Have you ever planned to get up in the morning to start that new workout program but snooze the alarm to get a little extra shuteye? Maybe you plan to eat healthy this week but end up getting fast food and saying you’ll start next week? We have all been there, seriously. We have ideas about what the perfect routine looks like and what you need to do to make those actions stick and hold a permanent spot in your daily life.
More than likely, you can think of a couple of things that you do every day and consider them part of your daily routine. You can also probably think of a couple things that you would love to make a part of your daily routine as well, but how do you begin?
Where Do I Start?
Before you can build a routine, you have to identify why you are looking to change in your current routine. Whether you’re opting for better time management or looking to create a healthier lifestyle, you must first clearly define where you want to get from the change. Goal setting can be a great exercise to get you started in the right direction and to identify what exactly you value. Goals are highly personal, but some common goals look like: becoming more active, adding efficiency to your life, saving money… you get the point!
Using your goals, it becomes very clear what part of our routines are helping us reach our goal and which could become roadblocks.
Routines Are the Roadmap to Your Goals
Not all routines are healthy routines. For example, coming home after work and vegging out on the couch for an hour can be a routine if you do it often enough. Not getting enough physical activity can be a routine if you let it become one. In that same way, when you start making choices in your day that help you meet your goals, they’ll eventually become old hat! Routines are how you make daily progressions to your end goal. Creating routines that help you reach your goals is the key to your long-term success!
Balance Is Key
While creating your roadmap, make sure to think about yourself. You are the only one who truly knows if you are creating a realistic plan that you will be able to follow through with. It is easy to make a plan that allows you no time for fun or self care but maximizes production. Should you? Probably not! A healthy work/life balance can be the key to keeping you energized towards reaching your goals. Find a balance that makes you the most productive, and don’t be afraid to try different things to find a great fit for you!
Start Small
Here we go! As much as you might want to dive in and change some of your habits, starting with smaller changes can be easier to adjust to, which – in turn – makes it easier to stay committed. For example, maybe waking up at 6am every day is one of your goals, but you currently wake up at 8:30. While going to bed a little earlier can help, a slower approach can give your body a little more time to adjust. This can help fight some of the general emotions you may feel from shifting outside your norm. Someone getting back into their fitness routine after taking some time off might consider starting with workouts that are lower intensity and can allow the body time to adjust and combat soreness.
Don’t Give Up, You’ve Got This!
There are going to be times that you fail. There will be times that you fall back into old habits that feel as if they are putting you back to square one. Just as you can’t create a habit in one day, you can’t ruin your new habits in one day either! The only time we don’t grow from our failures is when we don’t try again.
It’s important to understand that mistakes and slip-ups are okay. Success isn’t a linear path. At times we must take what life throws at us and be able to adjust our routines to live a healthy and fulfilling life. What works for you this week might not work for you in five years.
Don’t Wait! You’re Wasting Time!
One thing that anyone can benefit from is starting right now! Don’t wait for the start of a new week or month. If you have goals and want to take action to get to where you want to be, start today. Set your goals, create your roadmap, persevere through the hard days and get on track to reach your goals!
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