With an upsurge of seasonal depression returning during the colder months, having a routine has been proven to not only improve people’s moods, but their overall wellbeing and health throughout the year.
Many people hear the word routine, and immediately think of a list of boring or tedious tasks or activities.
The biggest misconception about routine is that it has to be rigid and unchanging.
However, routine can be very flexible, and can even change depending on the day.
A school-day routine will obviously be different in some ways than a weekend-day, and work and non-work days may be different as well.
When it comes to flexibility, routines can be structured so that certain times are dedicated to a “purpose” or “goal” rather than a specific activity.
For example, if you were to dedicate the time right after you get home from school to relaxation, you could relax in many different ways. One day you could take a short nap, another you could play a game and another you could read a book.
Routines also provide many health and emotional benefits, as well.
According to Northwestern Medicine, general benefits of having an everyday routine consist of better managed stress, healthier eating habits, and activity increase. These benefits allow for an overall better quality of life, as well as a more confident and genuine persona.
For instance, effective stress management allows for the average person to feel relaxed and less anxious, which coincides with a more preserved state of mind. Stress has also been proven to increase chances of heart disease and decrease the stability of one’s immune system.
The introduction of a strong, balanced routine allows for a person to establish daily goals and checkmarks. These goals and checkmarks, as simple as they may be, prevent people from wondering and stressing over simple things.
For instance, if a routine is established that includes working out, a person is less likely to worry about whether they are in shape. They can always say, “I worked out today,” or “I worked out yesterday.”
Either way, they are aware that they are taking consistent steps toward staying in shape.
The introduction of routine gives a measure of comfort because you know what you have planned for the day or week.
Speaking in terms of increased health, planning out time to grocery shop and go to the gym is proven to be more effective than just doing so on a whim.
Without having scheduled time to go grocery shopping, the idea of ordering fast food or heating up a canned soup is much more appealing when there are no nutritional ingredients in a house.
Taking time to plan the foods you want to purchase allows one to make more conscious choices about what they choose to put in their body.
Similarly, making time each day to move your body encourages many to stick to an active lifestyle, as opposed to working out when they “feel like it.”
With that being said, the beauty of a routine lies in the flexibility you can allow yourself to have when it comes to planning your day. It is just as important to rest your body and do what you feel is best for you given the circumstances.
According to Fort Behavioral Health, “Individualized routines allow us to prioritize things that are important to us and carve out time to engage in these activities.”
In other words, not every routine looks the exact same.
Many individuals use routines to highlight their personal goals— whether that be looking fit and lean or spending time with family, routines are the biggest stepping stone to achieving your goals.
While you may understand the many benefits of having a routine, the most difficult part of having one is creating and sustaining it. Having a certain goal or desired lifestyle set in mind to revolve your routine around tend to help many stay consistent with their routines.
So, what is the best way to start a routine? According to Northwestern Medicine, starting a routine doesn’t have to be difficult. Try to reframe your thinking regarding the “expectations” of having a routine.
A routine does not need to be a series of tedious tasks that you do every day, that would be incredibly dull. Instead, devote “blocks” of time to certain endeavors or activities. Just start one thing at a time.
For instance, after school you could devote the time right after you get home to completing homework, completing a workout, reading a book or even taking a short nap. After this you can dedicate another block of time to something else, and so on, until the end of the night.
By taking your day step by step, the pressure to be “perfect” throughout the day will be minimized.
The goal of a routine is never to be “perfect,” but to simply improve on the lifestyle you have already created for yourself.
It is also important to recognize that any point of creating a routine is a moment of growth and is something to be proud of.
By making a plan with the intention of sticking to it, the average person is already choosing to take a leap of improvement towards a better lifestyle.
The most prime concept of starting a routine, however, is to remember that your routine is yours and yours only. Every aspect of your routine is based on what you find to be important in your life and what you choose to prioritize in your daily life.
While it may be easy to follow step-by-step an influencer or celebrity’s routine, the greatest way to stay consistent with a routine is to personalize it and design it in a way that benefits your lifestyle and the goals you strive to pursue.
With that being said, there are numerous benefits to implementing a daily routine into your lives- and the possibilities are endless. Whether it be going for a walk each morning, reading a book or making a nutritious meal, having a routine that allows you to find meaning and purpose in each day can truly be of utmost benefit.