As someone who is naturally a bit of a rebel, I tend to resist anything that feels like it’s restricting me in any way. And yet, I have found (through lots of trial and error of course!) that having routines embedded into my daily life helps me to accomplish a lot more of the things that matter. Not only that, but I am better able to stay on track with my goals, see the forward progress I am making, and determine if the strategies I’m using are working for me. Best of all, routines help to make my days EASIER! Because I have routines built-in every morning to help get my day started off right, I don’t waste time each morning figuring out what I need to do. Because I have routines around when I get up, eat meals, take the dogs out, etc., I can easily plan around these things as needed. Because I have routines around how I end my day, I can set myself up for restful sleep and a successful morning the next day. You see, my routines are what give me the freedom to pursue all the other stuff with flexibility, creativity, and in whatever ways resonate at the moment. While everyone person is different, I have found that by mixing routine and structure in with opportunities to explore, act freely, and feed my inner rebel who wants to do what she wants when she wants, I can live my days in a way that allow me to still be 100% true to myself while also ensuring that I am accomplishing the things that matter most. If you Google “In structure is freedom,” you will find tons of results about how structure allows the space for both freedom and creativity. So if you are someone who balls at adding structure to your day, consider giving it a try. I think you might be surprised at what you discover!
