Change Your Routine to Force Success

Most people have routines for the certain periods of their day that allow them to get things done in a a familiar, if not efficient, fashion. But is it truly as efficient as it can be? Let's talk about changing things up to find out.

Your Routine

I'll use my own morning routine as an example. I get up, drink water, stretch, and either lift or do core work depending on the day. Now, NORMALLY after this I immediately eat breakfast before showering, shaving, etc.

On a morning when I knew I needed to be prepared for something earlier, I found myself doing the hygiene portion of my routine first, then eating. This was a small change, but it just naturally made sense to me. Showering, shaving, and brushing my teeth were non-negotiable activities before leaving home for any reason. Food, while important, could be taken with me and finished later.

Unsurprisingly, this made an impact on how quickly I was ready to leave that morning, as I was able to watch the time while eating, and simply stop and bring the rest with me. So I applied this during times that I didn't actually need to, to similar effect.

Obviously, your routine may vary. The point here is to examine your routine and think about where you can make changes that will either force you to be more efficient, or at the very least make it easier to be.

Where to Change

So you're resolved to change your routine, but have no idea where to start. No problem, let's look at some suggestions.

Length

Does your routine take too long? Is every step truly necessary? Ask yourself WHY you do each of these things every day. Examine your reasons and the results of each step, and cut out the dead weight. A slightly more advanced strategy that can also cut down on the length of time things take is to do multiple things at once, such as doing a separate task while something heats on the stove or in the microwave. Those little increments of saved time add up.

Content

Do certain parts of it leave you consistently tired or frustrated? Target those areas. Sometimes doing something as simple as changing the order of the steps can make a huge difference. If something is regularly leaving you with negative feelings, ask yourself why. Is this something you actually need to be doing? If so, ask yourself why something that makes you miserable every day is so necessary for you. Fair warning, this can lead to some serious life contemplation.

What's Your Routine?

As always, I want to hear from all of you. What's your routine, and did reading this help you find a way to change it up for better results? Share your stories and methods below.