Creating and sticking to a daily routine can be very difficult for some people. Most people don’t know where to start. Some feel so overwhelmed by the process of creating a daily routine that they won’t give it a try. Beginning a routine can be accomplished if you are determined to stick to it. You have to be focused, allow yourself grace when things don’t go as planned, and get back to it. With that being said, let’s talk about creating a daily routine.

Make a List

First things first, in order to create a routine, you must know what you want to accomplish in a day. The first thing you must do is make a list. Make a list of all the things you want to complete every single day. For example, cooking breakfast, cleaning the kitchen, working out, reading a book, or meditating. These are things you don’t want to deviate from on a daily basis.

What is Needed vs. What is Wanted

Once you have created the list. You need to decide what is necessary to be accomplished every day. Again we are talking about your daily routine, not your weekly or daily goals. The daily and weekly goals are added later. For example, if you don’t want to workout every day don’t make it a part of your daily routine. If you want to have a cooked breakfast every morning, you need to make it a part of your daily routine. In this section, we are focusing on the things you want to tackle every single day. For example, every day, well at least every weekday, I wake up, get the kids ready, make breakfast, clean the kitchen, workout, and then sign in to work. This is my daily morning routine.

One Thing at A Time

Now that you have your list. It’s time to incorporate those tasks into a daily routine. Do one thing at a time. For example, if you have a list of 3 tasks, do the most important one to you first. Once you have done that consistently for 3 weeks or so, add another task. Gradually adding tasks after successfully completing one prevents you from becoming overwhelmed. Remember, It’s a process!!! You are running a marathon, not a sprint.

Create the Habit

Now that you have created your list and understand in order to accomplish this you need to complete one thing at a time, it is time to create the habit. You create the habit by being consistent. Repetition is the key to creating a habit. Get a notebook or daily planner (some ideas listed below) and write it down. Having your daily routine visual keeps it in the forefront of your mind. Scratching it off the list makes you feel accomplished. The more successful you are at completing your routine, the quicker it will become a natural habit. Eventually, when your day is not going according to your routine, it won’t feel right, and you will want to do something about it.

Introduce Something New

Now here is the kicker! Once you’ve got your solid daily routine down to a science, it’s time to add daily and weekly goals. For instance, your weekly goal may be to clean all the bathrooms, paint a room, or figure out the monthly budget. Add these things to your daily routine where they fit. It could be something you dedicate time for in the evening after work, in the morning before you leave, or by simply taking 30-60 minutes daily to commit to the extra one-off things you want to accomplish.

Marathon Not A Sprint

Remember you are running a marathon and not a sprint. It is going to take trial and error. It is going to take time and dedication. Don’t give up, keep fighting, and remember to give yourself grace on the days you just can’t seem to get right. It is ok!!

~Sincerely Supermom