Dear readers, you must have encountered several self-help books, mentors, and productivity bloggers talking about the powerful impact of having a routine. Starting from the morning routine till the end of the day, having a properly planned routine boosts progress and efficiency.
Considering the unpredictability of the day, it may be difficult to stick to the ideally planned routine. This may elevate the feeling of guilt and not achieving enough.
When our day gets overcrowded with too many tasks, it’s so relatable to feel like 24 hours is not enough. We may think that every individual in this world has the same 24 hours. But is that so?
Time like every other resource is not equally distributed. The structures of class, gender, ethnicity, age, and ability influence the use of time.
A person who has house help saves time from the house chores over one who is self-reliant. A mother of an infant has to devote primary time and attention to her beloved child compared to someone who doesn’t have a child.
Having an ideal daily routine that is followed consistently may seem like a distant dream for many of us. But we can make a flexible routine that contributes to our overall well-being.
In this post, I discuss a routine that is short and effective. This short routine is simple and will not make your day feel crowded with to-dos that become impossible to accomplish.
Why do we need a routine?
Setting a daily routine will not only help you to boost productivity but will also have a positive impact on your long-term goals.
Your actions daily will surely add up to create long-term success in your life. We cannot predict how our life may be in 3 years or 5 years. Unforeseen circumstances may arise.
But one thing is for sure, your daily actions will yield results for your future.
A daily routine will also help you manage your day better saving you from feeling lost and directionless throughout the day.
It helps instill self-discipline and build habits to keep you on track.
How to set a daily routine?
This routine focuses on five core elements of our well-being- mind, body, career, relationships, and recreation.
It’s a false notion to relate productivity with only long stretches of work hours at a time. You may get a substantive amount of work done that way, but you’re likely to feel drained by the end of the day.
When you take a holistic approach and cater to the needs of each area of your life, you will tend to find balance in each area of your life.
Before you start your routine, you must do a little preparation. These are preparations that’ll hardly take an hour to do.
Dedicate a small portion of your time before you sleep to perform these warm-up activities. It will certainly give you a sense of direction for your next day.
- First, reflect on the goals you have set for each area of your life.
- Second, decide what actions will you need to take the next day to achieve those goals.
- Identify the barriers/potential distractions that may keep you from reaching your goals.
- Plan and schedule the 5 must-dos for the next day.
- Get good sleep.
Set your routine
First, I want to remind you that each day is different. We cannot predict the events of the following day, and when unforeseen circumstances derail you from following this routine, I suggest you to allow yourself to take a break.
As long as you are making an effort to work on all of these areas, you are progressing. Progress is often invisible to the naked eye but little actions daily will lead to cumulative results in the future.
The best part about this routine is its flexibility with the timings as long as you meet the goals.
Whatever your roles and aspirations in life, this routine is for all.
FOR MENTAL WELLBEING
–Dedicate 30-40 minutes of your morning to energize your mind.
Mornings are a sacred time to set the direction for your entire day. Most of us lazy around directionless with nothing to do, and sometimes we wake up late as we feel that there’s nothing to do.
I recall my routine in the past (2016) when my mornings started at 11 am and I would just rush to go to my classes. I was unknown of how tiny changes in the morning routine can set the tone for the entire day.
Some of the ways to energize your mind in the morning are:
-Practice meditation and mindfulness practice.
-Listen to an inspiring speech or podcast. I have curated a list of Motivational podcasts for your morning routine.
-Read a non-fiction book that will motivate you. Currently, I am reading Tuesdays with Morrie for my morning routine
-Spend time journaling.
-Chant mantras.
You can divide time for each activity or choose to do at least two of them in the 30 to 40 minutes you can intentionally carve for your mental well-being.
I always start my morning with a smile as my pet cats are eagerly waiting for me to give them food. For my mind, I practice mindfulness breathing practices and morning prayer, sometimes followed by a short motivational podcast episode. On some days, I skip a part and just do the prayer and routine. But I make sure to intentionally dedicate a portion of my mornings to my mental well-being.
