Healthy Routines
Hi Beauties,
Routines tend to get a bad rap in our culture.
When we think of something routine, we usually think of something boring, dull, or necessary but completely unexciting and uninspiring.
Or think about the routines in your life:
- Brushing your teeth twice a day
- Taking a shower before bed
- Driving to and from work
- Eating meals throughout the day
Sure, these are important things, but how inspiring is brushing your teeth? Not very.
But this view of “routine” doesn’t really convey how amazing developing the right kind of routines can be. In fact, those “boring” routines are actually an incredible key to leveling up your life and health in myriad ways.
That’s why today’s post is all about the benefits of routines, how to start healthy routines, and some example routines to get you started.
Let’s dig in>>
Did you know our fruits and vegetables aren't as nutrient-dense as they used to be? Modern farming practices and depleted soils have left our food supply lacking vitamins and minerals it once had. That's why I always recommend supplementing with a high-quality multivitamin, antioxidants, collagen, vitamin c to fill those gaps.
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The Surprising Benefits of Routines
A routine is simply a habitual or established action or set of actions that you repeatedly do over time. It’s technically different from a habit in that habits are repeated actions that are usually triggered by an external cue, such as a certain event or the time of day. Routines are also more intentional in nature, while habits are automatic.
But for our purposes today, we can ignore these differences. For one, routines can often become habits, thus in practice the definitions blend together a bit. And two, whether you can classify a behavior as a routine or a habit, if it’s healthy, it’s healthy!
Speaking of “healthy,” let’s explore some of the health benefits of developing positive routines in your life—and there are some advantages you probably didn’t realize.
For instance, did you know that routines support cognitive function? When you have routines built into your day, you actually free up more mind space to devote to more creative and complex tasks. This is in part because a routine lessens your decision fatigue. You don’t have to spend mental capital deciding whether to exercise over your lunch break, for example, if it’s become a routine; it’s just something you do.
Routines also help you manage stress more effectively. Having effective, healthy routines can lessen the amount of stress you experience and help you de-stress better. Exercise, sleep, and self-care routines (see below) are especially helpful here.
What’s more, routines can actually give you back more time in your day. Because routines are “automated,” you end up spending less mental energy and time on them over time, which can then open up your schedule to allow you to take on other activities you enjoy. (Not to mention healthy routines can give you back more energy as well.)
This next reason may surprise you, but routines actually help to provide our lives with meaning. If you think about it, this is true. For people with a religious background, going to a church service every Sunday can be a big part of their faith experience. For others, watching the local professional sports team on TV each week or catching their favorite podcast on the drive home from work might be an important rhythm of life. Likewise, enjoyable routines give us something to look forward to throughout the week.
All in all, routines can be a powerful tool to help you on your health and wellness journey.
How to Build a Routine
Like so many areas of life, there is no one “right way” to build a routine; what works for you may not work for me (and that’s okay).
But there are a number of steps that tend to work for lots of people. That makes the following process a great place to start if you’re looking to build more healthy routines into your life.
- Write it down. Writing down plans and goals makes it much more likely that you will stick to them. Plus it forces you to concretize vague thoughts and desires.
- Build slowly. Don’t try to adopt 20 new routines at once! That’s a surefire way to fail. Pick one routine to focus on, or even a small part of one routine. Then, add another piece once you’ve mastered it.
- Track your progress with a calendar or app… There are a ton of options out there to help you keep track of your progress. Among the simplest is just checking off every day you do your routine on a wall calendar and then trying not to “break the chain.”
- …But don’t fret if you miss a day. We’re humans, not machines. Things come up, kids get sick, we oversleep. If you do miss a day when building a routine, don’t beat yourself up. Just get back on track the next day.
- Enlist a buddy. One of the most important truths I know is friend power is more powerful than willpower. Use this to your advantage! Ask someone to come along with you on your journey toward a new routine.
- Be flexible. It often seems like just about the time you have a new, healthy routine down, something changes: you get a different job, the kids change schools, or an aging parent gets sick. Unfortunately, that’s life. But you can almost always modify what worked in the past to find ways to keep those healthy routines going in the present. It might take some creativity, but it can be done!
Five Examples of Healthy Routines
There are thousands upon thousands of healthy routines you could add to your life, and you likely have an idea of what some of them might be for you. If not, here are five to get your creative juices flowing.
- Exercising in the morning. Starting your day with movement is a great way to improve energy levels throughout the day, among a host of other benefits. Plus, there tend to be fewer distractions early in the morning than later on in the day.
- Staying hydrated. It may seem funny to think about hydration as a routine, but it can be! This routine can be as easy as keeping a water bottle on your desk at all times (you might be surprised how much more water you’ll drink!).
- Sleep hygiene. Our sleep routines are possibly the most critical for our overall health. Aim to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day; establishing nighttime and morning routines can help a ton with this.
- Making time for self-care. Despite what some productivity gurus might tell you, you need margin in your life. Build purposeful self-care routines into your schedule, like time for hobbies, reading a good book, or meditation. (You can literally block off time in your calendar for this. It’s totally fine!)
- Making time for friends and family. Likewise, we are social creatures. You may want to have a Friday night movie night with your kids or a weekly coffee date with a spouse or close friend. These routines are super important and life-giving, too, so don’t neglect them as “less than.”
I hope that at this point you agree with me that routines are anything but routine! Rather, they are a powerful tool we can use to shape our lives into the kind of life where we don’t just survive but thrive. I encourage you to make use of this tool this week. Find a healthy routine and start working on it—your future self will thank you!
Be well,
Tiffanyxx
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