Crafting Your Daily Routine
By: Kaylee Smith
As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us have learned the benefits of having a daily routine. Reflecting on my time in lockdown in early 2020, I relied on the constants I had in my life while everything else was changing. One constant that emerged throughout this time was my routine. Every day, I would try to get ready, go on a walk, and do something that brought me joy. Routine created a sense of peace for many of us in an unpredictable time, and research encourages us to take our routines into the new era of post-COVID life.
Research done at Northwestern Medicine states that having a personal routine can improve stress levels, refresh your sleeping habits, and improve your health. In fact, absence of a routine can harm your health and lead to increased stress, tension, and poor physical condition.i However, routines do not only affect your physical being but can improve your mental health as well. According to Chandler Hall, a stable routine can reduce anxiety due to increased predictability. This can be achieved by having habits, frequently journaling or expressing thoughts, or meditation.ii
You might want to start a routine to reduce stress but creating a routine can seem overwhelming. Don’t despair! Routines can be as simple, or as grand as you need them to be. Start with small steps and increase in magnitude. For example, a new routine could be started by setting your alarm 5 minutes earlier each day. Soon enough, you will be committed to a routine of rising earlier. Perhaps, you would like to get in the habit of working out twice a week. Routines also do not have to establish something new but can be a continuation of activities you enjoy. I, for example, love going on walks to break up the hours spent working on my computer throughout the day, yet I am inconsistent doing so. Hold yourself accountable by creating a visual tracker of your progress by downloading a habit tracking app or creating a gridded tracker on a piece of paper.
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You might even benefit from creating a daily schedule for yourself to incorporate your new (or continuing habits). Adding structure to your day can reduce anxiousness, and time limits will help you stay focused and on task. You know yourself best! If you struggle to do work in the afternoons, work on enjoyable activities, like going on a walk or cleaning up while listening to your favorite podcast, at that time.
It is likely that most days will not follow the same schedule, but your routine can survive throughout the variability of each day. If your routine is as simple as putting your shoes by the door when you come home or as grand as a 60 minute run, remember to have grace for yourself. Your routine serves to make you a better you. If you miss a day for your walk or must snooze one to many times, you have another day to try again. Get back up and keep going. Share your goals with those around you and invite them into your adventures. Perhaps they will want to join you!
References
Northwestern Medicine. (2022). Health Benefits of Having a Routine. Northwestern Medicine. https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/health-benefits-of-having-a-routine
The Benefits of Creating a Daily Routine. (2021, January 16). Chandler Hall. https://ch.kendal.org/2021/01/16/the-benefits-of-creating-a-daily-routine/
