Note: This post is written by Daniel Carnett
The concept of a routine implies doing the same old thing over and over again. So, for many people, this may sound like something that drains the spontaneity out of life.
However, these people are seriously underestimating just how important a consistent routine is. By working a routine into your life, you’ll actually discover that you have more time and energy to be spontaneous. Securing this consistency can deliver you everything you need in life and a little extra.
A consistent routine gives you the power to control your own destiny, so it’s an area of life which is well worth investing your time and effort into. To demonstrate the power of having a consistent routine, we’re going to take a look at the benefits that this approach to life can bring.
Increases Your Efficiency
The old saying of “practice makes perfect” is never truer than when it’s applied to daily routines. After all, by constantly revisiting the same patterns and processes over and over again, you’re going to find that not only do you improve your ability to complete them, but they soon become second nature and you don’t even have to think about doing them.
This is a real bonus for your daily activities as it frees up your conscious memory to work on any new challenges that you may encounter. Therefore, you become more efficient and are able to increase your productivity.
Benefits Your Mental Health
Disorganization breeds chaos and, in turn, this breeds stress; this is the last thing that anyone needs in the 21st century as life is stressful enough. However, once you begin to develop a consistent routine, you’ll find that this fog of chaos and anxiety soon lifts.
With a well thought out daily routine in front of you – and the luxury of knowing you can achieve it – you’ll discover that it provides you with the framework to plan your day and reduce the guesswork. If you think about it, every day is a journey and you need to know the best route to complete it effectively; a daily routine gives you the power to achieve this.
Brings Structure to Your Life
To be successful in life you need structure as it provides a fantastic foundation of organization to help schedule your day. Understanding exactly how your day is going to unfold is vital in knowing how to distribute your energies.
Once one task is completed you know where your next step will be falling e.g. your morning run is followed by a shower which is then followed by breakfast. This familiarity doesn’t just extend to the day ahead of you either; it can also help you plan several days at a time which, again, reinforces the control you can have over your own destiny.
Allows You Time to Relax
We all seem to be living increasingly busy lives, so the chance to sit back and relax is now a rare luxury. However, the opportunity to catch a breather and indulge in some quality ‘you’ time doesn’t have to remain a fantasy.
A consistent routine can help you structure your day in a manner which is so efficient that you can set aside time to relax. The beauty of being able to work in some relaxation time is a huge reward factor for sticking to your daily routine and motivates you to continue.
Improves Your Sleep Quality
To function effectively, we need to get a good seven hours sleep. But if your life lacks a consistent routine then there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to schedule in quality sleep. And the knock on effect of disorganized sleep patterns is that you become less productive in the day and your whole routine can be seriously compromised.
Backed up by a consistent routine, though, you’ll soon find that you’re able to schedule in a good seven hours sleep at the same time every night. This allows you to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the world.
No More Pile Ups
One of the benefits of a daily routine is that it allows you to dedicate a little bit of time every day to specific tasks and this ensures that certain duties don’t pile up. For example, if you spend 10 minutes every evening cleaning your dishes then, come Sunday, you won’t be confronted by a seemingly insurmountable pile of dishes in the sink.
A consistent routine gives you the power to break larger tasks into much smaller batches and ensures that no single task is neglected. And, once you have this sort of consistency in your life, you’ll realize just how much of a stress and time saving approach this is.
Enhances Your Self-Determination
Although daily routines can soon become a habit, it’s not an instant process; a lot of willpower and self-determination is required to make sure you get up at 6 am every morning to go for a three-mile run and then create a fresh and healthy breakfast.
However, once you begin to reap the benefits of a consistent routine, the reward circuit of your brain will encourage you to push your self-determination to new levels. The end result is that you achieve more than you ever have done before and it’s all thanks to the transformation a daily routine can bring to your life.
Bad Habits Become a Thing of the Past
The true enemy of a consistent routine is a life full of bad habits. After all, getting up early to get a head start on your daily routine may sound like a fantastic idea, but it’s a lot easier to stay in bed and hit that snooze button time and time again.
Bad habits such as this, though, soon add up and your life begins to revolve around the ‘easy’ option more and more. Whilst, in the short term, this may leave you feeling very comfortable and relaxed, in the long term it’s going to lead to a build-up of tasks which will cause you an almighty headache. A consistent routine, however, can help you break these bad habits and become more productive.
– About the Author –
Daniel Carnett is a 20-something entrepreneur and founder of the Art of Routine, a community focused on morning routines, productivity, success, and the lifestyle that is curated by waking up earlier and taking control of your life. You can connect with him on Twitter.
Absolutely important! You should at least schedule your day. However, the best is to have a consistent routine. It is a good habit to stay focused on your goals.
The articles? are very inspiring and thoughtful. They are guide to lead a good life
Perfectly written. Consistency actually improves productivity and intellectuality I’m also marveled at how you expounded your points made – very skillful. 🙂
Thanks for sharing. Success to You!!
Great points! I’m actually conducting a parent class on the Power of Routines and look forward to sharing some of your tips with my parents.
Well written. I feel so left out of all that you describe. I need that kind of orderliness and productivity within my life. — I’ll start by scheduling a routine around my life from this day onwards. The benefits far out weigh any possible discomfort. Thanks for opening my eyes to the power of routine.