Benefits Of Having A Daily Routine

What does a typical day look like for me? Someone who is unemployed during a worldwide pandemic. Nowhere to go except the grocery store. Is having a routine even important then? The simple answer: Yes. 

Daily Routine With Chelle

An average day goes like this for me: 

Wake Up at 5am: No snooze, lay in bed 15 minutes max

Feed the cats

Wash the dishes

Make a cup of tea or coffee

Check/Respond to emails

Adulting: job search, paperwork, groceries, ect. 

Journal

Content Creation: research, prep, photoshoot, or editing, ect. 

Lunch

Check/Respond to emails again

Option to continue working or relax for the rest of the day

It might not look like much, but all this usually takes up eight hours and my day goes by pretty fast. It also keeps my brain and body active. Trust me, some days I feel extremely exhausted. 

So, why else do I do this? 

Sense of Control

At a time where you can’t control anything, the one thing you can control is yourself and how you respond to current events. The act of “doing” gives a sense of normalcy and purpose. Routine will anchor you when everything else is unpredictable. 

Mental Health

Having a routine can also reduce stress and anxiety. You create a new normal that you’re able to follow without worrying about what needs to be done next. Having important (even if it’s personal) tasks to focus on will reduce the unnecessary amount of time spent on constant news updates, eating out of boredom, or feeling stir crazy. 

Achieve Goals

With all this free time, why not accomplish goals that have been put on the back burner? Even finishing a simple task like putting away the laundry can increase your sense of happiness. Achieving our goals goes hand-in-hand with mental health.The feeling of being happy has the potential to create and form positive behaviors which in turn leads to accomplishing the tasks we’ve given ourselves. 

Everyone’s life is different: different goals, needs, desires, resources, ect. That is why it is important to develop your own personal routine. It won’t look anything like mine. Someone might have a shorter list, while another person might have a longer list. 

Focus on the positives and make the best out of your situation!