FOR YOUR BODY
-You can dedicate 40 to 60 minutes of your day to physical activity.
Again, you can choose either the morning or the evening for your workout routine.
This is the part that I have struggling with lately maybe because of the grind that is needed. But I am surely going to overcome this workout slump. And guess what, today I spent 30 minutes in the morning doing a dance workout.
You can choose any kind of physical activity you enjoy. Yoga, dance workout, high-intensity workout, running, cycling, playing any sport.
I have already set the intention for the next month to dedicate 40 to 60 minutes daily to physical activity.
So, you can include the physical activity of your choice in your daily routine.
FOR WORK
-Dedicate 4-6 hours of your day to deep work sessions.
We cannot ignore the importance of professional commitments in our lives. You require dedicating a significant portion of your day to bring the best results in whatever you do.
A sales manager, an athlete, a writer, a professor, or anyone with any occupation has been intentionally dedicating the maximum portion of the day to their work.
Your time spent commuting, eating, and other non-work-related activities should be excluded from deep work sessions.
To work with focus, you can:
-List down the tasks in order of priority the night before.
-Divide time blocks to complete each task. Time blocks may vary and may not be equal time for each task.
-Make sure you complete one task before you move on to the other.
-Set a limited number of tasks, and avoid making long lists.
-Remember to take short breaks.
As a blogger, I need to assign time for reading and research, writing, designing, and handling Pinterest and Instagram. So, I dedicate 2 hours each day to blogging work. I just do what’s required; some days are spent writing, and some days doing research.
You do not need to overcrowd the significant 4-6 hours of your day. Plan ahead and get things done.
FOR RELATIONSHIPS
-Include spending quality time with friends and family for at least 2-3 hours a day in your daily routine.
It’s common to give priority to professional commitments over personal relationships. But it’s the support and warmth we receive from our friends and family that fill our lives with love.
Quality time with your loved ones is required to have deep conversations and also to travel back in time to remember the memories spent together. It can also serve as a great way to unplug from the hectic schedule and de-stress.
A happiness study reveals that the key to well-being is having good relationships. A person with good social ties is found to be resilient towards life’s challenges.
Always try and remain connected to your family and community contrary to the common notion of sacrificing relationships for achievements. It’s easier to stay connected these days because of worldwide access to the internet.
FOR RECREATION
-Spend 60 to 120 minutes daily on leisure activities.
After the end of the day, when you are tired and already dreading the next day, you can use 1-2 hours daily with yourself for de-stressing. You can also combine the last element and this one together. The idea is to de-stress and spends some time for fun and entertainment.
For fun and entertainment, I play with my cats who are the constant source of entertainment in my life. Other than that, I read books, or watch a movie or web series. This part of your life is also an essential part to ace your day.
CONCLUSION
The routine covers the most critical tasks that contribute to your well-being. Some of these activities may already be a part of your daily routine.
That’s great, as you are already working for your well-being.
Here’s a summary of the routine:
–Dedicate 30-40 minutes of your morning to energize your mind.
-40 to 60 minutes of your day for physical activity.
-4-6 hours of your day for deep work sessions.
-Quality time with friends and family for at least a few hours daily in your daily routine.
-Spend 60 to 120 minutes daily on leisure activities.
Whether you are a working parent, a multi-tasker, or an enthusiastic adult, it’s always healthy to nudge yourself to adopt habits and patterns in your daily life that enhance your well-being.
Also remember that in your quest to be productive, there may be days when you just want to spend all day in bed, you may want to go on a vacation. All these exceptions are perfectly okay. You can take breaks.
Lastly, please don’t assume that every day is a perfect day for me. I am a human on my journey of self-improvement and making better and more conscious choices in life.
There are days when I feel stuck and need a lot of effort to just start a task. At that time, I remind myself to trust the process and continue to take one step at a time.
You may also like:
- How to Use Powerful Positive Affirmations
- 12 Motivational Podcasts to Help You Improve Your Life
- Self-care Habits for Everyday
