Routine is something most of us grow up with, following schedules made by others at school and at home, even things as simple as eating, sleeping, playing, etc. With adulthood, of course, this often changes, and many of us end up working and living in chaos, uncertainty, and endless procrastination. A routine may not be a bad thing to instill in these circumstances. Of course, different people have different attitudes toward routine: some may find it too rigid, while others thrive when they know their day’s routine better. That being said, research has shown that having structure in our day offers many mental health benefits, especially in times of stress or when dealing with a physical or emotional crisis. Here are some of them
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Increase clarity
Routine is important for both mental and physical health as it helps increase clarity. If you have a proper schedule for the day, you will procrastinate less and focus more, which in turn will make you more confident and efficient.
Helps to stay motivated
This is especially true for people dealing with mental health disorders like depression, who often struggle to find the motivation to do anything, even basic tasks like getting out of bed or eating. With the help of a daily schedule or routine, they can set short-term and long-term goals and work towards them, giving them a sense of control, efficiency, and confidence.
Add structure to the day.
Routines add positive structure to our days, helping us find dedicated windows for things we need to do and things we enjoy doing. The predictability that routines bring ensures that we don’t waste our valuable cognitive resources on decisions that can be automated, which inevitably improves overall mental health.
Help in decision making
As soon as we wake up, our brain starts making decisions, whether one is aware of them or not. Even tasks as basic as choosing when to shower, drink, have coffee or eat breakfast require you to waste cognitive resources. Having a routine automates certain smaller decisions, leaving you more able to engage in higher-order tasks and decisions.
help with creativity
Routines help you get rid of the mundane, making more time and cognitive resources available to engage in creative and productive processes. That’s why many famous creative personalities, including authors like Haruki Murakami, are sticklers for routine; brings consistency to your creative process.
Here are some ways one can develop and maintain a routine:
Create schedules
Write down what your schedule will look like and make a schedule for the next day the night before. Build buffer time into your schedule and make sure time off and exercise are included.
Start small and then add more activities
Very often, when planning a routine, we can decide what it should be ideally and try to achieve it from day one. The reality is that building something new takes some time, so it’s best to pick 3 or 4 simple activities and then add more slowly as you get more comfortable.
Tie it to specific times of the day.
Some people tend to do a routine in the morning, before bed and at lunch. This makes it easier to follow because these times are naturally associated with certain activities like showering, brushing teeth, reading, etc.
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Make sure it fits your lifestyle
Don’t try to fit in activities that you know you won’t find time for on a regular basis. For example, if you’re not a morning person and my routine requires me to get up at 5 am every day, it’s highly unlikely that I’ll be able to stick to it long-term. Likewise, remember to account for other lifestyle restrictions, such as travel times, family commitments, natural body rhythms, etc.
Take time for the things you enjoy
Having a routine is more than just making time for your work, responsibilities and tasks. Make sure you also take time for yourself and the things you enjoy. This also ensures that you engage in rewarding activities on a regular basis, which helps maintain your mood.
Be consistent
Even if you skip a day, be sure to pick it up the next day. The key is consistency at a higher level, it’s okay if you miss a day here and there. As with physical health, you can cheat on a diet once in a while or skip exercise once in a while, the key is to do it again the next day.
don’t be rigid
Don’t be too rigid with yourself to do everything the same way, every day. Modify your routine according to your changing daily needs. Allow room for spontaneity and last minute changes. Things may not always go as planned, and that’s okay. yes
Be realistic
Set realistic goals. If you know you haven’t been able to keep up with everything you’ve planned in the past, cut back on the day’s tasks and set goals you can actually accomplish. The more unrealistic goals you set, the more likely you are to be disappointed at the end of the day.
be kind to ourselves
It’s okay if you can’t stick to a routine all the time. Punishing yourself for not having a routine won’t help you have one, but it will definitely make you resent having one.
Contributions from Dr. Sheba Singh, Founder and Director, TalkSpace-A Mental Health Studio, Mumbai; Shevantika Nanda, Co-Founder and COO of Mimblu; Tanvi Jajoria, Counseling Psychologist and Co-Founder, MentAmigo, Delhi
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