“You made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to set.” Psalms 104:19 NLT
Some people believe that having a routine is synonymous with boredom. A simple Google search will show you several answers where readers are advised to ditch the routine and stay dynamic.
While this works in certain seasons of life, it can never be the reality for someone whose mission requires a daily input of specific activities.
You can “spice things up” by modifying the routine, but consistently breaking it will eventually affect whatever goal you’re pursuing.
Everything we hope to achieve requires a healthy dose of consistency. Whether it is to lose or gain weight, be a better mom, get a pay raise, become the next team lead or even just get rid of mouth odour.
For years I have read about the importance of having morning and evening routines. While I have never really stayed with one routine long enough, I have experienced first-hand the benefits of having such.
Routines Help Combat Burnout
According to a study by the American Psychological Association, work is one of the leading causes of stress.
I never had midday naps and used to gradually see my productivity decline even before the day was over. By fixing several super short breaks and one long break (for a nap) within the day, most days end with me still feeling energetic. But when I don’t take those breaks and my baby decides to show me who is boss in the evenings, the energy goes out the window.
Routines Reduce Anxiety
You are at the mercy of what you can’t predict. The reason we can divide the day into morning, noon and night with all certainty is because God has set the earth to follow a specific routine.
Imagine having to always adjust when nighttime will start just because the earth decides to slow down its rotation. But that’s how we live daily and the anxiety just keeps growing.
When people don’t have a routine or structure to their day it can cause increased stress and anxiety, as well as overwhelming feelings, lack of concentration, and focus. — RACHEL GOLDMAN, PHD.
Research shows that when you stick to a routine for 21 days, you’ll most likely stick to it for a long time. It’ll become a habit.
Working for long hours without a predictable way to stay focused and organised can negatively affect why we’re doing the work in the first place.
I’ve abandoned projects and stalled on new ideas simply due to a lack of consistency. What then was the point of all the work done prior?
You can modify a routine to keep it interesting but never stop it entirely. The lives placed on our paths depend on our consistency.
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