Hit snooze on your alarm a few times. Roll out of bed and rush through getting ready for the day. Grab a breakfast bar and coffee to go. Rush around and try to find everything you need for your day. Does this sound like your morning? If this sounds familiar, you may be stuck in a routine, but not a positive one. But instead of feeling overwhelmed by your morning and then everything you have to do with the rest of your day, there are steps you can take to create a more positive routine for yourself.
Benefits of a Positive Routine
There are many benefits that come with having a positive routine. Routines can lead to less stress and improved mental health. By staying on schedule, you have more time to relax knowing that everything will get done. This can also lead to less anxiety and better overall mental health. With a healthy sleep routine you feel refreshed and your performance during the day, as well as your energy levels, will be improved. Scheduling activities with friends or family can also help you feel connected and more involved with your community which can aid in symptoms of depression.
Creating Your Own Routine
Creating a routine can feel overwhelming if you’re just starting out, but there are a few things to keep in mind when creating an effective schedule.
- Make a List: Write down everything you need to get done during the day. This can include work, school, and home life. To start, simply write down everything that you already do every day and then everything else that needs to get done. You don’t have to do this step all at once, but you can carry a notebook with you throughout the day to take note of the tasks that need to be done.
- Create Structure: Once you have all your tasks written out, you can begin to categorize what tasks should be done when. For example, if you want to add exercise or meditation into your day, you may decide that first thing in the morning is the best time. Be mindful of your energy levels throughout the day. If you tend to feel a midday slump, don’t schedule working on a big project for that time period. The evening can be set up to prepare for the next day and spend time with family and friends. Bigger tasks like cleaning the house can be broken up as tasks throughout the week. Instead of waiting until Saturday to clean everything, scheduling twenty minutes every day to tidy a different area of the house can feel more manageable.
- Find What Works For You: There are many different ways to keep a routine. Some people may find a calendar on their phone to be helpful to set alarms and complete tasks. For others, an old fashioned planner or a color-coordinated calendar may be the best way to stay motivated. Whatever your method, find one that will keep you engaged and on track.
- Keep Some Flexibility: A schedule helps us complete the tasks we need to throughout the day, but the reality is that life does not always run on our schedule. While we are trying to create a positive and productive schedule, we need to have some flexibility when things don’t go according to plan. If we are rigid in our planning, these fluctuations can feel overwhelming and cause us to fall into “all or nothing” thinking. When a routine goes off course, remind yourself that you can adjust as you go.
BlueFire PulsaR Can Help
We help young adults step out of their comfort zone, improve their self-esteem, and help our clients build their confidence through self-success. Our program helps create positive changes and improvements through engagement and adventure. We have a supportive environment that encourages clients to push themselves physically and emotionally to create lasting changes.
Our wilderness therapy program for young adults offers a higher level of therapy than other programs, but in a very hands-on applied manner. For instance, we use adventure activities as teaching tools. We have clients that have never been in wilderness environments doing things they never would have imagined they were capable of doing. For more information please call (208) 269-7554.