‘Routine’ may sound a bit boring but believe it or not, routines or rituals and habits can contribute to more effectiveness and productivity as well as help us overcome challenging times.
There are events, big and small, that can disrupt our lives, causing insecurity and stress. Therefore, maintaining or re-establishing our routines so that we can get the most of our day, have the needed energy and feel we accomplish something every day can be beneficial for our mental and physical health. Particularly now as many of us are still being challenged by the COVID-19 reality but also in the future.
The consistency and individualised nature of our routines allow us to fit all of our most important things into our days. However, this does not mean we must stick with a routine when we begin feeling stuck or bored, as this can do more harm than good. Learning to adjust and build upon our routines is a necessary point of growth. Change is part of life, and we can allow our routines to evolve over time in response to it.
I have recently re-read parts of the book by Stephen Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, to find some inspiration and motivation when it comes to my routines which I periodically change depending on my workload, the season and my continuously evolving goals. It is not an instruction manual, the book provides an incremental, sequential, highly integrated approach to the development of personal and interpersonal effectiveness.
The key benefit of a routine is its regularity: if we find what works for us and then turn it into a sort of a process that requires zero thought, we free our mind for more important things. I heard this view from a senior leader in my company some time ago. I first found it strange as we may not associate processes with creativity or something that we actually enjoy. But if a process becomes automatic, we do not think about it anymore and can dedicate our mind to other things.
Routines can also allow us to carve out time to pursue our passion every single day or take time for ourselves. How important is that when one sits in front of a laptop so many hours every day! I could work 24/7 as there is always something to do – something to read, to write, to review, to respond to, so for me sticking to some daily routine is absolutely critical to achieve work-life balance.
To establish a morning routine can also make a difference – to begin a day with a purpose and consistency can change the flow of the entire day. Routines can anchor us in daily life and may create comfort and stability. Some famous personalities are in favour of morning routines. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos swears by eight hours of sleep each night. He is a big proponent of waking up naturally, without an alarm. Oprah Winfrey also wakes up on her own. In her wellness diary, she explained how she sets her internal clock: “I have never set an alarm, I don’t believe in them. They are…alarming! I put the number in my mind, and I wake up before that, usually between 6:02 and 6:20, because the dogs are trained to go out around that time.” And the mentioned Stephen Covey also paid special attention to his mornings: “I make effort every morning to win what I call the ‘private victory’. I work out on a stationary bike while I am studying the scriptures for at least 30 minutes. Then I swim in a pool vigorously for 15 minutes, then I do yoga in a shallow part of the pool for 15 minutes.”
The key is to create a routine that adds a sense of predictability to your day. Of course, your schedule may change somewhat depending on the day of the week but sticking to a basic structure for when you will get up, eat, work, do activities, exercise and sleep can help you feel less stressed out and more organised.
So how do you establish your routine? I’d recommend writing down everything you do each day over the course of a week. See what you can cut or reduce, what you can restructure if possible. Then see what you can set as a normal routine, something you do at a set time each day or week. It has to work well with your lifestyle. If you like to stay up late, getting up early as part of your routine may not work. And when you introduce a new routine, give it a little time but if your routine does not work, don’t be afraid to change it.
While it is important to get the essentials done, be sure to also find things that you can look forward to, whether it is watching a favourite television show or calling up a friend, so rewarding yourself. It may sound a bit strange but making these little rewards part of your routine can help you stay upbeat and focused when you are working on a task that you might not enjoy as much.
I must admit that a routine has kept me going since March 2020 when I started working from home. Being locked down and not being able to see my colleagues or visit my family for a long time can be frustrating at times. Now that things are opening up, I look forward to the next normal – but will definitely keep my daily routine albeit tweak it to reflect the new reality.
By Tereza Urbánková
Tereza Urbánková
is a PR, communications and marketing professional with 20 years’ experience and proven success in delivering award- winning communications programmes for multinational companies operating in industries such as hospitality, retail, IT, defence, broadcast, logistics, pharma and engineering. After having lived and worked in the UK for 12 years, she moved to Germany where she now works for Boehringer Ingelheim, a global pharmaceutical company, as Head of Global External Communication, Animal Health. Tereza is a member of the Executive Committee of the Czech British Chamber of Commerce in London. She speaks Czech, English, Spanish and Russian and can be reached through her LinkedIn profile.