My alarm goes off at 6:30am. Monday-Friday.
Although, I no longer have to drive any kids to school, no longer have to commute to work, and I no longer have to answer to a boss, my morning routine remains the same:
Make my bed.
Brush my teeth.
Get dressed.
Feed the dog.
Drink a glass of water.
Meditate.
Eat Breakfast.
Sit down at my desk and start working by 8am.
When I first became a stay-at-home-freelance-entrepreneur, I found myself walking in circles trying to figure out how best to utilize my time all day.
After 30+ years in corporate life, where every waking moment was scheduled for me, this was a whole new experience.
Having no structure to my day actually made me just as anxious as being over-booked, over-scheduled, and overwhelmed.
I had to find a happy medium.
I had to create my own routine.
In March of 2020, the whole world came to a screeching halt.
Suddenly everyone was stuck at home trying to figure out how to best structure THEIR days.
Some with jobs. Some without.
Some with kids. Some without.
Any semblance of a ‘normal routine’ came to a grinding halt.
In addition to the fear of being exposed to a deadly virus, the stress of social isolation, pivoting to working remotely, and oftentimes juggling children in the background, EVERYTHING became more difficult.
In 2020, 4 out of 10 adults reported having some sort of anxiety or depressive disorder.
This statistic was way up from the 1 out of 10 adults in 2019.
And although things are starting to return to normal, many people are still suffering from anxiety and depression due to almost 20 months of isolation and/or lack of structure.
Studies have shown that one of the ways to mitigate feelings of anxiety and depression is to have a daily routine.
Routines have always been important in all stages of life from infancy to elderly care.
However, developing a routine during THIS unprecedented time, of being home all day, has never been more important.
Even in the absence of having a structured job or having to care for others, a healthy daily routine is important for everyone’s mental health.
Routines are about creating good habits.
Sometimes the best way to introduce a NEW healthy habit is to let go of an OLD BAD habit at the same time.
For example, if you find yourself wasting hours scrolling through social media, you might want to remove the apps from your phone and replace that habit with downloading a great podcast or an audible book.
You can listen to something uplifting while you are doing chores, running errands, or taking a daily walk… rather than having FOMO over some frenemies latest trip to Cabo.
Routines can give structure to your day whether or not you have a job or a family.
The goal is to find purpose in YOUR day, whether it is recreational or professional, it does not matter.
If you would like to learn more about “The Power of Routine, ” check out my latest podcast episode on The OverThinker’s Guide to Joy.
Happy Wednesday!
xo, Jackie
P.S. If you would like help developing healthier habits in your life and would like to work with me 1:1, I invite you to book your consultation here.
