As mundane or repetitive as they may sometimes feel, routines can help you stay focused and productive even when the world around you feels overwhelming.
From the moment you wake up in the morning to your end-of-day wind-down rituals, you will have unique habits and routines that bring structure to your life. These routines create a rhythm that not only keeps you on track but can also help you prioritise what’s really important.
A solid morning routine can kick-start your day with energy and intention, while a calming evening schedule can help you unwind and prepare for a restful night’s sleep.
What Are Routines and Why Do They Matter?
Routines are a sequence of actions regularly followed, at a fixed time and in a fixed order. They do not require conscious effort or thought, particularly when there is a level of enjoyment in completing them.
Routines impact all aspects of our lives. In medicine, patient adherence is one of the biggest challenges to incorporating health recommendations into lifestyle changes. But why does the saying ‘an apple a day’ matter for focus and productivity?
Routines that enhance focus include following a healthy lifestyle, habitually consuming nutritious foods, regular physical activity and consistent sleep. But routines aren’t just for our physical bodies; our mental health requires routines, too.
A routine for creativity and productivity is used to establish a repetitive form of mesmerism. This process requires zero thought—such as waking up early, completing work for several hours, going for a swim, and indulging in music or reading. This routine frees your mind for more important things. You need to make time for what matters to you—like painting or working on your business plan—to stimulate the unconscious mind, which is extremely helpful in decision-making.
Ultimately, even a set schedule for chores, work tasks, meetings, exercise, and paying bills will make it easier to accomplish everything and manage your anxiety. If you begin to feel that you can swim in life’s unpredictable rapids, your routines will become a comforting anchor and you’ll achieve more.
The Science Behind Routines and Focus
Habits are formed from the satisfaction your brain receives after an action. Your nervous system is always seeking activities that will supply a hit of dopamine, the reward chemical.
Creating routines comes from the psychological concept of “self-directed neuroplasticity“, the act of intentionally rewiring your brain through active reflection to establish positive habits.
It compares to “experience-dependent neuroplasticity”, which is a more passive and unconscious process of reinforcing habits, regardless if they’re good or bad for us. (Neuroplasticity is thus the brain’s ability to change throughout one’s life.)
The unconscious nature of habits is what makes them hard to break, but when wired effectively, can be beneficial. The constant search for dopamine was intrinsic to human survival instincts.
Key Elements of a Focus-Boosting Routine
A focus-building routine should include essential components such as healthy sleep, exercise, good nutrition, and regular breaks.
Be mindful of your circadian rhythm for your optimal time of productivity to get work done when planning your routines. A healthy lifestyle will lead to less burnout and a clearer state of mind.
A routine comprises four key steps:
- A cue or stimulus is experienced. A trigger can be a certain location, smell, person, or feeling a particular emotion.
- You desire a craving or particular outcome, motivating you to act.
- You engage in behaviours, thoughts, or actions to achieve that outcome.
- A sense of reward is felt when completing the outcome, satisfying your craving and reinforcing the cue, making the habit a cyclical loop.
Balance productive lifestyle changes with dopamine-inducing rewards to target problems within your usual routines.
How to Build Your Own Routine for Better Focus
To establish healthy routines, connect “good habits” with a more immediate reward—for instance, listening to your favourite album while answering emails.
Start small. Bite-sized achievements will help your brain see immediate results, motivating you to continue with the routine and later develop it further. It may be worth journaling to record your immediate reactions and emotions to these small lifestyle changes, like your energy levels after eating a kale salad for lunch, rather than a burger.
It can take between 18 and 254 days to form a new habit. You only need to look as far as your forgotten New Year’s resolutions to see the proof. Avoiding common mistakes like having an all-or-nothing mentality or managing your time poorly, for the best results.
Other examples of increasing your concentration levels and productive workflow through habits include:
- Switch up your environment. If you struggle with working from home, practice studying in the library, or commuting to the office more regularly.
- Add lifestyle changes to an existing routine, also known as “habit stacking“. Do stretches while you brush your teeth or listen to podcasts during your meal preparation.
- Describe your activities with more positive language. Reframe how difficult your exercise plan is with “I’m getting fitter, I’m getting healthier” instead of “I hate it, it’s hard, this hurts.”
- Visualise success. Your motivation to get work done will increase.
- Give yourself a break. Rewarding yourself is a great way to limit distractions and procrastination. Take a break from the computer, go for a walk, enjoy meals, read a book, whatever it takes to reset your attention and feel satisfied.
It’s important to know that your first routine idea may not be the silver bullet to enhance your cognitive function. Part of the discipline process is to adjust the structure of your routine as needed to achieve optimal progress through consistency.
Experience The Long-Term Benefits of Consistent Routines
Changing your daily routines is a long process that requires a lot of diligence and self-control. The desire to lead a healthier, more focused lifestyle is the first step in the journey.
Stay consistent to continue working on your overall productivity, reduce your anxiety and have greater clarity and mindfulness throughout the week.
Are you struggling to maximise your time to improve performance at home and work? Consider enrolling in a Priority Management energy management course or time management course for insights and tips that will boost your confidence to take charge of your routines and enhance your daily organisational techniques.
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