When we have a routine to follow on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis it reduces the decisions we must make without having to think too much. When we were children we were told to go to bed at a certain time, wake up at a certain time, go to school at a certain time, eat dinner at a regulated hour, etc. But for adults, it can seem that the importance for us to keep a routine diminishes. This can leave us feeling stressed, anxious, and potentially failing short-term goals. I feel that having a solid routine regarding your health, work, exercise, nutrition, relationships, etc. is very important for achieving goals and having a balanced life! Here are 5 reasons why it is important to have a routine in your life.
- Creates Structure, Efficiency and Reduces Planning Time
Having a regular routine reduces the effort to think about what you are doing that day and already knowing how you will execute your week. Having set activities and a consistent sequence of them will enable you to wake up with an ‘action’ attitude instead of a ‘plan’ attitude.
- Creates Good Habits
Practicing good habits comes with repetition. Following a routine that aligns with our goals will help us break bad habits and create good ones. By performing the same task or habit repeatedly, you can get better at it. As they say, practice makes perfect!
- Reduces Procrastination and Builds Self Confidence
When we build a routine with tasks and activities it reduces the chances of us procrastinating as that task becomes a part of our self-consciousness. E.g. brushing your teeth before bed or unloading the washing machine when it’s finished. When we do these tasks and stick to a routine it can boost our confidence and give us a sense of satisfaction. Completing tasks can boost our mood and fuels the rest of our routine to keep us going. I know I like to create a list of things to do on a daily and weekly basis and ticking them off when completed makes me feel so good!
- Lower Stress Levels
Some things in life are beyond our control, but something we can have control over is a routine. By knowing exactly what we are doing and having a plan can reduce our anxiety, whereas not knowing what to do can create worry and stress about what needs to be done. By taking action and setting a routine gives us that control and can help us relax.
- Helps Us Achieve Our Goals and Track Success
It is quite rare that we will achieve all our goals at once. The most successful people practice their habits consistently and get good at them. Adjusting your routine is a great way to track your progress if you are progressing well with your goals or falling short with your current routine. If your goals change you will need to adjust your routine accordingly: e.g. you want to focus on your upper body strength but originally you were focusing on improving your 5km run time. You will need to do some upper body resistance training and reduce your running.
You can create routines to follow on all days of the week, weekdays, weekends, or in whatever sequence you like. It’s great to create tasks and activities to work towards your goals and things you want to do but don’t forget about some downtime and taking a break. It is still important to ensure you get enough rest time for your brain and body so that you can keep working at your best. Creating a routine is a way to live your life through healthy repetition and I believe is a key to success and happiness. We are all individuals and we need to create our own routine based on our goals, needs, lifestyle, and environment. It’s never too late to start your routine.