Building a Daily Routine When Nothing is Routine

At the best of times, it can be hard to maintain an efficient daily routine. So what is the best way to handle an unexpected crisis? At the beginning of the coronavirus epidemic, my family fell into some bad habits. We slept in too much, our routines got disrupted, and important things sometimes didn’t get done.

When unforeseen events turn your world upside down, it can be a challenge to get back on track. You can lose sight of your most important goals and forget your reason for being here. These kinds of troubles are even harder on children than they are on adults.

Join me today as I share the ways I deal with disruption and create new routines out of chaos.

The Purpose-Driven Life

When you have a strong sense of purpose, you jump out of bed in the morning and get to work as fast as you can. No matter what gets in your way, you just can’t wait to get started. This kind of excitement helps you enter a state of flow where time seems to stop. The hours fly by, and before you know it, the sky is dark and it’s time for bed. You wish you had more hours in the day.

Female runner focusing on life while doing daily routine.
When Your Life Gets Turned Upside Down, It’s Easy To Lose Focus And Wonder If There’s Any Point At All (Image Source: Shutterstock)

Serious setbacks and crises can disrupt our ability to work with this deep sense of purpose. When your life gets turned upside down, it’s easy to lose focus and wonder if there’s any point at all. At times like these, I like to remind myself that everything is temporary. Nothing is permanent except my legacy.

My two biggest motivations in life are my little girls. No matter what happens, I need to be there for them. When I feel my motivation flagging, I think of my girls and my wife and my closest friends. These thoughts are very empowering and help me refocus. Who are the most important people in your life?

Once I get my head and my heart right, I take another look at my problems. I find something small that is related that I know I can fix and I focus on that. Once that’s knocked out, I look for something else.

No problem is so big I can’t find something small I can fix or make better.

When I do something good that improves my life, no matter how small it is, I get a kick of optimism and motivation. I use this energy to refocus my attention on bigger problems.

Reset Your Mind

When I notice that my routine has been disrupted, I find it useful to take a break. Sometimes this just means stepping aside for a moment and taking a deep breath or taking time out for lunch. When these simple fixes don’t work or it’s a really big problem, I like to take some time out and go on vacation.

Healthy woman celebrating during a beautiful sunset.
You Don’t Have To Go On A Vacation To Experience These Gains (Image Source: Shutterstock)

Breaking out of bad habits in your daily routine is easier when you change your environment. This is why breaks and vacations are so useful. I use the time away not just to relax, but to reorient my mind. This helps lay a foundation for the new practices and routines I want to build.

But what do you do when you don’t have the time or resources to get away? You don’t have to go on a vacation to experience these gains. You can change your environment in many ways, like going to a new park or visiting a friend you haven’t seen in a while. If you are working from home, change the room where you do your work. As you’re setting up your new workspace, look for little ways you can make it better.

Social anxiety can sneak up on you when you least expect it, especially during a disease outbreak. When you take a break to reset, it’s easier to spot those subtle insecurities and anxious thoughts that lurk in the background. Once you resolve these little issues, you’ll often feel a surge of optimism or motivation.

There are many little things you can try to help reduce anxiety in yourself and others. Right now we are experiencing an unprecedented outbreak due to coronavirus. The Box Logo Reusable Face Mask helps you look good and show others you are doing your part. When you look good, it helps you feel good, too. Every little bit counts.

Create an Antifragile Daily Routine

When something is fragile it has to be protected against shocks or it will break. When something is antifragile, shocks make it stronger.

How to Build Mental Toughness | Antifragile by Nassim Taleb – FightMediocrity

Humans can be antifragile. When a bone heals after an accident, it often heals stronger than it was before. When you are building new routines in your life, put your focus on areas where you are already antifragile, and make them stronger. If you see an area where you have potential for growth, come up with a strategy to explore your potential. Find excuses to improve yourself and you will be better prepared for the unexpected.

When resilient people run into difficult times, they rise to the challenge and grow until they are big enough to overcome their problems. They come out of the situation stronger than they went in. This is what being antifragile is all about. You’re not just resistant to hard times, you seek out the most difficult things to do because they make you stronger.

Chadwick Boseman is a good example of how to be antifragile. He lived his life to the fullest and wanted to make the most out of every moment. His heart was full of gratitude and positive messages for others. We know what kind of a man he was because he faced the ultimate challenge with hard work, gratitude, and love. He did not share his private life with the world because he did not want it to get in the way of his work. He wasn’t just antifragile, he had a sense of purpose that was larger than life.

I love hard work in my daily routine, and I aspire to be as motivated and driven as Chadwick Boseman. He lived an inspiring life worthy of celebration.

Self-Maintenance is Essential to Good Work

My routines are built to enable me to do as much work as possible. I use coping strategies to help me adjust when unexpected things occur. One of the best strategies I can recommend is to develop a bedtime routine. Getting enough sleep is essential to getting the most out of life. Falling asleep is a skill you can learn. If you suffer from lack of sleep, develop a bedtime routine and track what works for you and what doesn’t. A good CBDistillery product can be a useful sleep aid that is not habit-forming. The more time and planning you put into sleep, the better your outcomes should be. If nothing seems to work, look to your doctor or find a good therapist for professional advice.

Taking proper care of your mind and body is essential to recovery. Many of my friends have had their exercise routines completely disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak. I’m encouraging everybody to find ways to exercise in safe and responsible ways, either outside or in a private room. I don’t feel comfortable if I am sedentary for too long. If I miss my workout, my day seems off-kilter until I get my fix.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my advice on how to rebuild routines. I’ll be posting regular updates and articles that I find useful, so check back often to learn more. What kinds of adjustments have you made when things get hard? I’d like to challenge you right now to find something in your daily routine you can improve, and commit to change it today.