

It will make all the extra work you have to do less daunting. Rather than doing laundry only when you’re down to your last sock, try creating a schedule for your laundry and general cleaning. Here are some ways to incorporate routines into your life, which will lower stress and boost confidence:Ĭreating a schedule helps you to develop routines organically and to see what you’re already doing or what you might want to add. The more we have a hold on our schedules, plans, and habits, the happier we are. We have to process so much in our daily lives that having a routine helps our brain regulate it all.

I’m saying that life is already messy, ever-changing, and complicated. I’m not saying we should banish spontaneity from our lives or live rigidly according to a set, structured plan. Without routine, we end up stumbling through our days, allowing life to happen to us rather than taking ownership for our destiny. People who go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, for example, get better sleep and fare better academically. People with regular routines are generally happier, healthier, more confident, more efficient, less anxious, and more adaptable, as numerous studies about family routines have shown. Routines ground us in the midst of the noise and the unfamiliar, helping us cope and thrive. Add the 24-hour news cycle and social media to the mix and you’ve got a recipe for brain overload.

Often, this vast freedom leaves us paralyzed, though - we’re bouncing from activity to activity, stressed, and feeling like we’re not rooted in anything. We have to decide what to do with our time and when to do it. In college and afterward, we are often faced with the importance of routine head on. Most of us went to school each week, followed by all sorts of lessons or extracurricular activities. I guess I never thought too much about routines because they are often built into our daily lives, especially in our childhood and youth. Whether we’re thinking about these repeated activities or not, building habits and routines makes you happier, less stressed, and more confident about your use of time. Sitting down for morning coffee, going for a walk after dinner, brushing teeth after meals, reading for 20 minutes before bed - these are all types of routines. This mental efficiency is why Mark Zuckerberg basically wears the same thing every day.
#Daily habits free
They free up our mental energy because we don’t have to spend too much time thinking about what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, or what comes next. Why? Because routines ultimately lead to freedom - a sense of ownership for your life and the way you live it. Human beings thrive on routine and habit. Steve Jobs asked himself every morning, “If today was the last day of my life, would I be happy with what I’m about to do today?” Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook, turns off all her technology every night. Oprah Winfrey meditates for 20 minutes each morning before exercising.
#Daily habits plus
During training, Michael Phelps gets at least 8 hours of sleep plus a two-to-three hour nap during the day. In interviews with successful people, there seems to be a general trend: most of them have specific routines.
