Building a Routine

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle

We all have routines. With two preschoolers at home, my routine is as much chaos as anything else, but it's still routine. Yet, when I look at certain parts of my routine that I have control over (child chaos is not one), I can notice several parts that I have not intentionally put in place, that if I were to change, might allow me to be more productive. So, today, I offer a couple of tips on building a routine. Most of these come from the book, Manage Your Day-to-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus, & Sharpen Your Creative Mind, edited by Jocelyn Glei.

Recognize and revise your current routine
As mentioned, we all have some semblance of a routine, but if we're not intentional about setting our routines, we likely have bad habits embedded within them. So, to begin building a more effective routine, begin by assessing your current routine, and plan for one that will allow for you to be more productive.

Do brain-work first
Most folks when they get to work, the first thing they do is check their email. Yet, most people are freshest and can focus best in the morning, and usually our email does not call for focus and concentration, nor is it the most important work we have to do. Therefore, if, like me, the first thing you do in the morning is go through email, consider delaying that task and doing the most important brain-work you have to do first, and then go check email when you're ready for a break from your most focused work.

Make time for renewal
One mistake that busy people make is that in planning their routine or their day, they fill each minute with a task. For most, this is a recipe for burnout or space-out. If I don't incorporate time in my day for a short break, my brain takes one anyway, and I often find I'm less productive than if I'd just planned for a little renewal or break in my day in the first place.
 
Build frequency 
Once you've identified a routine that is balanced and will allow you to be most effective, you need practice; you need to make it...routine. So incorporate it and stick with it. If you get off track or it's not working, tweak your routine plan or just keep at it until it is a habit.

Returning to the Aristotelian quote, if we begin to practice what makes us excellent in our work, we will notice that our habits and routine help us to be excellent!

Resources:
The Daily Routine of 7 Famous Entrepreneurs -  Belle Beth Cooper
5 Steps to Create a Daily Routine That Works for You - Elizabeth Larkin