Creating Routines

During a prolonged stay at home or a change from going to work or school and then working or learning at home, routines can change sometimes be affected in a negative way. Habits are the main aspect of a routine, and developing good ones instead of negative can really make an impact on your daily life. Focusing on the habits of your day and making changes to improve them can help you feel more organized, more productive, and focused throughout your day. A routine can help your mind stay on track and in control of the day and can also help you reduce anxiety. Stability in our daily life allows us to create more positivity on a day-to-day basis. This process of creating good habits and a positive routine can be considered self-investment, but will also lend itself to the people you interact with on a daily basis.

If you need some guidance on how to establish your own daily routine, here are some helpful tips to get started:

Begin with a List

With many people, writing down the tasks that must be done in a day can help reduce stress. It can be difficult to keep track a long list of tasks throughout the day, and having things on a list can just help give you peace of mind. To get started, don’t put boundaries on how you structure this, and just get everything out of your brain and onto the list.

Decide on Structure

Once you have a list of the things you intend to do or will try to get done, take a look at how you might structure your day best. This might mean separating tasks into the time of day, Think about your past experiences with some of these tasks and consider the most effective time do accomplish them.

Consider whether you are more creative in the evening, or perhaps can be more efficient if you exercise in the morning. Test out different routine structures if you aren’t sure what would work best for your schedule.

Take a look at what your regular routine has been up until now, or what kinds of routine is missing. Think about what parts need to change or why you feel you need to create a new routine.

Work in the Good Parts

It can be easy to list out all of the obligations or chores you need to get done each day, but it is very important and also helpful to include the things that you enjoy doing. You might include time to listen to music or a podcast, take a bath, read, or eat a meal with family or friends. Include regular exercise into your routine to help your mind and body work better together! Start practicing mindfulness through meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises.

Be Realistic

It is wonderful to be motivated and optimistic about your goals, but making sure you are realistic with what you can accomplish in that day or time makes it easier to be successful with your routine. Pay attention to whether you are overcommitting your days or starting to feel burned out. These indicators can help you realize that you need to restructure your routine or perhaps even remove tasks from your daily list.

Focus on Intention

Your goals are important. Focusing your mind on being intentional throughout your day can help you achieve your goals. For instance, if you break your routine for others frequently, it reduces your feelings of being in control of your own schedule and daily life. Take new requests or tasks and plan for them instead of immediately reacting and addressing them. Of course in some cases you will need to reprioritize your day based on need, but overall, try not to let outlying things disrupt your routine.

Reflect on Your Day

Start a great habit of reflecting on your day. You might start a journal to reflect on things, or you could simply take notes of both the things that didn’t work so well and the things that did work well. Mindfulness comes to play here as well, as you can practice mindfulness in your daily reflections. Sometimes called a gratitude journal or gratitude activity, a daily practice of identifying the things you are grateful for can have a positive impact on your outlook over time. The things you feel gratitude toward can also help you identify the things that are most important or most impactful in your day-to-day life. Identifying those things can help you give them more of your focus and attention.

Develop Over Time

It is easy to get deflated after not sticking to just one day of a routine, but it is important to remember not to be too hard on yourself. In most cases, your routine will not work without some adjustment along the way. Just be honest about how things work out as you go. Month over month, just make small (or sometimes large) adjustments to your schedule and routine until you settle into a place that feels right.

The main takeaway here? Just get started! Every day is different and each day provides you with a new opportunity to try to find a routine that works for you and the loved ones in your life. There are lots of opportunities to learn from others and even to share your experience while you shape your new routines. If you’ve recently experienced a major life change, developing a new routine might be necessary. Particularly for people who begin working at home who previously did not, establishing a routine can be challenging but is necessary for your overall health.

Looking for more resources? Tilton’s Therapy can provide helpful ways to implement beneficial routines into your daily life. Check out our monthly Therapy Tune-Up to find simple and fun ways to affect your mind and body in a positive way. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to join in on the conversation and share what works as you create your routine!

Additional Resources:

https://buffer.com/resources/daily-success-routine/

https://theblissfulmind.com/how-to-create-daily-routine/

https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-create-a-daily-routine-2648007