The Power of Routine and What I've Noticed

This year I’ve made a commitment to taking care of myself. This means many things, but one of the biggest is that it means honoring commitments I’ve made to myself as much as I honor the commitments I’ve made to others.

A big part of this for me has been implementing a routine that makes me feel good and that I can commit to maintaining. As I’ve studied more about routines and habits and how to create both, I’ve realized why I find such comfort them.

Every morning I start the day with my journal, I drink the same smoothie for my metabolism, make my cup of coffee, put on makeup and then check my emails. Waking up knowing that I can count on this routine, no matter how small has been huge for me. At night, I fill up my humidifier, turn on the air purifier, shower, turn on my sundown alarm clock light and lay down for 30 minutes until I fall asleep at 10pm. Knowing that I’m going to do this exact thing every night has allowed me to create a safe space where I can lay down the worries of the day.

Even though having this routine makes me feel AMAZING, it is the first thing I drop once things get busy. As soon as work picks up or I start to travel more, my routines go out the window, and I feel the impact almost immediately. Anxiety spikes, tasks start to feel more difficult and I turn into the queen of procrastination.

What having a routine has done for me is allow me to have a baseline to return to when things get out of order. It allows me to end a hectic day and know exactly what I can start doing the next day to turn things around and get back on track. My routine changes in order to keep it interesting. Maybe my smoothie gets swapped out for oatmeal or my coffee becomes a matcha, but the idea remains the same. The routine is going to help me achieve the goals, and the main goal is just an overall sense of peace.

Do you have a daily routine you stick to? What does it do for you? Share below!