Why You Should Have a Routine for Back to School, By: Courtney Crites

Having a routine can be extremely helpful in times of unpredictability, uncertainty, and stress (and I know we’ve all had our fair share of these). 

A friend of mine, Ella Grant, a graduate from Bachelor of Health Sciences in Workplace Health and Wellness, notes “Having a routine can help decrease one’s stress levels, which can improve mental health and wellness. Essentially, the more you can decrease stress in your life, the better it will be.”

It makes sense right? How often have you found yourself “winging it” during your day and then barely getting anything checked off of your to-do list? Does that lead you to become stressed?

I hate to break it to you, but this probably happens because you haven’t set yourself up for success with a routine. 

Routines help you:

• Lower Stress Levels 
  
  
  • Unfortunately, a lack of a routine often means having a constant worry of “when will I get it all done.”
• Save Time 
  
  
  • Time is money, people! By following a routine, you’re able to stop wasting time (and of course when you stop wasting time, you are more productive and efficient) and free up time that would have otherwise been spent planning, decision making, and preparing. 
    
• Make Time for Self-Care 
  
  
  • Getting your important tasks and priorities out of the way can also help you to find more time for exercise, activities, and spending time with people you love (who doesn’t love the sound of that, right?!) 
    
• Prioritize 
  
  
  • When you are creating a routine, you start prioritizing what is most important to you. You make sure there is enough time in your routine to get it done. 

Creating a routine 

Here are four simple steps to set you up for success with your routine:

1. Determine what you need in your routine: Obviously a good place to start is to determine your priorities (i.e. do you want to make more time for exercise or meditation or spending time with family?) By figuring out what is important to you, you can start to figure out how you will fit it into your schedule and routine. 
   
2. Start small!: Believe me, I know it can feel super daunting to start a totally new routine. There’s no pressure to get it all figured out right away. Start by making small changes, scheduling them in your calendar (for good measure) and then you can add to it and adjust it afterwards as you see fit. 
   
3. Be consistent: While there’s no pressure to fit EVERYTHING into your routine right away, it is important to make sure you’re being consistent with the things you do incorporate to your routine right away. This will make it a lot easier to stick to them long-term. 
   
4. Make it fun!: It will be a lot easier to follow your routine if you’re motivated - so you will have to find ways to make it fun! If you are enjoying your routine, you’ll find it difficult to make excuses. 

Parts of my routine that I value 

As someone that loves a good routine, I thought I’d share some parts of my routine that I value and love (this is my way of making it fun!). Maybe this will give you some inspiration, too! 

In the morning: 

• Making my bed
• Getting ready 
• Making breakfast 
• Getting dressed 

At night: 

• Making dinner 
• Showering
• Tidying up 
• Filling up my water bottle with cold water and ice 

What part of YOUR routine is your favourite? ?? 

You’ll have to let us know! :)

Sources: 

1. https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/why-using-routines-will-make-you-more-productive.html
2. https://alyssascreativelifestyle.com/what-is-a-routine/
3. https://www.verywellmind.com/the-importance-of-keeping-a-routine-during-stressful-times-4802638
4. https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/health-benefits-of-having-a-routine#:~:text=Routines%20Can%20Be%20Fun&text=Better%20stress%20levels%20lead%20to,sleep%20will%20leave%20you%20refreshed.