8 Daily Routine Musts That Will Leave You Fulfilled
Like it or not, there is something to be said about the power of daily routine in our lives.
Whether you see it as a propagator of Groundhog Day that robs life of its spontaneity OR the critical foundation of your activities, there comes a time in every man’s life when he must accept the productive power of having a set daily routine—and make the most of it.
This is, of course, easier said than done.
Sticking to a routine requires exceptional discipline. But don’t let that scare you off.
Having a daily routine doesn’t mean eliminating rest or leisure from your life.
It simply means creating an appropriate time and place to enjoy it – guiltlessly, of course.
As you know, by having already checked off your to-do list, you have NO reason to feel guilty.
So, if you have been hunting for ways to make your schedule more productive (and leave you feeling fulfilled at the end of each day), take a look at these activities.
8 Activities to Add to Your Daily Routine
1. Go to bed at a reasonable hour.
I’ve always been a fan of fighting off sleep-time.
It’s a characteristic that I’ve held since I was a little boy refusing to go to bed.
Like me, I’m sure you’ve read your fair share of blogs about the productivity of night owls.
But if it’s productivity you want, then it is sleep you should get.
There are a few reasons for this.
Getting a good night’s sleep is essential for being alert and productive the next day (as opposed to spending the next morning trying to shake inertia from your head).
Being unproductive due to lack of sleep will do NOTHING for your mood or career.
Maintaining regular sleep patterns is also essential for keeping your circadian rhythms (which dictate your hunger patterns as well as mood regulation) in check.
This will make it easier to stay positive while appreciating your sense of fulfillment – just get a good night’s sleep every night as part of your new daily routine.
2. Wake up like clockwork.
Learn to love the feeling of waking up early and getting more hours in on the day.
It’s a big, wide world out there, and it will continue to move around while you are sleeping in.
Getting an early start, whether you work at an office or at home, is the key to getting things done on time and freeing up hours in the day.
Try to hold on to the pattern of waking up early on weekends and holidays as well.
There’s no sense in only trying to ‘seize the day’ on a professional level.
Being a consistent early riser will give you the time, effort, and energy needed to seize the day – whatever that means to you.
3. Make time for grooming.
You may not be the kind to pay too much attention to what others think about your personal grooming habits, which is a healthy and positive attitude to have.
But when thinking like that, it can be all too easy to let things slip.
The thing that a lot of people don’t understand about good grooming habits is that you are NOT necessarily doing it to impress the people around you, but rather to create a favorable image of yourself – for yourself.
Giving your appearance the attention that it deserves is a great way to love yourself while creating a positive image.
So, no matter what your particular idea of personal grooming entails, be sure to make time in your daily routine to see that you pay yourself the attention you need.
4. Show yourself who’s boss.
Wow, all this and your workday hasn’t even started yet (see what getting up early can get you?)!
So, let’s dive right into work and give you some trite information that you probably hear un-listening each and every day.
Give it your all and work harder than everyone else around you, even when the task seems menial and soul-crushing.
When it comes to the workplace, there is only ever ONE person that you should be in competition with – and that is yourself.
Keep pushing yourself to your limit, challenging yourself to do more, to do better, and to never give up.
Even when things seem to be going nowhere, consistent hard work does pay off.
It may not be today, tomorrow, or not even within the next few years.
But if you keep it up, you will have a good harvest.
5. Leave work at work.
An important thing to remember about work is that it is NEVER done.
This is, however, not an excuse to keep going at it until you die.
There are many other important things in your life that have nothing to do with your career.
So leave work at the office when you leave there.
When you get home, turn your phone off if need be.
Keep your inbox closed and lock the briefcase away until it is ready to be taken out again the next day.
You were born for more than just making money, and your family doesn’t have to suffer your day of work when you get home.
So, learn to separate the two.
6. Give time to your loved ones.
It seems that family and friends should be an automatic respite from your daily slog, a relationship that one should imagine comes easily enough.
Unfortunately, that is not always the case.
Without purposeful effort, you will find that life gets in the way of your relationships, whether it is with your parents, siblings, friends, or partners.
So, take it upon yourself to make time, daily or weekly, for the family and friends who don’t live with you.
Make sure you get plenty of quality time with those who live near or with you.
7. Read every day.
Take time each day to keep your mind sharp.
Blogs, magazines, and newspapers are fine, but for the most part, they don’t make for engaging reading.
Invest in some good novels, autobiographies, and self-help books and read them every day.
You can never know enough.
8. Allow yourself some time off.
Downtime is important, and every man needs a hobby: something to do with his mind and his hands that is engaging and fulfilling.
So, set some time aside in your daily routine to engage in activities that you enjoy.
Just consider the fine line between giving yourself time off and slipping down a lazy slide.
People procrastinate, and that is normal.
Set yourself time in your plans that accounts for the possibility of putting things off.
Indulge in your vices, but do it responsibly.
You don’t want to look back one day only to find you spent most of your life drunk, stoned, glued to a television set or mobile device.
What about you: what activities do you like to add to YOUR daily routine?
Feel free to share your comments and ideas below!
