the 20-something’s guide to creating routines that stick
trouble maintaining a workout routine? getting enough water? meditating? try out these tips to help!
grab a calendar:: i live by my apple calendar because i love having it virtual & convenient, but you can buy a cutie planner like this one to organize your entire life in 1 place if you’re more of a real-life girlie.
one of my favorite things to do on a sunday is plan my week & color-code tasks based on categories. for example, i have categories like faith, personal, & work that will make up my schedule throughout the week. if you’re in college, you can also do this with your classes, study groups, or bible studies. a few tips:: i always schedule in prayer/journaling, travel time, meals, & movement. the smallest of tasks is put on my apple calendar. i love being able to delete each task as i complete it (def a to-do list person!) if i have a daily task that i know i want to do that day but don’t have a time frame (laundry, for example), i’ll put it at the top. if a task doesn’t get done, it is easy to move it over to the next day!
here is a peak at my apple calendar:
habit stack:: i know, i know. if i hear this phrase one more time, i might actually faint. i hate the obsession, but i equally love that it now has a term.
if you don’t know what habit stacking is, it is basically combining 2 tasks together. for example, i will usually hop in my sauna while i post on social media channels, or i’ll drink my first glass of water while making my latte for the day, or i’ll go on a walk while catching up on my podcasts. in the picture of my apple calendar above, i combine eating breakfast with my morning devotional/prayer/journaling. (i put both in my calendar overlapping!)
as a college student, i would oftentimes combine checking in with my sisters or parents while walking to class. (speaking of, call your siblings & parents, they love to hear from you :)) i would also try to fold my laundry while catching up on a tv show or youtube video.
take a minute at the beginning of the week to see where you can combine a few tasks to save yourself some time & mental energy.
don’t take on too much at once:: so you want to meditate 20 minutes/day, hydrate, exercise 6x/week, & sleep 8 hours/night? rather than tackling all of them at once, try to focus on 1 healthy routine you want to implement. if we try to add too many at once, it can create an overwhelm & sense of failure when we don’t get to all of them. improving in 1 routine will give you motivation & pride in yourself, creating an environment to help you add even more healthy routines on top of it!
accountability is key:: find a friend for a routine or habit you both want to create! do you both want to try to get to sleep by 10? not look at your phone for the first 30 minutes after waking? chances are that a friend is also looking to create a healthy habit or routine, so why not be each others’ biggest cheerleaders?
romanticize the routine:: wanting to wake up earlier? drink more water? maintain a fitness routine? try motivating yourself with external rewards, like a cute water bottle or workout set, or creating a moody environment in the morning with a candle & latte to do your devotional. the goal would be to see the positive benefits it has on your life & eventually internalize that motivation for yourself, rather than needing these external rewards. for example, finally wanting to wake up, drink more water, or exercise because of how you feel, the energy you have, & your ability to tackle tasks throughout the day with more clarity.
give yourself grace:: we don’t build routines by constantly beating ourselves up when we don’t achieve a certain goal or routine. forgive yourself, & move on. remind yourself that you have the capacity for positive, healthy change & that you have the strength & discipline to achieve that change. you’re a rockstar!
