The Power Of positive Habits And Routine

Do you have a good routine set up for your day?     Do you feel productive and in control?     Or, like you’re winging it, getting nothing done and unable to change old habits?   Have you recently gone full time in your business and you’re wondering where your mojo and ability to actually get stuff done has disappeared to?!   You’re not alone.   Something I work on a HUGE amount with my clients is setting up a routine, particularly if it’s working around a job or if you’ve just left one.   Not just a routine but one that will get rid of old unhelpful habits and set up new, helpful ones that help get you where you want to go.   Intuitively you know what the bad habits you want to get rid of are, and you know the good habits you WANT to start…but you’re still doing the bad habits…and not doing the good!   The annoying thing is, we instinctively know that routine is good for us because we teach it to our kids.    And usually, it’s what we had when we were kids.  We know what’s best for us really!     But it’s like this little rebel gremlin takes hold and does the opposite…because it can!   When we’ve been in some sort of routine for our whole lives it’s really easy to think you can relax it when you’re your own boss.  And to an extent you can.   However, if you want to stay off the overwhelm and procrastination train then it’s a good idea to create a new one that will allow you to create success and live the life that you deserve.    It’s also easy to think that a routine is constricting in some way, but it’s actually very VERY freeing.  As with most things it depends how you choose to look at it.  

So what do I mean when I’m talking about routine?

  A routine is something that’s in place to allow you to create habits that serve you.  That make your life better. And in turn, stop the habits that can create a negative effect on your mindset, your business or your life.   It’s something that allows us to use the way the brain works to our advantage.  To create auto pilot habits that allow us to live in the best possible way. To create high performance and limit some of the inevitable mindset gremlins as best we can.  

So why else do we want a routine in our life?

  Routine helps you be far more intentional with your day.  So instead of getting up and feeling like you’re just floundering and fighting fires every day, you know what you’re doing.    You create so much extra head space just by knowing ‘what comes next’ because it takes the thinking out of it.   Routine creates patience and discipline which in my opinion and experience are two of the key ingredients for success and happiness. It helps you let go of the attachment to the outcome and understand how much control you have over your own situation.   It helps to get rid of overwhelm.  It literally reduces the amount you need to think and the decisions you have to make.  So having a routine will actually create more time for you.  It will also increase your organisation and focus because it makes you hone in on the real priorities, so you have more clarity and can get more done in less time.   Routine reduces stress because there are habits built into your routine to specifically do that for you.  Plus it will mean that self care and down time are always a part of your life. Everything just starts to slot around it like magic!   Routine also massively increases productivity.  With just a few simple habits and daily routines you can dramatically turn around the amount you can get done in the time you have. (Read more in How To Find More Time In Your Day Here)   Routine makes it easier for you to do the things you want to, but feel like effort.  It can eliminate decision fatigue every day by planning out things like meals and outfits in advance.     Being in a routine takes a lot of the ‘thought’ out of things.  You’re learning to use the fact that 95-99% of everything you do is driven by your unconscious to your advantage.     Think about how long you spend every day working out what you’re going to wear.  What you’re going to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner, should you do this or that next…imagine how much time and head space not having to do that would free up for you.     Having a routine helps you rewire your brain for the habits that you want.  For the person you want to be. For the energy you want to have. It literally gives you the very best chance for success.   So worth having a little think about hmmm?!  

Some ideas to ponder on and a few of my little routines:

 

Journal morning and/or evening.  

I use my journaling for the non dear diary type method to make sure my brain is always wired how I like it, for positivity, kindness, gratitude, etc.  How I want to live my life. In 5 minutes per day.   I’ve tried lots of different ways and I go through phases of journaling in the morning but I’m much more of an evening journaler, going over my day and finishing on a high. I do however ask myself every morning what i’m looking forward to and what i’m grateful for so it’s the same thing…just inside my head and not on paper!   

