The importance of routine: How committing to one thing every day can change your life.
So I’ve been doing this thing recently… well I say recently, but it has been 53 days precisely; I’ve been waking up early, praying, and walking every. single. day. With lockdown limiting our day-to-day routines, I wanted to ensure that I was getting fresh air and doing something for my headspace, and most importantly, making uninterrupted time for ME. I didn’t know that I would be so consistent with it, and I didn’t know that something so small would make a big impact, but what I do know, is that it was one of the best decisions I have made.
“Commitment”
Commitment is a big word. It’s not saying “I hope” or “I’ll try” but “I will” and the definitiveness of it is the reason many don't last. You see, by saying “I’ll try” or “I’m going to”, you automatically give yourself a card to fail. You could always say “well I tried” and “maybe next time” but the truth is “trying” won’t cut it. When you commit, you have to be 100% in and say “I AM doing this… No if’s no but’s, It is happening.” You have to be dedicated to what it is you said you were doing. The short truth is that those who don’t fully commit, aren’t as serious about it as they think. Commitment can be scary, but if you put your everything into something it works out way more than it fails.
Commitment and consistency is where you’ll see results for the simple fact that you’re working towards your goal each and every day. It’s not possible to say you’re committed but only put in work part-time. You may be passionate or have good intentions but you’re not committed. There’s a difference. You can apply this to anything by the way… but when you make the conscious decision to commit to something, anything… you can’t do it half-heartedly.
“Routine”
So what made me switch things up? As children, we were fixed to a routine. We had a structure to our day and this continued throughout our educational life. As adults, the only structure we have is our jobs… and that’s if you’re not self-employed. Even then, our spare time is usually just improvising and we’re just existing. We then end up wasting time and not actually doing things for us which makes us feel more drained and irritable as the free time passes…along with our happiness.
Routine is important to stay grounded and focused, but it can also give us more free time as we gradually build better habits. Looking back, I think I had fallen into a trap of familiarity which can be mistaken for routine. It’s something many of us can relate to… just doing things because it’s what you’ve always done but isn’t necessarily in your best interest. You can do things because it’s what you’re used to, but is it intentional?
Last year made me pause and think about how I was living but also reflect on my decisions to date. If you read/listened to my end of year post, “lesson’s learned” you’ll know that last year was an intense year for me (as it was for most), but to the point that I made the conscious decision to actively change certain ways I went about this thing we call life. When life has beaten you down to the foundations, there’s no other option but to build yourself back up. That’s where I was in life. Tired of the same results, tired of the excuses, and frankly, tired of me. My mindset had to change.
One of my goals for this year was to put myself and God first. I had been neglecting myself and burning out in the process. I wasn't really getting “me” time and I was way too hard on myself. It meant when things didn’t go to plan, I’d be overwhelming myself with plan B,C,D, etc and I never seemed to catch a break. My stress was high and I felt like I had nothing worthy to show for it. It’s good to push yourself, but there are limits to everything. Balance is important.
Similarly, my relationship with God has always been there but I had drifted a little over the years and I found myself turning to backup plans instead of turning to him first. It’s great to have a plan but without faith, you end up stressing and spiralling. I used to say I would cast my fears to him, but in turning to backup plans I was contradicting my faith. Sometimes a little patience is all you need. Instead, I would make hasty decisions that weren’t always necessary, when allowing God to be my “PA” and moving on with the next thing would have been far more efficient.
It was time to focus on the two things I had been neglecting, so I told myself that I was going to pray each day and do things that made me happy. I wanted to become the best version of myself and I am dedicated to that goal. The two changes I wanted to make were subtle but without truly believing in it, I wasn’t going to see change. Instead of overwhelming myself with big future goals, I started with changes I could make that would help me better reach my big goals.
As the end of last year approached I promised myself that I would be committed this time. All the lessons I had learned I was going to actually implement. No BS, no delay. In the past, I’d give myself targets then burn out because there was no drive but ego and accomplishment. It was shallow and was probably the reason why it was always short-lived. I didn’t have a purpose. Now that I put God first, I had a reason to do things. How can I not do my best when he gives me life each day? How can I not love myself fully when he made me with no mistakes? If I wasn’t going to better myself for me, let it be for his purpose. This time, I was going to trust in the process, and in trusting the process, there would be less weight on my shoulders. I did something that doesn’t make sense in theory but is more effective in practice: I tried less to be perfect, and instead focused on consistency.
In taking away the burden of achieving XYZ and instead, taking each day as it comes - along with trusting the process - I took away the ceiling and refused to put a cap on my abilities… because even tall ceilings have an end. The only instruction I gave myself was to “be better than yesterday” (and if you follow me on instagram, you’d have seen me say it quite regularly). By New Year’s day, I had already been walking for a few days with my brother and I thought, let me make this into a routine. At the same time, I had been tuning into online service, and they mentioned a January fast and prayer from the 4th - 31st. I thought, why not? It was a way to get closer to God and the 6 am starts allowed me to break out of the unhealthy habit I had developed during my AL of waking up midday.
