Creating a routine is a great antidote to overwhelm and helps anchor you in tasks, activities, and actions that matter most to you.
Assumptions about routines can get in the way of creating one — we might believe they’re boring, lack spontaneity, or require too much discipline. That’s fair! However, the truth is, a routine that is personalized and tailored to your preferences can be rewarding and transformative. Let’s dive deeper into how a personalized routine can bring simplicity and fulfillment to your life.
Knowing what you want to give attention to and having it planned out helps you feel organized, which gives you a sense of control. Structure removes some of the anxiety of the unknown. By building tasks into your day and creating habits, there’s less of a “how will I get this done?” predicament, which reduces stress.
Focusing on what’s important to you and following through consistently leads to progress, which is validating and a reflection of your efforts.
Be intentional: What do you want in your routine? What do you want to work on or focus on? Examples: nutrition, exercise, reading, self-care, social time, sleep, developing skills, research, relaxation…
Be mindful: When scheduling tasks or activities into your routine, take into consideration your energy levels throughout the day. (Ex: My energy takes a dip around 2pm, and most of my team meetings are 2pm-4pm, so to give myself a boost, I schedule midday workouts around 12pm).
Be flexible: It’s okay if you’re not perfect. It’s important to be flexible and know that everyday won’t go as planned. It’s an opportunity to check in with yourself and adjust your routine as needed.
Start by changing one thing. Maybe it’s waking up 15 minutes earlier, or going to bed 15 minutes earlier, or even taking 5 minutes in the morning to give yourself a positive pep talk instead of scrolling through your phone.
As current and former students, we provide free resources to help you throughout your education, which may include links to third-party websites (where security and privacy policies may differ from Ascent’s). For our full disclaimer, please click here.
