Benefits of Routines & How to Start

The recent outbreak of COVID-19 has many more people inside and living life differently from their normal routines. This isn’t true for everyone, but it certainly got me thinking about the role of routines in our lives. I am lucky that I already work from a home office and my routines are able to stay relatively normal most days, but even with that being said I have found myself re-examining my routines and putting a greater emphasis on self-care. One way of looking at this global pandemic-- if you are in a position of now being homebound -- is that it is an opportunity to focus inwards and on being instead of doing. Routines focused on self-care, reflection, and connection may aid you in that process.  

Routines can also help us regulate our sleep, reduce anxiety, and hold ourselves accountable to what we most value. We can achieve our long-term goals when our daily lives are in alignment with what we most want to get out of life. Even when we have real-world responsibilities, we can feel a sense of empowerment and agency in our lives when we recognize the areas in which we do have some choice.

Where do we start in implementing routines? Below is a step-by-step guide. I’d recommend copying and pasting this into a document you can refer back to or brainstorming in your journal as I’ve left some room to fill in your own answers. Like everything else in life, we do not need to be perfect at our routines to benefit from their structure. Please don’t feel like you have to stick to anything rigidly -- it can just be helpful to have an outline! 

• Start with a basic outline of non-negotiables. These vary person to person and are meant to be unique to you. They might include things like sleeping at least 8 hours, working a set schedule that may or may not be in your control, or taking time every day for schoolwork.  

  • My non-negotiables every day are: 

• Ask yourself what is most important to you. What are your goals for increasing your sense of well-being? Some examples may be increasing emotional awareness, deepening relationships, getting better sleep, reducing stress. etc.

  • I want to work on:

• This is a space to include activities that are more flexible, but add value to your life and move you closer to the goals in the previous section, such as journaling, calling a friend, reading, or having a chance to move your body. 

  • I value these activities:

• Take some time to reflect on what tends to get in the way of spending time on the activities you value. Maybe you’re staying up late on social media instead of sleeping, or simply forgetting to journal. 

  • These are some barriers or challenges I might face:

• What can you do to outsmart these challenges? For example, journaling first thing in the morning can help you remember.

  • This is my plan for dealing with challenges to my routine:

• Finally, put it all together to build your daily routine! You now have a list of non-negotiables, add-in activities, a plan for overcoming challenges, and well-defined reasons for why you are committing to these activities! If you’re a visual person, you can get out a calendar and write-in your plan.  If you’re someone who likes to set alarm reminders, then of course add the alarms you need to remind you. Whatever your personal style is, you can feel good that you are committing to what you most value! 

• Here are some supportive resources that can help with this process or be built into a daily routine. 

  • Here is a link to download free, printable calendars if that is something that calls to you: https://www.calendarlabs.com/blank-calendar/weekly-calendar/ .

  • Here is a link for a free meditation app. Many people find it helpful to start or end their day with a guided meditation, but this app (or others like it) can be used at any time of day: https://insighttimer.com/

  • Are you wanting to start journaling daily but feel like you need some structure or are unsure of where to start? Dr. Nicole LePera offers a free resource called “Future Self Journaling” that is intended to be used every day. You can gain access by inputting your name and email here: https://yourholisticpsychologist.com/

Questions for reflection:

• What areas of your schedule sometimes feel out of control?

• What benefits do you think routine may have in your life?

• What are some routines you already have in place that are helpful?

• What would it be like to challenge yourself to 30 days of implementing one new self-care routine?