Get out for a walk first thing or at lunchtime

My favourite way to start the day is to take Mr Milo our rescue pup out for an hour and a half.  We go to the woods or down by the canal and I listen to audio books or podcasts OR listen to what’s going on around me and turn it into a mindful walk.    It’s amazing what you hear and see when you’re focusing on it. Lunchtime is another good time, particularly if you’re feeling like you’re lost your mojo a little bit.  It’s like a little mindset reset. Decide what works for you and do that.   Stretch or workout Now, I KNOW this is amazing and I was in a routine for 2 years with working out and I fell off the wagon so i’m going to be completely honest and say i’m getting back on it at the moment.    This is working out aside from my daily walking. I always do between 10-20,000 steps but I WANT to get back into more resistance training. I do however make sure I do some stretches in the bathroom every morning while I’m brushing my teeth.    Drink more water Oh my goodness when you start making sure you get enough water you will see how much not having enough has been affecting you.    I carry a big water bottle with me everywhere I go so it’s always there to remind me to drink. You’ll lose weight, feel clear headed, less groggy, less moody, your skin will look better.  It’s magic stuff that so many of us take for granted.   Batching your food for the week I don’t do this one because I’m lucky enough to have an incredible chef for a husband so I don’t need to think about it BUT, if I didn’t then the power of batching a few things and putting them in the freezer creates so much head space it’s unreal.    It makes you eat healthier too. I’ve done it in the past and it definitely makes a difference. One shop, half a day for batch cooking…done dealio! I do the same thing with batching content. The more similar tasks you can bundle together the less brain power it uses.   Meditation I don’t really need to say any more about this, we all know the incredible benefits meditation has.  So how can you get it into your routine. What’s a good time of the day for you? Morning? Evening? Lunchtime?    When do you KNOW you can fit in 5-10 minutes?  My favourite apps are Calm, Headspace and Omvana by Mindvalley.   How do you start your morning? I get up at 6am and my phone is NOT my alarm.  I have a watch that vibrates to wake me up. I make sure I don’t look at my phone until I’m ready for the day or out of the house.    I will watch something on Netflix if my Kindle has run out of juice while I get ready (ideally something positive or a documentary) but i’ll make sure notifications are on do not disturb from 9pm to 9am and I won’t check unless I really have to.   Like I mentioned, My first thoughts are ‘what are you grateful for today?’    I’ll have hot water and lemon or a cup of Earl Grey and have my breakfast.  I like to have a good 2 hours before I start work so I always start ready and raring to go, instead of flustered or overwhelmed.   How are you starting yours?  Coffee? The news? Instagram scroll into the comparison loop of doom? Checking emails?   How do you finish your day? I make sure I’m off any computers before 9pm.  I’m asleep by 10pm so usually I head to bed to write in my journal or read something so I give myself time to switch off.    No caffeine past 1pm.   TRY not to eat 3 hours before bedtime…unfortunately when someone else is lovingly cooking your meals this doesn’t always happen but that’s the ideal!   I also don’t drink much alcohol these days because it really affects my sleep and I can’t stand the ‘Hangxiety.’ If there’s a special occasion or something I really want to drink at i’ll plan my next day accordingly in advance to not have to be a super productive one ha!   What does your ideal day look like? You can’t expect to live it if you don’t know what it is.  So map it out from morning to going to bed. This will also help you with time blocking and batching similar tasks together and creating a structure for your day.   So, hopefully this has helped you see the power of creating a routine for yourself and all the ways it helps rather than hinders.  It’s not a way to imprison yourself or restrict yourself in a negative way, it’s all positive. Positive habits for your well being, head space, productivity, success and performance.    It’s about making it as easy for yourself as you can to create the habits in the first place.   It’s a win win situation where you get to have your brain start to work FOR you rather than against you. Magic!   If you got value from this and you know in your gut that now is the time to step up and start rewiring your thinking and changing things for yourself then book in a free discovery call so we can work out what needs to happen to get you from where you’re at right now, to the action taking success you know you can be!! If you want my eyes and ears on YOUR problems I work with people 1:1, through the Proactive Pants Programme and 1:1 full day intensives, stop waiting for if and when and decide to change things now! Fx Fran Excell, Subconscious Success Mentor – Helping Business Owners Overcome Self Sabotage & Get More Done In Less Time at www.franexcell.com RESOURCES: Check out The Positive Pants Podcast here Download your FREE Stressed To Success Meditation here Shop Printables & Meditations here Grab your 365 day ‘Attitude Of Gratitude’ Journal here Grab Your ‘Positive Pants Firmly On’ Notebook here Book In a Free 20 Minute Discovery Call here