How To Get More From Your Daily Routines
You’ve done the work, and you have a written routine to start the day. You do it regularly, and it is now habit. So what’s the next step? Here are ways to get more from your daily routines.
Basic Routine
When you start your basic routines, it is probably going to contain things that you don’t want to forget.
You might want the reminder to floss or put the trash out or some other thing that you just forget to do.
It might contain things that you want to do to set your morning up on the right foot, such as making sure you get dressed early even when you don’t have anywhere to go.
There is nothing wrong with this approach.
However, once you have it established, you might want to add something more to the routine.
Making Life Smoother
Some other things to think about adding to the routine are things that would make your life smoother.
- Start dinner. Maybe you could start dinner in a crock pot before you leave for work. Wouldn’t it be nice to come home and have a hot and healthy meal waiting?
- Throw in laundry. Instead of waiting to do the cycle in the evening, how about setting the washer to run while you are at work? You can dry and fold when you get home.
- Computer maintenance. Having your computer do maintenance tasks while you are out of the house, like backups, can save you a whole bunch of time on weekends.
- Packing your lunch. If you are trying to watch what you eat, the best way is to pack your own lunch. But mornings are hectic. So you could pack your lunch the night before and leave it in the fridge.
- Start the coffee. Waiting for coffee to brew in the morning is a waste of time. If your pot doesn’t have an attached timer, you can use an appliance timer and have the coffee waiting when you get up.
So adding things in that make your day run smoother will lower your stress and cut your waiting time.
Personal Growth
The next type of thing to add to the routine is personal growth. Because, let’s face it, if you don’t make a concerted effort every day, it’s never going to get done. (Just how many books do you have on your “I want to read” list? Exactly.)
Physical
Some people, I have been told, have no problem getting up an hour early and working out. I’m sure they exist, but I am certainly not one of them. Instead, I work exercise into my routines so that I make sure I get it done.
- Morning stretching. Stretching first thing in the morning gets the blood moving and stiff muscles moving.
- Drinking water. Our bodies lose water during sleep. Drinking water helps to restore the balance.
- Evening walk. If I don’t get my step count in during the day, I will walk after dinner. This is also a good stress reliever.
Mental
I find that I want to learn things, but then I don’t make time to do it. It’s like I almost expect the knowledge to lodge itself in my brain without any effort on my part. Putting mental work into my routines means that I get a bit done every day.
- Reading non-fiction. It is a struggle for me to read non-fiction. I make sure to read at least two pages every morning.
- Coursework. I have a bunch of courses I have purchased and never completed. I take 15 minutes to work on one each day.
- Puzzles. I don’t have a set lunch routine per se, but while I am eating, I now do a word puzzle or logic puzzle to keep my brain sharp.
Spiritual
I remember a few years ago a reader asked in an email if I had a spiritual life, because I never mentioned it on the blog. I do have a strong spiritual life, but I don’t mention it because to me spirituality is an intensely private thing, and it’s not something I wish to share or discuss. That being said, I will talk in generalities here.
I find that in my busy days, I don’t take enough time to step back and engage in any sort of spiritual practice. I live mostly in my head, rather than my body or heart. Building spiritual time into my routines ensures that I don’t forget this important part of my being.
- Meditation. I do a form of meditation that allows me to move out of my head and remember I have a body attached. I do this as part of my morning routine because I find that it provides a stable start to the day.
- Reading. Along with my 2 pages of non-fiction, I read at least one page of a spiritual book each day.
- Affirmations. I have never felt comfortable telling myself affirmations that I know are blatantly untrue in the hopes my life will move that way. Instead I use affirmations to remind me of things that I want to keep my focus on that day.
Summing It Up
By adding items to your routines to help your life run smoother, or to grow personally, you can supercharge your routines and take them to the next level.
Your assignment: what can you add to your routines to make life smoother? How about a personal growth aspect? Share your ideas below!
Image by i_yudai. Licensed under Creative Commons. Text added.
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