When you read the word "routine" does it evoke feelings of dread or boredom? Many people I talk to seem to think this way. But what if I told you that changing your thinking here can have a substantial impact on your success and happiness?
I am certain that (even though I don't know them personally) the most successful people in the world follow fairly strict routines. It can even start with some very small things from the moment you wake up. For example: when the alarm goes off, do you hit the snooze button? Starting your morning off right is massive! Instead of hitting snooze, put your two feet on the floor and start moving immediately. Doing this gets your day started (on a more positive path than snoozing, I might add) and allows you to build momentum. Now, open the blinds fully (or turn on the lights if it's still dark out) and make your bed... in the first 30 seconds of the day you will have already accomplished three things! It will give you a little more push to keep going as you will already have the feeling of getting things done. And voila!... you now have the beginnings of a solid morning routine.
When you are ready, you can extend your morning routine to tackle things like eating a better breakfast, doing some exercise and more. You can institute the same thing for just about any part of your day. Let's take a quick look at the end of your day: You could carve out the last thirty minutes of your day to write down what you felt you accomplished today, tidy up your home, review your calendar for the next day, maybe pick out what you are going to wear tomorrow, etc. All of these things will set you on path of greater productivity for the following day and create a more positive environment for yourself.
Other "routines" can be single actions but have just as much of an impact. Here are a couple examples: We all hear how we need to drink more water (unless you are in the less than 10% who actually do drink more than 8 cups per day). What if you started drinking one cup of water every time you opened the refrigerator door? Would you like to be more positive? Try what Eric Thomas teaches... write on your bathroom mirror (I suggest you use a dry-erasable marker!) "I CAN... I WILL... I MUST...". When you are getting ready each morning, complete each sentence verbally with what you are trying to accomplish.
Sound simple? You won't believe me if I told you how powerful this is until you try it yourself. Do any of these things evoke the same feelings you might have had when you read the word "routine" in the title of this post? Try some of these or implement some of your own ideas. I would love to hear from you on what some of the small changes you have made to your routines and the impact it has had for you.
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