Your daily routine

We all know that consistency and routine are important – it’s a view that’s been espoused by physicians, psychiatrists, life coaches and the like for a very long time. Despite the barrage of advice, very few of us actually commit to any regular daily practices. Doing something every day is an important way of dedicating yourself to your wellbeing. Getting into your body to nourish and strengthen your mind and spirit every single day is one of the most effective ways to ground yourself and feel a sense of accomplishment, fulfillment and purpose. The hardest part is, well, just doing it.

Whether you’re in a period of transition or have a schedule that seems to have no room for anything but work, routine is crucial. When we have lots of free time on our hands there is the potential to lose our sense of purpose, which can be seriously detrimental to our mental health. The structure that daily practices provide gives us that purpose back. When we’re busy, on the other hand, we may be getting things done but very few of those things are for ourselves. We may need to adjust our schedule slightly so that we can carve out that essential time to nourish our body, mind and spirit, whether that’s waking up that little bit earlier or doing something for yourself on your lunch break.

We are all different, and different things make us feel good. Daily practices are not supposed to add stress to your life. They can be as simple as play through journaling and visual art. Follow the artist’s way and write a rambling stream of consciousness in your notebook, scribble, release any expectations and “shoulds”. Take a 20- minute mindful walk around the block. Direct your attention to the way that your feet touch the ground, notice a particular colour that’s present, count your breaths. Do anything to bring yourself out of your thinking mind and into your body and environment.

You could set yourself a consistent wake time that you rise at every morning without fail and then follow waking with some light stretching or even just 20 minutes of yoga. Don’t set yourself too strict a time span for your exercise – do as much as feels comfortable and surrender to what your body is asking of you. If you want to rise very early and go for an energizing cold swim or to a fitness class then do so if it makes you feel your best.

It is crucial, particularly at 50, that we really do balance our energies. For all of your energy expenditure, you need equal time to rest and reset. If you find yourself drained or stressed by your daily practices, then you’re doing too much. These practices are not meant to be taken to the extreme, but rather sit at a moderate middle ground.

Treat your chosen routine as something that you must check off of your to do list every day, just the same as chores or work. Be patient with yourself while remaining conscious of your commitment to consistency. The time that you take to look after your wellbeing is just as important as any of your other duties, so dedicate yourself to it wholeheartedly.