Routines are Better Than Schedules: Part One
I think we’ve all tried adopting a new schedule at one point in time. (Who else saw those color coded schedules for "COVID-19 work-at-home-while-homeschooling" floating around the internet?)
It can be SO exciting to see a perfect day perfectly laid out and envision ourselves living that perfect schedule and #crushingit.
But. Did anyone actually follow that schedule for more than a day? An hour? Even if you made your own schedule, designed for you and your needs, I’m willing to bet you weren’t able to stick to it. And if you were, it was probably at the expense of your sanity and happiness.
The schedules I’m describing are like diets, meal plans, or lifestyle changes. Unrealistic, overwhelming and unsustainable.
So what’s a goal setting person to do? Let’s talk about routines.
Routines are behaviors linked to anchors for a purpose. Anchors happen naturally on a regular basis although they will be unique to you and your life and they will change throughout your life.
Examples of anchors include, having kids that wake you up at a very consistent time, dogs that expect to be walked every afternoon, or the reflex to brush your teeth right after you wake up. There are anchors that don’t happen at the same time, but they always happen at the same place or circumstances. Like working in the same chair and desk, or buying certain things at certain stores.
Now take a behavior you want or need to do consistently as a part of self care. You could try to schedule it in or make a goal to do that thing every day or week. OR you could enlist the power of routines and make your anchors work for you!
Link that behavior to a related anchor and make the intentional effort at the beginning to link the two. Your brain will quickly make the link permanent.
Now when you walk the dog, you can remember to call your best friend or check the mail. Or when you work at your desk you can remember to drink water from the cup you have sitting in front of you.
The point of routines is to make behaviors that really help you feel your best a part of the landscape of your day to day life. These aren't rules. Routines don't need to be performed every day to make a difference in your life.
What behaviors do you want to add to your life? Can you think of an anchor that might help? I have more thoughts on this subject coming next week. :)
❤ Lauresa
