Many posts from social media urge you to perfect your routines to be as productive as possible. You're supposed to get up early, plan your mornings meticulously, and work on numerous projects.
Such routines may seem very productive on the surface, but no one is able to keep up these habits in the long run, especially on bad days. It's not about perfection, it's about progress.
The point of a routine is to make your work easier and to make progress. In my opinion, it does no good to work on different projects before breakfast because you lose your initial focus in the morning. Moreover, productivity is not the ultimate goal.
The most important routines of the day are the morning and evening routines. These are the places where you should start and establish a simple routine that you can stick to even on difficult days. A healthy, good night's sleep is one of the most important habits you can develop.
The Morning Routine Should Activate, Focus and Start Your Day
The three main aspects of a morning routine are activation, focus, and launch. Instead of forcing yourself to get up early, you should pay attention to your own sleep type and find a suitable time to wake up.
Activation is what gets you going in the morning. For example, after getting up, you can drink a glass of water, do five push-ups or take a cold shower.
Focusing describes concentrating your mind. If you don't use electrical devices in the morning, you won't be distracted by social media apps. By taking a walk, you can collect your thoughts and get some fresh air.
The last step, the start, means that you should start the day with the most important task. At the beginning of the working day, you are still awake, alert and creative. This energy should not be wasted on your email inbox, but invested in the most important and influential task.
The Evening Routine Should Switch Off, Reflect and Relax
The key aspects of the evening routine are switching off, reflecting and relaxing. You shouldn't go to bed too late. You shouldn't drink caffeine before sleeping, and most importantly, you shouldn't work on a screen to avoid blue light. Night owls like me find this point particularly difficult…
It's important to switch off. You should stop working at a set time. If you finish your work by brainstorming, you avoid being kept awake at night by your thoughts.
You should also reflect on how your day went. For example, you can keep a diary or meditate. In addition, you can plan the next day's schedule or think of ways to improve it.
The last thing to do is to relax before going to sleep. Meditation can also help here. I love to read until I get tired and fall asleep.
Sleep is the most important part of the evening routine, because only with a good night's rest do you ensure that you will be able to perform the next day.
Simple routines are not only easier to integrate into your life, they are also more efficient. Viral routines are too complex. You should also avoid using technical devices in the morning and evening, if possible.
Try it out and simplify your morning or evening routine! Can you already see improvements after one week? Simplifying my routines has helped me a lot.
My Morning and Evening Routine
My morning routine is very simple so I can do it every morning, even if I'm short on time.
- 7-minute workout and stretching
- Showering
- 15 minutes of reading or learning
My evening routine is just as simple, but effective.
- Writing in my diary
- Planning the next day
- Reading in bed