I’ve been working to establish my perfect repeatable daily routine for the past year, roughly since June 2021. To say the least, it’s been an iterative process. But, after a lot of trial and error, I believe I’ve finally figured out what a purposeful, focused, and productive timetable for me looks like.
I wanted to share some of the lessons I’ve learned about balancing an ambitious desire to achieve and develop with the need to treat oneself with the same kindness and understanding I would show anybody else. I had a completely remote, time-flexible employment. Nobody cared when I was at my desk as long as I did my work. That flexibility allowed me to play around with my schedule.
To be honest, I didn’t even aware I was doing this until recently. I assumed that I was simply failing to complete everything on my to-do list in the sequence that I had planned. I have good intentions, but I am often excessively enthusiastic about how much I can get done in a day.
I used to be extremely hard on myself for not being able to do everything at once all of the time. I have a propensity to set higher standards for myself than I would for anyone else. However, I’m learning to put perfection aside in favour of progress.
7 foundational habits I try to make a part of every day:
The benefits I get from these actions to my energy, focus, and mood far outweigh the time invested.
- Exercise of any kind, even just a long walk, for at least 30 minutes.
- Reading for 20–30 minutes as soon as I wake up and right before I go to sleep.
- Taking a cold shower in the morning.
- Meditating for 10 minutes after that cold shower.
- Standing in sunlight for at least 10 minutes after meditation.
- Reciting positive affirmations and visualizing the accomplishment of my goals.
- Journaling, 3–4 times per week.
The secret sauce isn’t difficult or expensive, but it isn’t simple either. On any given day, I probably average 3–4 out of 7, but that still makes a difference. I keep track of these habits using streaks. How many days can I go without breaking my meditation streak? I do this because I feel that showing up every day is more essential than performing well on any given day.
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