Keeping to a Routine

Hello readers! A topic I often find myself discussing with clients is the inability to live a life without consistent routines.

For those of you that deal with anxiety on a regular basis, you know that it has the ability to make things worse by continuously following a routine. However, this isn’t always the case, today’s blog is going to take a dive into the idea of routines and what is helpful/healthy and what is not.

The components of making and keeping to a routine.

Like mentioned before the idea of strictly following a routine can sometimes increase your anxiety. Though you know what to expect and can anticipate what may go wrong due to following the exact routine over and over again, it can also make your anxiety worse should you not be able to keep to the said routine later in the future.

Though this is a common concept, there has recently been more studies conducted showing that the idea of keeping to a consistent routine allows us the opportunity to free our minds from overthinking, in turn improving our mental health and the potential to foster creativity.

Another large component of routines is an individual’s ability to find motivation to complete whatever tasks he/she deems necessary. The idea of having motivation can sometimes overpower the want or need of creating a daily routine.

Motivation’s role in making a routine.

So often I have clients share how they feel they don’t have any motivation to complete their daily life tasks, and how they would like suggestions on how to find more of it. But, when you really think about motivation, though it can be powerful and drive you to get things done, it can also be fleeting and unreliable.

When thinking about motivation, consider how long the last time you felt motivated lasted? Odds are, that time frame is a lot smaller than you’d like for it to be. Though we would like to feel motivated and rely on that to help us get things done, it’s almost an unrealistic concept. You don’t always have to have motivation in order to be successful.

So what do I do, find motivation or create more routines?

Studies have shown that it may actually be more beneficial to use daily routines as a way to help you achieve tasks or goals. Here is an example I read that helps put this idea into perspective.

Imagine you are going to a heart surgeon, but they told you “I can operate well - but only when I’m motivated”. Do you think you would risk your health on the hope that your doctor feels motivated on the day of your surgery? Probably not. You’d probably feel more comfortable having your surgery done by someone who has routines in place that ensure their success regardless of how they may be feeling.

- Steve Alexander, Jr., M.A, Ed.M, ARM, LMHC

When thinking about it from this perspective, it becomes immensely clear how motivation shouldn’t be your only way of managing tasks and goals in your daily life, but more so putting consistent routines in place. Though motivation can still play a role in helping you complete those tasks, it is not the only thing you are relying on.

Difference in routines

There are two categories of routines; primary and secondary. Primary routines consist of hygiene, sleep and eating, whereas secondary routines consist of social activities and work. All in all, both categories are essential to manage appropriately in order to create a healthy mental health mindset. Primary routines are the routines that are seen as more beneficial to follow on a regular basis.

Studies have shown that the use of consistent routines allows the individual to experience less stress and anxiety because of the overall basis of control from the routine itself, and the individual not feeling the need to control the situation on his/her own. It also allows the individual to refrain from placing stress or pressure on themselves in these situations.

When thinking about successful people, it is imperative that you remember, he/she is more than likely following strong daily routines, which in turn produce positive outcomes in his/her life, as well as excellent mental health mentality.

Overall, routines are essential to a productive lifestyle. It is important to have certain daily routines (primary routines) in place for you to be able to experience less stress and anxiety, though it is important to remember that there is a fine line of having too many routines in place. It is a risk that could potentially elevate your anxiety and stress when relied on too often. It’s okay to follow routines on a regular basis, but it’s also okay and healthy to stray from them, too.

As always, if you have any questions or suggestions for future blog posts, please feel free to reach out!