We all have routines in our lives, whether intentionally created or not. It could be a simple evening routine of brushing teeth, plugging in your phone, and reading for a bit, or a more involved morning routine that could include exercise, an overview of the day ahead, and getting your kids off to school—whatever your routines look like, they have impact on our lives overall. While we might recognize our personal-life routines, we might not think about them in relation to our work life, and how they support (or detract from) our success. Let’s take a moment to look into routines, why they’re so powerful, and how best we can utilize them:
The Importance of Consistent Action
It’s important to recognize the sheer power of repetition. When we do something every day, even if that action is small and seemingly insignificant, the results accumulate. You might only exercise for 15 minutes each morning, but chances are that, after a few weeks or months, you’ll begin to see results. The same holds true for the routines we build around our professional lives. We can’t dismiss small actions or overlook their significance. Those small actions are the building blocks of your success, and when you ensure their repetition with a strong routine, you create a foundation for steady progress.
Minor Achievements are Vital
Quite often, when we think about our goals, we think of the point of completion—the place we want to get to. But fixating on the endpoint isn’t what’s going to get us there. As I mentioned above, it’s those day-to-day actions that move us closer, inch by inch. The power of an intentional routine is that it makes working towards your goals a normal part of each day. With no routine in place, it’s easy to skip putting in the work when you’re tired, unmotivated, or overwhelmed. And of course, occasionally, we do need to give ourselves a break. But without a routine, when we take breaks, we run a higher risk of not resuming our efforts. Routines keep us on track. If we miss a day here or there, it’s not a big deal. The habitual nature of our routine will help to put us back on track.
Highlight Your Goals
If we want to utilize the power of our routines, we need to be strategic. This starts with highlighting our goals. What are you striving for? What do you hope to achieve? Then, let’s break those goals down. How much work are you going to need to put in daily to bring you closer to reaching those goals? Now, determine how you can make those actions an integral part of your routine. Maybe you want to build your online presence. As a goal, this can feel a little ambiguous. But if we break it down—what can we do daily to see progress? You can create content, share it regularly, keep your social-media pages updated, and engage with your audience. After that, you can begin to structure a routine. Perhaps you begin spending 20 minutes each morning dedicated to these activities. When that effort is maintained over time, you’ll see the results.
Our routines can be untapped resources. They’re so intertwined in our lives that we tend to not give them much consideration. But, when we truly recognize their potential to create change and growth, we see that by adding intentional structure to our routines, we can use them for optimal benefit.
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