Love Life Again – Change Your Old Routine & Start a New One!

Old Routine

Ever feel like your daily routines have you stuck in a rut? Maybe you feel like every day is the same day, much like Groundhog Day, thanks to an old routine that is simply just not cutting it. You may even wonder if you have any routines to speak of and if they are working for you because there is no consistency in your day to day life.

Have you ever wondered why successful people are so successful? It’s all about their routine. They set it up and follow it through all the way. The follow-through is the most challenging part, but when it’s a cycle that has been going for an extended period of time, it becomes second nature.

Now is the time to eliminate those old routines that are dulling your life. Now is the time to retake control of your life and to change your daily practices and habits to become a better you! Once you have a daily routine in place, you will love life again.

In this article, you will learn more about how to create a successful routine. Let’s dive a little deeper into what makes these changes happen smoothly.

Out with the Old Routine… In With the New!

Yes! It is easier said than done to throw out an old routine that is second nature now. Many of us have a habit-based routine that is done without us even having to think about it. This is why even though we understand how important having good habits are, sometimes it is challenging to stick to a healthy routine.

A positive daily routine can lead you to a happier and healthier life. Changing your old routine to discover a new healthier routine will help re-energize you, and you will be pleasantly surprised to regain wasted time.

If you can make just one change that helps you save ten minutes a day, then unbelievably, you will regain sixty hours of your valuable time back each year!

Let’s help create a calmer, healthier, and higher-achieving you by changing those old routines.

Start a new routine

Image Source: sportireland.ie

Getting Started

There are eight necessary steps to establishing a new routine:

  1. Decide what needs to be in your new routine and what you are eliminating from the old one.
  2. Set small, achievable goals.
  3. Layout your plan of action (we helped you with one below).
  4. Stay consistent with your time.
  5. Be prepared for possible changes.
  6. Make it fun!
  7. Track your progress with a journal.
  8. Reward your efforts!

Step 1: Make a list that counts.

Your list should include specifics. Don’t make too many changes, only specific entries. Look at the list below; it is a great example of how your daily routine list should look.

This routine is more specific and allows you time for yourself, which is imperative.

  1. Get up at 6 am and exercise for 15-20 minutes.
  2. Make your bed.
  3. Eat a healthy breakfast.
  4. Pack lunch for work and remember to fill up a water bottle.
  5. Fill the laundry machine with a new load of laundry.
  6. Leave work at the office when you get home.
  7. Make time for helping with homework.
  8. Cook dinner, according to the menu.
  9. Eat dinner with the family at the table.
  10. Pack the dishwasher.
  11. Have the kids in bed by 8 pm.
  12. Review the day’s paperwork.
  13. Take an hour out for yourself– update your Emote journal.
  14. Do a quick run-through of the house.
  15. Be ready for bed by 10 pm.

There is no point in having a longer list than this; it will simply scare you and steer you off course from reaching your goals.

Step 2: Focus on two things on your list.

Let’s focus on item 1 and 13 on this above list.

Week 1

Getting up at 6 am and doing a 15 – 20 minute routine is one of the more difficult routines to set in place. Every person has a different time frame in which they settle into a new routine.

University College of London recently did a study explaining that the most recent revisions show it can take anywhere between 18 – 254 days, averaging 66 days, to formulate a new routine.

For now, focus on this one for a solid week. Get up, do a few simple exercises that are chosen specifically for you, and then move to number 2 on the list.

Item 13, the second one we will focus on in week 1 – update your Emote Journal. This routine is one that we want to get in place right off the bat. It’s the one that allows you the time in your day to focus on what you have done and write things down, bringing them to the forefront. Remember, writing things down makes them more real.

Emote Journal

Make sure that you set time aside every day to log on and update your journal. Without this, you will fall behind and eventually feel like you are in that rut again.

Step 3: Establish a meal plan with a pantry

Week 2

In week two, we can knock off a few items with one step. Here we will focus on eating routines; remember to keep the routines you implemented in step 1.

Week 2 is all about eating healthy food. Here we will look at steps 2, 3, 4, and 8 on the list as they all tie in together.

Eating healthy does not mean that you have to cut out everything you like; it means you have to control how much you eat and what you eat together. The World Health Organization outlines healthy eating routines that will allow you to keep your favorite foods on the menu and help you become and stay healthy. A good diet is of vital importance to your overall health.

The food you choose to put into your body will affect your mood, sleeping patterns, concentration, and, ultimately, weight. Keeping to a strict routine here will alleviate many of these problems. Establish a meal plan following the guidelines on WHO or diet plan you have and follow through. If you “cheat,” don’t beat yourself up. Move past it and get back on track.

Once your plan is in place, update your pantry. Ensure that all the foods you are restricted from eating are put away and replaced by the allowed foods. Keep your pantry well-stocked with healthy snacks and lots of fruit. Remember to drink plenty of water throughout the day and stay away from fizzy cold drinks.

Step 4: Take time out for yourself

While you are on the road to success, you mustn’t forget about yourself during this process. In week three, you are going to make a point of spending time with you.

Week 3

By now, you would have established a healthy routine with the new systems that you have put in place; it’s the perfect time to indulge in yourself. For most of us, the reason we ended up in a rut was that we were far too busy making sure that everyone else was taken care of that we neglected the most important person – ourselves.

Making time for yourself is part of the process of establishing your healthy daily routines.

Taking time out for you means that you need to be doing something that you want to do. Watch your favorite show, read a book, or explore a new writing technique such as expressive writing.

Take time for you

Step 5: Working out your finances and paperwork

Admin is most people’s weakness; we hate organizing slips and maintaining budgets. In week 4 of our process, I challenge you to get into a better administrative routine so that the process becomes less gloomy and more manageable.

Since you are already eating better and have implemented other routines that have made significant changes in your life, this one will come easily, and you will have more energy for it too!

After dinner each night, take time out for your paperwork. Sort out the mail into three piles:

Make three spaces for each category and sort the mail accordingly. Now that you have the paperwork sorted, the finances are going to be easy.

You already have an eating plan that dictates your grocery shopping and a well-stocked pantry with all the food you need to buy, so the finances are already looking good. All you need to do now is set up a budget and make sure that you stick to it.

Follow Through

Your daily schedule now takes into account picking up laundry, sorting out admin, finances, diet, exercise, and making a run through the house.

Add all the steps up, and you will have more time and feel less frazzled about life. The best part about setting up daily routines is that you now have a handle on things, and when something unexpected happens, it’s not going to send you back over the edge.

Setting up the fifteen steps daily routine schedule will go a long way to making your life run smoothly and efficiently, as long as you continue to follow through with them.

Remember to record your progress on your Emote journal.

Make Journaling a Part of Your New Routine

The best way to start sorting out your routine and stay on schedule is by writing things down. This makes them more tangible. Journaling in itself can form part of your new routine.

An old-fashioned diary is one tool that you can utilize. Alternatively, you can take a step into the modern way of thinking with the Emote virtual journal. It is a great tool to help you free any mental clutter and pave the way to establish your new daily routines, goals, intentions, and habits.

Emote will assist you with your reboot. You have the functionality to start small with something as simple as a list and then grow into more progressive writing and journaling.

Emote will become your new favorite routine.

Home Page Emote

 

Featured Image Source: lymphoma.org/

Written By: Jamie Petersen