By committing to 6am morning prayers, I had to ensure that I was sleeping at a good time in order to be prompt. Even though it was an online service, I planned to be sitting up at my desk to give my full attention each morning (remember I said no half-heartedness). If I was to be committed, I couldn’t take short-cuts. This meant that I had to be up by quarter-to so that I could make my bed, brush my teeth, give morning thanks, and be seated and listening. It wasn’t always easy but having a purpose as opposed to just doing it for the sake of it, meant that I had a reason to be up. On days that I just wanted to stay in bed and sleep, I told myself to be obedient and present for God. Once service was finished (30-40 mins), it was tempting to go back to bed for a few hours before I had to get ready for work but I didn’t want to slip into bad habits.
Instead of going to sleep, I was going to make the most of my time and keep a routine. Since the nights were long, walking in the morning made more sense as it wasn’t dark, and the early morning air took away any lingering tiredness. It made me alert, awake, and refreshed, and what was once 1-2 miles of walking has turned into 7 miles daily. I don’t rush myself, and unlike running, it allows me to multitask so I find myself listening to podcasts, music, audiobooks and sometimes even catch-up calls. I also make sure I do my Duolingo so I’m using that time to clear my head, take in my surroundings and exercise my brain. By the time I have to go to work, I am refreshed, calmer, and actually ready for the day AND I’ve got in my daily exercise.
In waking up early, I utilise my time better, set the tone for the day, and have some more me-time at the end of the day without feeling like I have to do exercise. I can actually unwind and do things that make me feel good. As a result of all of this, I’ve found myself smiling every day, I’m more proactive, softer, and I’ve lost over 1.5 stone in weight, and many inches around my waist. It’s funny because for once, weight-loss wasn’t my goal or focus.
The walking (albeit just under 2 hrs long) was a way for me to start with a clear mind and be at one with my thoughts. It gradually increased to 7 miles, but because it’s not intense it means I’m not getting injured and have been able to maintain it every day. Of course, this means that I’ve been burning calories but do you see how thinking less has allowed me to achieve more? Before, I’d go hard in the gym, usually in a rush, and probably would have injured myself. Though I was working harder, overall, I was burning out more and doing less.
Now my approach to everything has changed. When you focus on one thing, you can do more. Though you may be committing to one thing, the discipline and dedication will in turn influence everything else you do and you may be surprised by the results. Routine has kept me sane during this lockdown, and my dedication and commitment to God and me, even when things may not seem like they’re going to plan, has allowed me to make so much more progress.
I feel refreshed, relaxed, and more accepting to change. Because I’m less stressed, I sleep more, procrastinate less, and have motivation and appetite for more growth. If I can walk for 50 days, I can do another 50… and another! Whilst I’m talking about the number 50… by waking up at 6 am instead of 9 am, I gain nearly 50 days a year just like that.
What I’ve learned in the last 53 days is that we can do more without feeling overwhelmed. Routine has played a massive role in that. It’s not always about the intensity of what you do, but the quality. Sometimes slow and steady really does win the race because you can go further.
Today is the beginning of lent. For Christians, it’s the 40 days and nights (excluding Sundays) leading up to Easter where Jesus was in the wilderness and tempted by the Devil. You can read more about it here. During this time, Christians often pick something (usually something that is luxury) to abstain from until Easter which is a discipline in itself.
This Lent, I’m going to take more time to listen and appreciate others. It’s easy to lean on others but we should show appreciation as often as we can - especially during these times - and not always think about us. Every day I’m going to promote someones work or reach out to someone whose work/art inspires or uplifts me. I don’t have to know them personally, but I’m going to take time out of my day to take in their work and reach out and tell them. Often we want support, appreciation, or love, but receiving that (especially when it’s least expected) is sometimes that boost we need and should be practiced more.
I’ve been doing a lot of me time and self-growth, but it’s also important to turn the spotlight onto others from time to time. We don’t dim our light by shining light on others. This will allow me to appreciate those around me and take in all the talent. By the end of Lent, I should have reached out to over 40 people, and who knows what those conversations will teach me.
I challenge you to commit to something until Easter whether you’re a Christian or not. Pick one thing that you can do every day and take each day as it comes. It doesn’t have to be spiritual, but just make sure you don’t give up. By the end of the 40 days, you may find that you’ll want to keep incorporating it into your life but you won’t know until you try.
All I can say is that if you COMMIT and stay consistent, you’ll be surprised by how much you can do. If you’re not happy with something in your life, try something new. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results so why not just commit to 40 days with the possibility of changing your life?
You’ve got this!
Liz x