I get asked a lot about why routines are so important. Not having a daily routine and daily habits is detrimental to our growth mindset. This is because one of the pitfalls of living without them is that we become more rigid (fixed mindset). Fixed mindsets stop growth from happening – both personal and professional – and therefore it’s vital to focus on how to create daily routines and habits.
Misconceptions about daily routines and habits
One of the main misconceptions is that people think you become more rigid and less flexible if you have a daily routine. This is false. Daily routines and habits actually allow you to be more flexible in your schedule and allow you to focus on what’s important at the time, rather than constantly react to various issues that pop up without notice that require your immediate attention.
It also means that once the spontaneous occurrence has passed – you know exactly where to restart from in order to fully concentrate on your professional or personal development.
How do you know which activities to schedule into a daily routine?
The main question here is:
What do you personally value?
There is obviously not one size fits all here – but this question is the most fundamental question you have to ask yourself before you create anything or write something into your daily planner.
If you value your friends and family – schedule time to see them. If you are instead focusing purely on your career, schedule your day accordingly. Once you figure out what it is you want to concentrate on, it’s a very simple process of dedicating time to it each and every day.
There are many things we want to be part of – but a day only has 24 hours in it. Around 8 of those, we sleep for. The rest has to be accounted for in the most efficient way possible.
Examples of things that may be important for a daily routine
The reason we get overwhelmed by the idea of scheduling our day is that we don’t know what is important to us. Here is a list of a few examples of important things that you may want to schedule your day around:
- Business projects
- Things that bring you joy
Self-care
- Working out
How to actually go about scheduling things without overwhelming yourself
The most important thing here is actionability. This means that a goal must be actionable in order to be achieved. For example, if you’re a freelance writer in your spare time and you agree to write 50 articles a week, this is not actionable.
Instead, you should have one thing that you do every day, and one thing that you do once a week. This will allow you to have actionable steps to building a better life. A good example would be to join a for-fun club or society for two hours a week. Thus allowing you to practise a skill that you enjoy, while also giving your mind time for rest every week.
Having non-negotiables
The next most important thing to discuss here is non-negotiables. This is what the bulk of your schedule will be full of. This is time you’ve earmarked for professional growth and will be fully dedicated to work.
If you’re working full-time for a company, this will be your day broken down into small actionable tasks, so that you can be your best possible self. This will allow you to grow in the company.
If you have more “free” time (if you’re self-employed, a business owner, hustler) – then this is your bread and butter. Growth, especially online, is exactly proportional to the exact amount of productive hours you put into something.
Thus, creating habits and a schedule around your day is fundamental. If you do not have one, growth as a freelancer or business owner is next to impossible. If you’re working full-time and you’re also side-hustling, this is even more important, because already more than half your day is eaten up by sleeping and working.
Delegating or outsourcing tasks
Let’s say you’re a single mother with a baby, with a full-time job and a side-hustle. It’s just not feasible that you can do everything yourself. If you have family members who can help with the baby, you can work online during your down hours.
Or if you do not have anyone that can help you – get freelancers to help you work online. A large amount of work required to grow a business online can be professionally outsourced for fairly cheap, without a particularly expensive middleman!
It can be difficult to find the right freelancer, but once you do – a relationship like that can last for years – with both parties profiting.
Conclusion
By setting up a clear daily routine/schedule around our lives, we can improve or maintain our health and wellness. This is important for everyone – in order to grow professionally and personally.
We hope this article has helped you understand how to schedule your day. Small tasks done daily yield large results. If you have any questions about anything, feel free to contact me!
Best,
Dr. Asha Prasad
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