An Easy Way to Build a Routine

fierce habits routine Mar 24, 2020

Routines...remember those things, Derith?!

Yeah, they can definitely feel like a thing of the past these days as we find ourselves in a place that is anything but routine.

I know, I know... the temptation to stay up late, sleep in, skip workouts, and eat just because we have access to food all day, is strong! Leaning in to this temptation for the short term can feel good, even therapeutic but as

So, where do we start? How do we create a routine, a schedule, anything that resembles some structure and/or normalcy?

We. Start. Small.

A routine is simply a set of good habits we develop as a daily practice. It is about creating a system that works for you in your current season of life. And, it is a practice, meaning there is plenty of room for trial and error.

Let's begin.

Set Bedtime/Wakeup Times
- This is where it all begins
- Go to bed & wake-up at roughly the same time everyday
- Allow some flex on weekends but otherwise keep it consistent
- And, get dressed for the day as soon as you can! It doesn't matter if it is workout clothes or a 3-piece suit! Get up and show up everyday!
Set Workout Times
- Surprise, surprise... exercise!
- Ideally we move the same time everyday when possible
- And plan some movement every single day: weights, yoga, cardio, pilates, stretching, walking, biking, hiking, stretching, etc
- Use this workout calendar to help you
Plan Meal Times
- This helps build structure & balance throughout your day
- Ideally we'll have 2-3 main meals & 2-3 snacks
- You can build chunks of "work" time between meal times to stay focused and on tasks at the same times each day
- This also ensures you stay energized & nourished to keep productivity high
Priorities
- Make a list of your most important tasks, the ones with deadlines
- Ideally we have a max of 3 priorities or "must-do" items per day
- Schedule these FIRST, after exercise if possible, & then move to #5
- Checkout the "Eat That Frog" concept on important tasks
Make a List of Daily Tasks
- For now let's just brain dump all the tasks you do in a day
- Our aim here is to get an idea of the things we "need" to get done
- Write them down & see where you can stack them with others
Make a List of Projects
- You know those projects we never have time for? Well, now is the time!
- What projects do you want to complete? What steps are involved?
- Write them down to get an idea of how you can get started now.
- I love this planner by Brendon Burchard
Connection Time
- Plan this as often as you can & at least 2x per day
- Facetime, phone calls, Zoom chats, anything that allows you to hear and/or see people to feel that magical connection between humans
- We need this now more than ever...connect, connect, & connect some more.
- And I have TWO ZOOMS planned for you TODAY! Join us!
  - 10:30am CCC: Coffee, Chat, & Check-In
  - 7:30pm Grounding Practices in Uncertain Times
Fun/Play
- Let go! Dance, sing, play games! Anything goes
- This is one of those things that we won't do if isn't scheduled, so let's add it to our daily or weekly routine
- It can be as often as you'd like!! Your call! Just have FUN!

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Remember: For all of the steps listed above, CONSISTENCY is the primary aim. So, as you read through each one, ask yourself what you can do to create as much consistency as possible day to day or week to week.

These 8 steps are a great way to begin the process of creating your new schedule. We're going to dive into morning routines & nighttime rituals next week.

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