5 Steps to Get (Back) Into a Routine

When you establish a routine, certain actions become automated, which is crucial for maintaining long-term habits.

Planning ahead is key to incorporating new activities into your daily life.

While routines reduce the need for conscious decision-making, it is essential to balance them with other areas of life and avoid running on "autopilot."

Why Is Routine Important?

Whatever goal you have in life, you will likely need to establish some rules and routines to achieve it. Whether it's increasing productivity at work, studying more effectively, maintaining a balanced diet, exercising, losing weight, building muscle, recovering from an injury, or preventing illness – routines help create structure and a sense of security. To make lasting improvements, changes must be deeply embedded in your lifestyle. And as with anything new, getting started can be the hardest part.

Your daily habits define your routine. Small actions, like whether you check your phone first thing in the morning or take a moment to set intentions for the day, have long-term effects on your lifestyle. For instance, setting aside time daily to spend with family strengthens relationships and emotional resilience. Research also shows that people who maintain a structured eating routine are more likely to sustain weight loss successfully.

The Journey to Establishing a Routine

Both habits and routines involve learned behaviors that require minimal conscious effort over time. However, habits are often linked to specific triggers, like washing hands after using the bathroom or going to bed after brushing your teeth. If the trigger disappears, the habit might fade. A routine, on the other hand, is independent of triggers and is intentionally structured.

1. The First Step

The most critical and often most challenging part is taking the first step. When making changes, reflect on your daily schedule and set realistic goals. If your aim is to be more active, start with a simple 15-minute walk. Plan whether you can sustain this daily, every other day, or a few times a week. Over time, increase the duration or intensity, gradually incorporating more activities like jogging, swimming, or strength training.

2. Forming a Habit

Once an activity is regularly incorporated into your life, it begins forming into a habit. To ensure success, define clear and specific rules:

• Walk for 15 minutes

• Monday after breakfast, Wednesday after work, Friday after work, Sunday after lunch

Vague goals like "go outside four times a week" often fail due to lack of planning. However, having flexibility, such as shifting a walk from Wednesday to Thursday if needed, ensures consistency.

3. Turning Habits into Routine

To fully integrate habits into your routine, plan ahead to minimize decision fatigue. When faced with too many choices, you are likely to opt for the easiest option, which may not align with your goals. For instance, meal prepping prevents reliance on fast food, and scheduling workouts in advance ensures consistency.

Structuring your activities helps maintain discipline. For example:

• Walks on Monday, Tuesday, and Sunday

• Swimming on Wednesday

• Group fitness class on Friday

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4. How Long Does It Take to Form a Routine?

A UK study found that forming a habit takes an average of 66 days, with physical activity taking twice as long as diet-related habits. However, some individuals formed habits in as little as 18 days, while others took 254 days. The more lifestyle changes you integrate (e.g., exercise, diet, reducing screen time), the longer the process may take. Starting with small, realistic steps is crucial.

Good news: Missing a habit for a day or two doesn’t disrupt progress. Regularity matters, but some flexibility is key to long-term success.

5 Tips to Start Today

1. Create a Foolproof Plan

• Write down your weekly schedule, noting specific activities and times.

• Identify available time slots for new activities.

• Ensure you have the necessary equipment (e.g., workout clothes, meal prep containers).

• Set a start date and commit to it.

• Plan for 2–4 weeks, gradually increasing duration or frequency.

2. Have a Plan B

Consistency is essential, but life happens. Prepare alternative solutions for missed workouts or unexpected schedule changes. Could you reschedule a session from Monday to Tuesday? Would waking up earlier be an option? Planning ahead prevents setbacks from derailing your progress.

3. Track Your Progress

Use a journal or calendar to record when and how long you complete activities. Seeing progress over time boosts motivation and keeps you accountable. Checking off tasks activates the brain’s reward system, reinforcing new habits.

4. Balance Your Routine with Other Aspects of Life

As new habits take root, ensure they complement rather than disrupt your overall well-being. While some activities may initially replace less productive ones (e.g., reducing screen time), avoid overcommitting at the expense of essential needs like sleep, nutrition, and relaxation. Reward yourself periodically with a massage, a short getaway, or another form of self-care.

5. The Ability to Pause and Restart

At some point, you may need to pause your routine due to travel, illness, or injury. When resuming, start at a manageable level instead of picking up exactly where you left off. If you previously ran 15 km, post-injury, begin with 5 km and gradually rebuild endurance.

Similarly, vacations offer a great test of routine flexibility. Adjust your activities to fit new surroundings and resume your regular schedule upon returning home.

Final Takeaway

If you want to change your habits or lifestyle, building a routine is crucial for long-term success. Routines help automate processes, making them second nature. While habit formation is different for everyone, planning ahead minimizes decision fatigue and enhances consistency.

To start today, create a structured plan, set a start date, and track your progress. Balance new habits with other life priorities, and be flexible when needed.