“We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence, then, is not an act,
but a habit.”
Having no routine or structure is so much more draining mentally, physically, and emotionally than any routine could ever be!
why Create a Routine?- Establishing a positive daily routine is both a self-investment and a way to do your best for the rest of the world. It also provides additional benefits, such as giving you structure, building forward-moving habits, and creating momentum that will carry you on the days when you feel like you don’t have the strength to carry yourself.Following a daily routine can help you establish priorities, limit procrastination, keep track of goals, and even make you healthier.
as Tynan, the author of Superhuman by Habit, says, habits are “action[s] that you take on a repeated basis with little or no required effort or thought.”
I admit it though; it isn’t always easy to create good habits. As Brian Tracy says, “Good habits are hard to form but easy to live with. Bad habits are easy to form but hard to live with.”
Part 1: Optimize Your Mind-
A successful daily routine helps you achieve laser-like focus from the moment you wake up in the morning…to the time you close your eyes and drift off to dreamland at night.
Get positive: Start the day with a mantra
Be proactive: Don’t check your email first!
Mentally prepare: Visualize your success
Read a book (Even if it’s just a page) -
Reading books offers many science-based benefits. Reading can boost your intelligence, increase your brainpower (for up to 5 days, according to research conducted by Emory University), and even strengthen your ability to empathize with other people. Reading has also been found to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s by more than double…all this while helping you feel more relaxed at the same time!
Joshua Becker, bestselling author of Simplify, has made it a goal to read a book a week because reading makes him a better leader, increases his worldview and knowledge base, and reinforces his self-discipline.
Make yourself accountable: Enlist a partner or mentor- making a list of three people that you trust and respect. Have a conversation with each of these people and discuss exactly what it is that you want to accomplish. After the conversation, decide which of these individuals will serve best as a accountability partner for the specific milestone you are trying to reach.
Write: Prime yourself for creativity-Spending time writing every day helps you become a better communicator, improves your ability to recall important information, and it also enhances your creativity. Write in a diary format and you also have the added benefit of greater self-understanding.
I also write down 10 ideas,
They can be big ideas (how to cure cancer) or small ones (ways get your cat to quit scratching the furniture).
Make a daily to-do list-Keep your daily to-do list small so that it’s manageable and not overwhelming. A great “hack” to make sure you keep your lists simple is using a Post-It Note.
Take regular breaks throughout the day-
While all of these tips are meant to help you forage ahead, sometimes you just need to step back and give your mind a break.Taking regular breaks keeps you from getting bored and losing focus, increasing your brain’s function at the same time. It also forces you to reevaluate what you’re working on, ensuring that you’re going in the right direction.
I’ve found the Pomodoro Technique to be invaluable at helping me to keep my energy levels high and “forcing” me to take regular breaks.
Break your day into chunks-Breaking your day into chunks helps you be the best you as too much time spent doing one thing can cause you to lose focus…and interest. And if you’re working on something you don’t really want to do, it makes it easier because you only have to do it for a short while.
Theme your week- Jack Dorsey, co-founder of both Twitter and Square, used to manage both of these companies at the same time without getting overwhelmed. He did this by setting aside different tasks for different days of the week.
Part 2: Optimize Your Body-
Being your best also requires that you take care of your body and are firing on all cylinders! Here are a few things you can add to your daily routine to do just that…
#Breathe: Practice deep breathing
#Eat “productive” foods
#Drink more water: 9-13 cups a day
#Have some tea: Polyphenols benefit the body
#Get out of your chair…often
#Exercise (MOVE!)- http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/09/the-scientific-7-minute-workout/
Get enough sleep: No less than 7 hours
Part 3: Optimize your Spirit-
Just as mental and physical aspects of your daily routine can elevate you and push you forward, the same is true when you tend to yourself emotionally and spiritually. Here are a few options to consider:
Get quiet: Try meditation
Find a well of inspiration
Practice gratitude: Write what you’re thankful for
Learn something new (every day!)
Spend less time with people who don’t lift you up
Give to others
Evaluate. Track. Enhance.
3 Questions to Ask Yourself
Question #1: “Am I doing what I love?”
Question #2: “What’s the worst that could happen?”
Question #3: “What good have I done today?”
