In 2015, I hit a stride of unmatched consistency. It was because of my routines.
I was waking up at 5a every morning and recording 5 podcast episodes in one day and would shoot 5 outfit posts for my blog in one afternoon. It seemed my energy was limitless – indeed relentless – and a few months ago, I wondered why I didn’t have that same rhythm anymore.
I was able to establish solid routines back then for a few reasons.
First, it was the summertime – so there was noticeably more daylight throughout the day. Secondly, I only had one child; she was 9-10 months old – precisely when she slept through the night more consistently than in the last 6 months. So it felt like I had hit the energy lottery. Lastly, I established very clear and consistent routines.
This was the same season I was let go from my 9-5, so again my perspective was golden again to make this newfound freedom matter. The despair drove me to that extent.
My life is much different now. So are my routines.
It’s essential to recognize that routines look different depending on the season of your life.
Routines establish the rhythm of our every day, and that’s why they matter so much. Routines allow us to prosper because they position us to achieve daily consistency.
So what exactly is a routine?
A routine is a standard or regular way of doing something or a fixed way of doing things.
They seem boring on the surface, but they make everyday make sense.
When there is more sunlight in our day, it’s a little easier to think about establishing routines for our everyday lives.
Simply because more light = more energy.
When we have the energy to change or create new routines to improve our every day, we do. Even more reason to be thankful that spring is right around the corner.
I get it.
At the top of the year, we all have audacious goals and want to hit the ground running and get better once the calendar reads Jan 1. However, starting something new is problematic if it isn’t already established when there is minimal daylight. Routines especially.
The routines that mattered most when I only had one baby certainly don’t matter most now.
Now, I have 3 babies – no longer babies – but little kids who have autonomy and are old enough to contribute to our day-to-day even if just a little bit. My husband who used to have a corporate gig no longer does and is currently the COO of our company. We live in a house 3 times the size we used to live in 4 years ago.
Those “small” things make a big difference in our routines.
Laundry takes more energy because they are more people which means more clothes. (Laundry service is worth every single penny.)
Cleaning takes longer because there are more rooms and space to clean since the house is both our home and our workspace.
Routines meant the most to me once I had children and had to balance navigating the details of their lives and my own.
Mornings are more hectic because all 3 of them go to school and don’t take the bus. (Shoutout to Chris for tackling the school commute pretty much every single day.)
I realize that it’s unfair to compare 2023 me to 2015 me.
A lot is different – my priorities and routines reflect that.
But routines were hardest for me as a new mom for several reasons. I was exhausted, I wanted to get everything right (SPOILER: I didn’t) and even when I did I wondered why it wasn’t easy.
Routines and habits are two very different things. I use to believe that if I stuck with a routine over and over again, it would eventually become a habit that required no effort. That is certainly not necessarily the case.
Habits are instinctually automatic, and routines are intentionally consistent.
You likely barely even think about your habits – good or bad – because they’re such automatic behaviors. But a routine is something more conscious and will always feel like you’re putting forth an effort. And there’s nothing wrong with that.
Naturally, because we’re discussing routines and habits – we also have to discuss schedules.
Routines require effort. You increase their consistency when you follow routines on a schedule.
Habits reveal who we are.
Routines reveal what we prioritize.
Schedules reveal the time we plan to get what we prioritize done.
In the current season I’m in, I understand that routines are necessary for mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health. That’s why I willingly embrace them. They position me to operate optimally in the season I’m in. They have to be adjusted seasonally to matter still, which requires an acute self-awareness I haven’t always had.
However, I’m now in a season of clarity. Self-awareness included.
I’m clear on who I am, who I want to be and the work necessary to do in the gap. That work includes putting forth a daily effort towards what I prioritize, what I want to get better at, and not allowing distractions (or bad habits) to stop me from doing so.
So yes, that means a set bedtime, listening to the Word for 45 minutes every day, working out at least 3 times a week, and blocking out time for Chris and the kids at least once a week.
While they require persistent effort, routines are MAGIC.
They’re meaningful because they matter to our daily bottom line.
They’re aesthetically pleasing because let’s face it, routines look good on our to-do lists and ideal in our calendars. But the results always feel good.
They’re goal-oriented because they allow us to work towards our goals in the current season.
They’re intentional because routines require a deliberate effort.
And they have to be consistent to make a noticeably positive difference in our lives.
As we enter March (hey, spring!), I encourage you to find the MAGIC of routines in this current season of your life and embrace it. It’ll bring you closer to becoming who you’ve always wanted to be.
And what’s more MAGIC than that?
