I have noticed that in the two years since the general cleaning of my apartment, the mess has returned.
So what do you do after you’ve cleaned up the mess? If your daily routines continue to create clutter, you’ll always be one step behind.
5 steps to a new daily routine
1. Identify the problem. Think about the things that tend to “sneak up” in your life: yearly things like tax time, monthly things like billing clients, weekly things like running errands, or daily things like meals. For this article, we will use the example: “I am always in a hurry in the morning.”
2. Identify costs. If the costs aren’t that high, you probably won’t be motivated to do anything to change it. The costs of being in a rush in the morning can include: poor breakfast choices or skipping breakfast, poor digestion from eating too fast, or perhaps not eating at all and drinking coffee on an empty stomach. So rushing to work results in a stressful commute, impatience, and unpleasant interactions with fellow passengers. This will affect your whole day.
3. Make a backup. So you are in a hurry in the morning. What decisions have you made up to this point that have resulted in trouble?
4. Experiment with some changes in your routine. Don’t be rigid; you are in the “lab” here. One day you can try going to bed half an hour earlier and waking up half an hour earlier. The next day, try to put your clothes on the night before. The next day, try to pack your lunch (and any other lunches you have to pack) the night before. The next day, try a 5-minute meditation break in the morning.
5. Commit to a new daily routine. Once you’ve experimented for a week or so, look back and reflect on which strategies made the biggest difference to your morning (and the rest of your day). Use structures such as reminders (list your routine), inspiration (post a photo that represents the kind of relaxing morning you’d like to have), or follow-through (put a gold star or other fun, visual marker on your calendar for each day you want to have). implement your new routine).
Remember that it’s not about maintaining a perfect routine or punishing yourself for deviating from it, it’s about making healthier choices every day. If you slip up, your next pick can correct it again.
(c) Copyright 2005, Genuine Coaching Services.
