We all lead hectic and up-and-running lifestyles, and this is only because technological and other contemporary alterations dictate the tempo. However, when times come to focus on a single activity, we tend to fail utterly. This is because it is hard to maintain sanity and stability in this bustling world of duties and chores.
For that matter, we all need some form of routine that would keep our daily lives in balance, and stop us from dropping on all fours and suffering from a nervous breakdown.
There is no ideal routine per se, everyone’s routine will always look different as most of us have a different working schedule. Nevertheless, no matter what type of job you do or how many obligations during the day you might have, we all need some form of structure to stop feeling overwhelmed or frustrated.
To retain sanity and diligent control over your life, you need to make a routine that will work for you and stick to it. Creating a regular habit to stick to will make you feel uplifted, more confident, alert, and mentally revamped, so here are the top tips on how to make a routine you’ll stick to.
1. Set clear and doable goals
Setting intentions that you cannot handle on a daily basis will only make you more overwhelmed and agitated. The most essential part of creating a routine that will work is identifying all the vital goals you want to work towards and creating a manageable plan. This might sound easier said than done, but if your goal on a daily level is, for example, to send out all the reports, have meetings with the purchasing department, and talk to clients, narrow it down.
Hence, hold one meeting instead of three per day, talk to one client instead of many, and so on. You need to make new routines both in your professional and private life that are doable and motivating. Unless you develop a clear and doable goal that will keep you going forward, you will always have a messy routine that will disturb your life and sanity.
2. Write down your priorities
Some things will simply be more important than others. And this is perfectly normal. To get a better roadmap of your obligations and goals, you need to write down all the things that need urgent undertaking.
For some this includes taking a coat to dry cleaners, for others, this means having lunch with their friend. Get a nice notebook or a planner, and then use a simple checklist to keep track of your written duties and habits.
This might sound like an old-fashioned manner or too excessive for some, but writing down your routines would help you stay consistent and organizational as you would always have a clear insight on how to reach them.
3. Focus on consistency
Don’t let this shock you, but consistency is of utmost importance. Just take a look at toddlers and youngsters – if you tell them it’s their obligation to make the bed every morning or floss their teeth after brushing, that’s it, no stepping down from the rule. The same should go with your goals.
Your daily routine shouldn’t be too complicated, but something that you can commit to without pressure and by setting work boundaries to conclude the day with a satisfactory sense of accomplishment. Come to terms with your obligations and must-do chores for that day, and stay focused and consistent for a perfect, stress-free day. Only in that way will you be able to stay determined and never compensate for what’s important to you.
4. Make the most of your free time
Writing down your daily itinerary and vomiting to your daily tasks is not the only way to make a routine that works, you need to live a little. Or more! If you want to create steady, consistent, and perfectly doable routines without losing your mind, you need to take time for yourself as well and do things that make you feel uplifted.
Renowned psychologists have noted that you need to communicate your needs, to your friend, to your partner, or yourself and fit new habits into open slots in your schedule. This means setting time for yourself in your busy itinerary to go for long walks with friends, visit a gallery opening, or squeeze in a movie.
Your ideal free-time situation will only be unique to you, and only to you, so learn how to pamper yourself, and always make time for your well-being in your daily routine. Without excuse!
5. Ask for help (when needed)
Life is full of ups and downs, and let’s face it – we are not superheroes! There will be times when you cannot tackle your daily chore or routine on your own, and if you are struggling to build consistently, notice relationship red flags, or even financial red flags, lean on a friend (or two) for help.
There’s no shame in having someone remind you why you have started with a new routine plan. If you have been dealing with financial difficulties or experienced a relationship breakdown, having a friend or a family member by your side to remind you of your obligations can make a huge difference.
Any form of social influence is undoubtedly a huge motivator. Therefore, don’t be afraid to lean on people when you are having problems sticking to your routine.
6. Keep things balanced
So, you want to go for a happy hour with friends down to a local bar, and at the same time, you want to visit the new masseuse. Who said that you cannot have a little bit of both? When you are trying to create a self-care routine that sticks, you must stay in perfect balance, and perhaps focus on your mental well-being first.
Hence, your daily self-care routine can look like this: go to the cocktails after you have altogether been to a fantastic new Thai massageโa happy situation for all.
Creating positive feelings around your self care routine mustn’t sound too overwhelming, on the contrary, keeping things balanced and trying to overcome people-pleasing tendencies but at the same time spontaneously doing things you love will create a structured balance in your routine that works.
7. Adjust things on-to-go
Setting boundaries with parents, friends, colleagues, and even a partner is one thing, but setting boundaries to your current wellness routines is a whole other dimension. By default, you should try (all in one day, if possible) to do work, clean the house, make lunch, do chores, walk the dog, see a movie, go to a massage, and still have energy and mental capacity to be a good spouse and wife. Forget it!
Even if you had all the energy in the world, you wouldn’t manage to do such a thing and not suffer a mental breakdown. Learn how to express your needs, determine the true foundations of a healthy relationship with your partner, and complete the chores on your routine list that are doable and “sane”, at least for that day.
8. Go easy on yourself
Bear in mind that things won’t always go as you plan, but also know that if you don’t validate yourself and stay determined, things may fall apart. In times when you notice that you are about to deviate from your routine or experience a meltdown, have a little empathy for yourself and just call it quits (at least for that day).
The moment when you feel like failing to follow your routine, try to remember why you have created a routine that sticks in the first place. Never hope that will always do as you’ve planned since life is no bed of roses. Take a mental note and try to understand that it’s perfectly normal to take a break, skip a routine, or even pause.
9. Celebrate progress
There’s no shame in being happy about a job well done. On the contrary, embracing rewards when crushing your goals is the best way to validate yourself. First of all, you need some motivating tool so you stick with a routine that you have planned out for yourself for that day, so why not reward yourself afterward?
Rewarding yourself signalizes celebrating your progress, and this is presumably one of the most effective ways to stay consistent with your routines and get closer to achieving your goals.
Sticking with a routine is no plain sailing, and if you are going to be focused and have more structure throughout your plans, aim to celebrate your progress and buy yourself a nice new blazer or jewelry piece.
10. Don’t hope – DO!
Last but not least, when you know that you have a full schedule for the day and most of them are a priority, you cannot just sit and panic about how you will get everything done! Or if you are used to pleasing your friends and promise to go on brunch with them one day and then the next for lunch, you’ll surely drop on all fours.
Unless you have delegated your chores, then you need to put your foot down and try to complete everything on your routine list, and don’t leave anything for tomorrow.
However, to avoid such scenarios in the future and to avoid risking a nervous breakdown, you should have put only a handful of must-do items on your routine checklist and, instead of hoping to complete them all in the nick of time, do them! By setting small but doable daily goals, you would stay better organized, stop people-pleasing habits, and have a great routine plan that works.
Don’t get down if you fail to tick all the boxes on your itinerary or if you don’t find time to complete a certain routine on your list, just take a deep breath and know that tomorrow is a new day! If sticking to a routine becomes too stressful, try something else or change things. Being mindful of yourself and your goals is the only way to be consistent with your daily self-care routine.
