Why Routines Matter

Daily routines and habits drive our lives. Some for the better, and others—not so much…

As we enter a new year, you may be one of the millions of people who set ambitious resolutions for the coming 365 days. But while many of them end up falling through, habits and routines thrive through consistency and by slowly building or adapting your habits to fit your goals and needs.

In this post, we’ll provide actionable ways you can build sustainable habits and routines that support long-term success, productivity, and well-being. We hope these tips will empower you to make meaningful, lasting changes in your daily life.

But first, what is the difference between a habit and a routine?

Although routines and habits both involve repeated behaviors, they aren’t quite the same. Routines typically require more of a conscious effort, until they become habits that your brain can perform on autopilot. In fact, routines are often formed through the accumulation of habits. Clocking into work 5 days a week is a routine, smoking a cigarette when you’re stressed out is a habit.

The Science of Habit Formation

Habit formation can be broken down into three steps:

1.-Cue (or trigger)

2. Response

3. Reward

Cues are the first step in the habit loop, and serve as a trigger for our brain to initiate a response or action. Finally, there is the reward, which tells our brains that we should keep performing this action in response to that cue.

Here’s a quick example:

Cue: Feeling tired

Response: Make a cup of coffee

Reward: Feeling more alert and less groggy

It’s important to note that if the reward doesn’t feel satisfying enough, we are unlikely to repeat the behavior consistently, and it is therefore unlikely that it will become a long-term habit. This is key when establishing new healthy habits, but more on that further down.

Transforming Routines Into Habits

Think of the things you already do on a regular basis, whether it’s brushing your teeth every night, or going for a weekly brunch on Sundays with your best friend. If you want to add new habits to your life, “habit stacking” is a popular way of doing so.

Coined by James Clear in his book Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones, this method consists of tacking on new habits onto existing ones. For example, if one of your goals is to take better care of your skin, you might consider doing a quick skincare routine after you’ve brushed your teeth while you’re already in the bathroom. Another example would be asking a friend to go for a walk to get your steps in before your regularly scheduled Sunday brunch date.

Naturally, some habits can be harder to commit to than others, and require varying degrees of self-discipline. It's important not to rely on motivation at the beginning, as motivation is a fleeting feeling. Many people believe they need to "feel" motivated to take action, but in reality, it’s the action itself that often fosters motivation. That’s why it’s crucial to start small, so you don’t get discouraged, and gradually work your way up to bigger behavioral changes.

Remember, starting small with habits doesn’t mean they have to be simplistic. Instead, focus on making your habit specific: What will you do? When and where will you do it? For how long? And will you do it alone or with someone else? For example, instead of saying, "I'll exercise more," you could commit to "doing a 10-minute walk around the neighborhood every evening at 6 PM with a friend."

Consider this method a way of creating building blocks towards your bigger goal by using your existing habits as cues to trigger new ones.

Say you have a morning tea every day when you wake up. If one of your objectives is to pay more attention to your mental health, maybe you could start journalling while you sip your hot beverage. If the habit sticks, then consider meditating for 5 minutes once you’ve finished your cup of tea.

While this will require conscious effort at first, eventually you will get used to the routine, and if it’s rewarding enough, then it will become a habit that you do automatically. In essence, follow your plan, not how you feel.

Forming new habits isn’t easy, but with enough repetition and consistency you can make them stick.

Practical Strategies for Building Habits

Beyond starting small and working your way up to bigger habit changes, you can leverage tools like habit trackers and alarms to serve as reminders to stay on track. Even little things like environmental cues can help.

For example, if you want to start doing yoga every morning, you could try laying out your yoga mat in the living room the night before so that when you wake up it reminds you to do your sun salutations before you start the day.

One key tip: don’t overdo it.

It can feel more exciting to set ambitious new habits, but if you overload yourself with too many new changes at once, you might get overwhelmed and lose your momentum.

Examples of Effective Routines and Habits

4 Habits To Improve Your Health:

Daily Walks: Start with a 10-minute walk after work, and increase the duration gradually.

Stretching: Dedicate 5-10 minutes to basic stretches in the morning and/or evening.

Strength Exercises: Add bodyweight exercises (e.g., squats, push-ups) before your stretches a few times a week.

Movement Breaks: Stand up and move for 2-5 minutes every hour, especially if you sit a lot.

4 Habits To Improve Your Productivity:

Use Time Blocks: Work in 25-50 minute focused intervals (e.g., Pomodoro Technique) followed by short breaks.

Limit Distractions: Turn off unnecessary notifications and put away any unnecessary devices.

Batch Tasks: Group similar tasks (e.g., emails, errands) and handle them in one focused session.

End-of-Day Wrap-Up: Spend 5-10 minutes reviewing what you accomplished and planning tomorrow.

3 Habits To Improve Your Mindfulness

Reflection Time: Write down one mindful moment from your day in a journal.

Digital Detox: Spend 15 minutes before bed without screens, focusing on a relaxing activity like reading or gentle stretching.

Body Scan: Lie down or sit comfortably and focus on each part of your body, starting at your toes and moving up.

The Benefits of a Strong Routine

Cementing healthy habits and routines into your lifestyle can help you improve your focus and reduce decision fatigue, leading to better productivity, enhanced well-being and improved stress management.

Be patient with yourself, because it’s not an easy process. And don’t be too rigid, sometimes life just gets in the way and there’s nothing we can do about it. If your train is delayed and you don’t get home with enough time to exercise before you need to pick up the kids from school, then don’t beat yourself up about it. Just don’t let it get in the way of trying again tomorrow.

What small habit could you pick up today and incorporate into your life?

Here’s a couple to get you inspired:

1.-Practice mindful breathing when you get a minute, using triggers like waiting at a crosswalk or taking a shower to take a few deep, measured breaths.

2. Write down 1-3 things you accomplished or learned every day.

3. Plan your day by spending 5 minutes in the morning identifying your top 3 priorities.

Building Routines & Daily Habits - How We Can Help

If you’re trying to build new routines and habits, but are struggling to stay consistent or motivated, our Change Coaches can help. Whether you’re looking to change your eating patterns, get more active, improve your sleep, or something else—our team will develop a tailored plan, provide support and hold you accountable to your goals.

If you’ve already established positive habits and routines for yourself, but are trying to optimize your health, our Longevity Program can help you further achieve your goals through baseline metrics and tracking for success.