Creating Stress-Reducing Routines: Habits to Boost Your Health & Happiness
"We are what we repeatedly do." - Aristotle
Reducing overwhelm begins by going back to the basics.
Creating routines helps us learn new habits that support our health and wellness while decreasing the brain drama and resistance that often accompany change. Routines create predictability, which our brains love. But when there are no routines or when they're inconsistent, we tend to make choices based on what feels good in the moment rather than what's best five minutes, five hours, or even five days from now.
If you’ve ever tried following a new meal plan, you know exactly what I mean. Motivation is great, but it can be short-lived. Consistency is the key to lasting change, and it ensures our success in the long run.
The thing is, we often become set in our ways and feel obligated to repeat the same actions daily. Just as we learned our current routines, we can also unlearn and relearn them.
Don’t start what you don’t want to stop.
Whenever I start a new healthy habit, it requires extra planning and effort. It always seems to take longer to do consistently than I think it will. It’s not perfect, but I know that it's my persistence that will help it stick. Eventually, it will become something I do with little effort, like brushing my teeth before bed.
Other habits are easy to create but hard to break. If I had a glass to a bottle of wine every night when I come home from work, it would take time and effort to cut back and stop. Alcohol gives us a quick hit of dopamine but is detrimental to our sleep, our brain and don’t get me started on hangovers...
Many habits can even make us feel worse in the long term, like snacking on cookies for a pick-me-up in the afternoon, grabbing a sugary Starbucks coffee on the way to work, being a couch potato, or gambling, to name a few.
What habits would you like to replace with more helpful ones?
Think about what type of routine would support your physical and mental health. Your morning affects your day, and your day affects your sleep. Your evening routine can help you switch gears and have a great night's sleep. You can create routines for any time of the day so that you can turn something you want to do into a habit that you don’t have to think about.
I also know that I don’t have much energy in the morning, but my energy for the rest of the day increases if I work out in the morning. I’m most successful if I get up and work out right away. If I do anything else before my workout, I’m much less likely to do it. It will be hit or miss if I do it the other times of the day. Therefore, one of the thoughts I use when I don’t feel like working out is that it sucks now, but I'll feel better shortly and for the rest of the day.
I also noticed that if I wait too long to begin my evening routine, I end up tired and won't follow through. For example, some people brush their teeth after dinner to avoid snacking. I’ve heard that Oprah would change into her pajamas and wash her face when she got home from work. I had never considered these little habits, but I can see how they would be helpful!
Assess your energy level when establishing new habits so that you can set yourself up for success! Also, understand that there will be times when you may not feel motivated — me too — but that feeling passes quickly if you can push through and think about what your future self would think.
To give you some inspiration to get going, here are some morning and evening routine options for you to consider:
Morning Routines
Wake up at the same time every day
Exercise
Meditate
Journal
Drink water
Set an intention for the day
Write a to-do list
Brush teeth
Skincare
Vitamins and supplements
Shower
Evening Routines:
Turn off screens an hour before bed
Take a bath
Skin care routine
Brush teeth
Floss
Read a book
Meditate
Journal
Supplement
Make lunches/plan meals for the next day
Gentle stretches
Set out clothes for morning
Organize supplements for the next day
Reading books to kids
Talk about the day with family
Go for a walk
I’m currently working on putting my screens away an hour before bed. I've found that it’s harder to unwind my brain and get a good night's sleep if I work on the computer or watch shows on TV. Now, I put screens away at 9:00 p.m., take a bath with Epsom salts, brush and floss my teeth, care for my skin, write in my gratitude journal, and read a book. My lights go out at 10:00 p.m. When I don’t follow this routine, I struggle to fall asleep, wake up during the night, or wake up early at 5:00 a.m. My next day is affected, and I feel groggy, crave more carbs, and am less productive.
The hardest part for me was putting the screen away at 9:00 p.m. We get dopamine from checking social media and emails, so I felt some anxiety and uneasiness for a while. I had to decide why I was giving up short-term happiness (checking the phone) for long-term happiness (better sleep and productivity).
By pushing through the discomfort, I'm focusing on creating lots of positive dopamine with baths, journaling, and reading so that the quick hits from my phone are replaced. I won't lie; it took a few days to stop feeling frustrated about not using my phone, but now that I’m on the other side, I'm reaping the benefits.
Another little hack I use is that when I break my routine, like during a vacation, I practice a new habit. My brain doesn’t even seem to notice because everything feels fresh. Then, when I get home, it’s easier to continue with that new habit because I’ve been doing it.
A caution is that it can be very easy to slip back into old habits. Having a glass of wine once after work is fine, but notice if you want one the next day and the next. Then two glasses, and then the whole bottle again, and all of a sudden, you’re going through another detox. The key is to be intentional. Ask yourself if this is something you want to continue doing. If not, commit to doing it once and then letting it go.
But if that happens — and it might — know that this is part of the learning process. Sometimes there is success, and sometimes there is learning. Failure only occurs when you never try or when you quit. Have compassion for yourself and journal about what was happening when you made the choice to do something you didn’t want to. Reconfirm what you want to do and why. Keep going and keep trying! It will get easier the more you do it.
You're rewiring your brain!
In a year, your life could be significantly improved by establishing a couple of key routines. The key is not to adopt them all at once, like a New Year's resolution. A few years ago, I started by drinking more water; I placed a large Stanley cup on the counter and drank one cup three times a day. Eventually, I became accustomed to drinking water. I've occasionally let the habit slip, but each time, it’s much easier to get back on track.
Let me know how it goes with a new habit or routine you try this week!
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