibly important. Having a good routine in place, especially a morning one can set the tone for your ENTIRE day!

A routine is defined as a sequence of actions regularly followed.

I think people often don’t realize how much having a set routine will change their lives.

I know it changed mine! With a proper routine, you should be able to find time for self-care, loved ones, and so much more.

Not to mention, you WILL reach your goals so much faster when actively working toward them each and every day!

Routines help us,

• Prioritize our goals
• Get organized
• Gain a sense of control
• Find motivation
• Provides daily structure

WHAT MAKES A GOOD ROUTINE?

A good routine consists of a few things,

• A still moment where you can meditate or focus on what you would like to accomplish that day. (This would also be a great time to recite positive affirmations.)
• 1 or more tasks that push you closer to your goals each day.
• Some sort of physical exercise, whether that’s going to the gym, on a walk, or doing some yoga!
• Free time, even if it’s only 30 minutes. You must find time to break away and do something you love! Like, read a book, draw, or whatever else might spark joy for you.
• Having a set bedtime and wake up time.
• And finally, those less fun tasks that just have to be done each day.

A good routine will be different for everyone.

So it’s important to change things around as you figure out what doesn’t work for you, and more importantly, what does!

Sticking to a new routine isn’t always easy, so give yourself some time. With patience, you WILL get there!

CREATING YOUR ROUTINE

When creating a routine, it is crucial to start your day with your most creative tasks.

Those things that more heavily rely on the right side of your brain, your creative side.

Then, follow those projects up with my more left-brain-heavy tasks.

You will often find that you are the most productive during the first 5 hours of your day, so that is the time in which you should try to accomplish your more creative and analytical projects.

It is essential to create a rigid morning routine and stick to it. Morning routines are the most important.

Having a good morning routine in place sets the mood for the rest of your day!

When creating your routine, it is important to remember to set time limits for tasks.

Not only will this help you manage your time, but this will help you stay focused.

Especially if you have a short attention span like me, having a time limit will help your brain focus on the task at hand because you know exactly how much time you must focus on the current task.

Steps to creating a routine that supports your goals and priorities:

• Prioritize your tasks.
• Find your motivation.
• Ask yourself, what does your ideal life look like? What will it take to achieve it?
• Create a schedule.
• Set aside some time to plan your routine for the week. (I like to plan out my week every Sunday.)
• Jot down the daily tasks you MUST do as well as the ones you would like to add.
• Set specific time frames for each task.
• Stick with it!

Here are some important questions to ask when implementing your new routine:

• Have I ordered my tasks in the most time-efficient manner?
• Did I spend time on the things that matter to ME?
• What have been my biggest roadblocks? Why? What can I do to change this?

NECESSARY TASKS

What is a necessary task?

I like to call those tasks which must be accomplished but are maybe not something I purposefully scheduled into my day, necessary tasks, though a more common term would be unintentional tasks.

Necessary tasks would be things like:

• Going to work
• Getting Gas
• Picking the kids up from school
• Feeding pets
• Etc.

These kinds of tasks may not be the ones moving us closer to our goals each day, but they are still necessary for maintaining our daily flow. (Though going to work and making money is certainly vital for a lot of goals.)

INTENTIONAL TASKS

An intentional task is a task that you have purposefully placed in your day to perpetuate yourself closer to your set goals.

Examples of Intentional tasks would be:

• Meditating for 10 minutes
• Reciting positive affirmations
• Going to the gym
• Writing for 30 minutes
• Painting for 60 minutes
• Reading a book
• Going for a walk, in nature

These are the kinds of tasks that help bring you closer to your set goals. Implementing small daily tasks such as these will have a huge impact when it comes to achieving your dreams and creating your best life.

“You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily… The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.”

John C. Maxwell

YOUR TURN

Now that you understand the benefits of a routine, it’s time to actually make one!

Some people like to use a day-timer to plan out every minute, while others like only to assign time frames to larger projects.

I personally love using my bullet journal! Whatever you do, be aware of your time.

Your time is VALUABLE!

Now, write out all of the necessary/unintentional tasks that you must complete each day.

Once you have these tasks lined out, you will have a better idea of where you can fit those tasks that will take you closer to your goals.

Also, don’t be afraid to delegate, part of managing our time properly is delegating when we can.

Now it’s time to create a plan for each day.

Be sure not to overload any one day, you don’t want to risk burnout. It is also imperative that you arrange your schedule in a manner that is the most time-efficient.

Break your day down into morning, mid, and evening. This way, you can better optimize your day.

MORNING

6:00 AM – Wake up
6:10 AM – Meditate/affirmations
6:20 AM – Shower/self-care
6:50 AM – Nutritious breakfast
7:15 AM – Write
8:00 AM – Gym/workout
8:45 AM – Stretch

I generally listen to an audiobook on audible during my morning routine. This helps me start the day in the right headspace and keeps me motivated! You can check out some of my favorite audiobooks HERE.

MID

10:00 AM – Work
12:00 PM – Lunch
12:30 PM – Walk
1:00 PM – Tidy house/Home improvement project
3:00 PM – Work
4:30 PM – Start dinner
5:00 PM – Eat dinner

EVENING

5:30 PM – Tidy dinner/dishes
6:00 PM – Nightly self-care regimen
6:30 PM – Media detox
6:35 PM – Nightly affirmations
6:40 PM – Relax/watch tv/read a book
8:00 PM – Sleep

This is an example of what my schedule can sometimes look like.

Working from home certainly has its perks.

A good schedule should evolve as you go, changing to fit your specific needs.

Sometimes each day will call for a slightly different routine. I certainly have days where I am busier than others, and that’s okay. In fact, it’s very normal.

When I was working my 9-5 job, my daily routine looked completely different.

I definitely had a lot less free time in my day.

This resulted in me having to allot smaller amounts of time to my goals, but I still found space to fit in the intentional tasks that were important to me, and you CAN too!

It will take some trial and error, but you will eventually find your groove, and when you do, be sure to stick with it!

Once you have finished outlining your routine, place a copy where you will see it frequently!

Check off the tasks as you go.

There is no better feeling than a completed checklist!

IMPLEMENT YOUR NEW ROUTINE

It’s time to put your new routine into action!

Today is a great day to start changing your life. Take notes throughout the week, and don’t be afraid to make changes as you go.

Find what works for you!

As you settle into your new routine, you should notice a shift in your productivity as well as an increased sense of control within your own life.

It’s not always going to be easy, change never is. But I can promise you the results will be well worth it.

YOU CAN DO THIS!

Want to learn more about working for yourself and achieving your best life?

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What kinds of things do you like to include in your routine?

What do you find your biggest obstacles are when implementing and sticking to a routine?

I’d love to know. Let me know in the comments below!

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Have a bright day!