Routines Can Keep Us Sane – Lone Star Staffing Solutions

18Aug

lonestar@roganmarketing.comBest Practices, Business Growth

Maintaining a “routine” can make us feel safe or the opposite and cause us to long for more spice in our lives. What if you’re somewhere in the middle and want some consistency, but you get trapped in the day-to-day activities that prevent us from following through, leaving us frustrated? If we’re being honest, leaning more toward the “routine” way of living ensures we accomplish our daily tasks with fewer items falling through the cracks.

It is possible to have a routine without it being tedious. Also, repeating tasks will be easier to delegate where appropriate when defined. Otherwise, the task, which could be very important, may not be accomplished because you thought someone else was doing it. Those are the types of things that can keep you up at night.

Start small with one routine if you don’t have any daily habits, which would be rare. You’ll have more than one routine tied to different things you want to accomplish.

Some suggestions to kick start the process of setting a routine that works:

Set An Initial Desired Objective

What is a goal you would like to accomplish? Let’s begin with an example like exercising, which will improve your overall wellbeing. When you feel good, other more mundane tasks aren’t so daunting.

We know that the gyms have their highest level of attaining new members every January, and then people drop off by February. Don’t allow yourself to fall into the trap of jumping in with both feet and doing so much that you injure yourself or find it so difficult to keep up that you quit quickly.

Layout a Plan

When you identify how you want to accomplish this goal, be consistent with the time of day you perform that task.

Start small and take daily walks until you can build up your stamina.
Pick a time of day that works best for you. Many find the early morning the best time as it increases blood flow to jumpstart your day. And if you set this task for later in the day, it’s easier to blow off the walking if you get bogged down with other things.

Once you feel comfortable walking, you can incorporate other exercises, such as strength training. Remember to take it slow; this routine can develop into a lifelong habit you’ll look forward to completing every day.

Incorporate the Necessary Tools

Purchase a Fitbit or something similar to keep track of your steps. When you can see the progress visually and slowly increase the time you walk each day, it motivates you to stick with it. And, you can set it to receive notifications to get up and move (i.e., 250 steps) every hour within a specified period of time. This reminder is beneficial for those who sit at their desk all day.

Get Excited About Your Progress

If you are competitive and enjoy seeing advancement, add it as a repeating event on your calendar. To make it even more exciting, hang a calendar in a spot you see often and check off each day you accomplish that task. Competitive people are more motivated when they see there is no day not marked as complete.

Make it More Enjoyable

Do you live in a neighborhood where people frequently walk every day? If you don’t know your neighbors, be bold and begin walking, and you may make some friends. Or, if you have a dog, and it’s not too hot or too far, bring the pup along.

Do you have a podcast you’ve always wanted to hear? Make it a part of your walk so that you can listen but still be aware of your surroundings.

A Prize at the End

You’re more apt to push to achieve your goal when you reward yourself. Set a monthly plan, and then treat yourself to something that brings you joy at the end of the month. You’ll look forward to receiving the “prize,” and also significant because you accomplished what you set out to do.

Now that you know how to set up a routine for exercise, it’s easy to apply it to other aspects of your personal and professional life.

What will your first routine be?

Tags: mindset, motivation, routine, workout