Now it’s time to get started creating your routine. Creating any routine requires intention and there are certain considerations to take into account if you want to create a routine that meets your needs, aligns with who you are, and is more likely to be maintained. The first consideration is to make your routine simple. Simplicity is a key component of successful routines. The simpler your routine, the easier it will be to manage and when you can easily manage your routine, the more likely you will be to sustain it.
I remember reading articles and books in the past that said I needed to include a certain amount of steps in my morning routine if I wanted to start my day off right. I recall thinking to myself, how in the world am I going to keep this up. I even remember trying one of these suggested miracle routines and not even a week into it, I gave up on the routine completely. It was too complicated and I couldn’t manage it. I don’t want this to be you. Keep your routine simple and watch how much easier it becomes.
So what makes a routine simplistic? You’ve already learned one way to make your routine simple and that’s by focusing on a specific routine. Simplicity can also be achieved by choosing to add actions that are uncomplicated or by lessening the amount of actions in your routine. Think about it this way. Do the actions in your routine require a lot of effort or are they pretty easy for you to do? If you tend to struggle with simplicity, here’s a rule of thumb. If you can easily memorize and repeat the steps of your routine, your routine is simple enough.
As an example, let’s compare two different morning routines. Brittney and Kim both create a morning routine. Brittney’s morning routine includes taking a shower, brushing her teeth, picking out clothes for the day, making coffee, journaling, and going for a walk outside. On the other hand, Kim’s morning routine includes journal, plan day, and exercise. Do you see the difference in their routines? Kim's routine is much simpler than Brittney’s routine which means Kim is more likely to keep her routine going. Let’s try simplifying Brittney’s routine. To do so she could brush her teeth and pick out clothes since these are actions she is more than likely to do after she showers. This would lessen the amount of steps in her routine and make it a lot more manageable and more likely for her to stick to.
Remember, keep your routine simple. A simple routine equals a simple life and when life is simple this means more peace of mind. You’ve learned how to simplify your routine, now it’s time to move on to the next important consideration, which is making it realistic.
