Routine

Up until college we probably all follow some type of schedule. For me this was something built by my parents and our lifestyle at the time. It helped build structure and stability.

As I gained independence from my parents when I went off to college, I was thrilled to break free from the daily cycle and have a more flexible routine. Then came adulthood. Working in public accounting, you don’t really have a typical 8-5 schedule. There were some weeks when I would start at 8 and some days I had to commute so I left home at 8 to start at 9. But even more so some days I was done at 5, but many days I could be working until the late hours of the night. Trying to build a routine with that lifestyle was really hard. Some people are more disciplined and able to make it work, but for me I always put work first and couldn’t focus on the next task until I finished what I needed to. In the last couple of years I began to recognize that many of my health issues were a result of not having stability in my day to day lifestyle.

I think I always envisioned going back to that childhood routine when I started working, or at least some form of it. Looking at it today it is an ideal plan because it allows for you to keep a structure , but permits personal time for hobbies, exercise, family time etc. Our lives become so busy that we tend to forget the importance of having the stability and routine. We want to allow for flexibility but we should still have a guideline of what our days look like.

What do you need to make time for each day that is of importance?
Make a list of all the things that are “must do” each day (ie. Work, Gym, Cooking, etc.).This will allow you to ensure that you are making time for the things that are important and necessary for you each day.

How much time do you need to allocate? For each of these items noted above determine how much time you need to set aside. Time management will allow you to make sure that you have dedicated time for your regular tasks, but how you can fit in other projects, activities or downtime daily.

Is there purpose and intent to your day? Think about why you do the things you do each day and whether or not it really serves a purpose or has value. Is your routine helping you accomplish your goals? What additional things do you need to add to your routine in order to have more purpose each day or work towards your target?

What do you gain from having a routine? A lot of times without a routine, we forget how to manage our time and focus on the task at hand. We have to constantly worry about how to fit everything in our timeline (daily, weekly, etc.). By having a routine, that anxiety and stress is alleviated due to better time management. Furthermore the organization and focus of a schedule allows for more efficiency and productivity.

Overall, knowing what to accomplish each day allows for more personal time with the family or even for self growth and development. There is more stability and opportunity for one to build a proper mental and physical health routine as well.

Routines can really help bring stability. But don’t let it hinder you from doing what you need to do and making adjustments as necessary!

I highly recommend using a planner or calendar to help you be more intentional, organized, and consistent. The one that I love using to help with building a routine, but also help with self-care and journaling is Silk + Sonder.