Life is all about striking the perfect balance between work, health, family, leisure, socializing, and more. It can be hard, and sometimes the scales tip in different directions, but with some discipline, routine, and hard work, you can achieve excellent balance. There are many mental and physical health benefits to developing a good routine and sticking to it to achieve balance in life. This article will explore the mental and physical benefits of following a routine, and we’ll suggest some strategies for creating a new routine and actually sticking to it.

Whether it’s to find a way to better manage full-time work while completing an accelerated nursing program online or another course, or finding the perfect balance between raising a family and making time for yourself, starting a routine and sticking to it can wield plenty of benefits. So, if you’re interested in this topic, continue reading to learn more.

What is a Routine?

First, we should explain what we mean when we talk about routine. Routine means a regular schedule for all of the activities of your life.

For instance, a daily routine might include waking up, eating a healthy breakfast, getting the kids ready for school, and then dropping them off. From there, you might head to work or head home to work from home, take a break for lunch, and then pick up the kids. After that, it’s dinner, some downtime, then bed, bath, and book time for the kids. Once they’re in bed, you might focus on some self-improvement, leisure activities, and then getting a good night’s sleep. Your weekend routine might look different and may include chores, grocery shopping, social activities, and extracurricular activities for the kids.

Why Routine is Important

Evidence demonstrates that a healthy routine can play a major role in your physical and mental health. For instance, a good routine can help you manage stress, anxiety, and worries. A routine can buffer you against the detrimental effects and impacts of stress and other issues. Your new routine could see you lower your levels of adrenaline and cortisol, stress hormones that can negatively impact your body and mind.

Having a regular routine can help you lower your stress levels, foster good daily habits, take better care of your health, feel more productive and focused, and manage your life administrative duties more effectively.

For instance, eating healthier as a part of your new routine can help you to lose weight, lower your blood pressure, avoid the risk of developing chronic diseases or health issues, and generally feel better about your life.

In addition to this, getting the necessary tasks out of the way can also help you to find more time for healthy initiatives such as exercise, meditation, and mindfulness, and allow you more time to enjoy the fun stuff life has to offer, such as engaging in leisure pursuits or hobbies.

How to Start a New Routine

Starting a brand new routine for your life can be difficult, especially if your life is chaotic or you feel out of control. It’s important to start with small, manageable steps and build up from there.

For instance, if you find yourself consistently sleeping in and snoozing your alarm, you could set an alarm for the same time each morning and place your phone across the room, so that you need to get up to switch it off. Once you’re up and about, it’s time to put on the coffee to brew and commence your day.

You might find it useful to write down a routine plan to help you visualize your new routine. You can schedule your daily activities, then refer to this throughout the day to ensure that you stick to the plan.

Know Why You Want to Change

Starting a new routine can feel overwhelming and stressful at first, especially if you’re trying to change unhealthy habits that are deeply ingrained in your psyche. The key here is to begin with positive intention and a healthy dose of self-compassion. You need to understand that consistent progress is more important than striving for perfection. The first step here is to get perfectly clear on why you want to start a new routine in the first place.

Start Small and With Realistic Goals

Once you know the reason you want to change and your why is established, the next vital step is to choose a realistic starting point for your new routine. At times, people might try to change too much at once, setting themselves up for failure and frustration. Instead of attempting a complete and radical lifestyle overhaul in one week, instead, choose one or two small new habits to incorporate into your day.

For instance, if your goal is to become more active and fit, you could start by committing to a short walk every morning or on your lunch break. If your goal is to become more tidy and organized, you could begin by spending five minutes tidying your workspace or a room at home at the same time each day. These small actions create momentum and will help to make your new routine feel more manageable and achievable.

Be Consistent, Not Intense and Perfect

Consistency is much more valuable than intensity and perfection when it comes to building a new routine. You’re much better off to achieve a small task each day than to go all in once or twice a week, leaving you tired or burnt out. To support consistency in your new routine, try to attach the new habit to something you already do each day.

For example, if you always make yourself a coffee in the morning, you might use that time while it brews to review your calendar for the day or do a short breathing exercise if you’re trying to be more mindful. Linking a new habit to something that you already do will help your brain recognize a pattern and make it easier to remember. Doing this over time will help to ingrain the new habit in your consciousness.

Track Your Progress and Celebrate Success

Another vital part of building a new routine is to track your progress. You don’t have to get too convoluted here; this could be as simple as checking off a calendar box or note on your phone each day that you practice your new habits. Seeing a visual reminder of your success can be motivating and help you to reinforce your new routine.

However, if you do happen to miss a day or a new habit, don’t let that derail your progress, as it’s not a catastrophe. One missed day doesn’t undo your sense of momentum and progress, and practising self-compassion in those moments is essential for your well-being. What matters most is getting back on track the next day without guilt and shame. Celebrate your wins with a little treat, as well.