Building good routines starts with embracing the “idea” of having a routine. We all have a routine of some sort, whether we recognize it or not. By being honest with ourselves about our daily habits and areas for improvement, we open ourselves up for change.

Change that can turn our chaos into serenity. Here are six ways to build routines that serve you.

Be Practical

Introduce routines into your life in a way that makes the transition feel less like a transition. If you want to start a workout routine, add it to the time of your day when you naturally want to be more active. If you want to be more consistent with your morning or nightly routines, make the process easier by locating and organizing the items you’ll need in an easy-to-access place.

Make time to prepare.

While preparation may be a common concept, making time for preparation is totally different. If we never free up space in our day to actually prepare, then we are less likely to do so. Set aside 15 minutes each night or an hour each week that’s dedicated solely to preparing for the day/week ahead. Be mindful of what you’ll need in the near future, and enjoy a more peaceful experience.

Be intentional about your mornings.

Similar to the previous tip, this one is about preparation… but it’s specific to mornings. Why? Well, how you start your morning can set the tone for your mood, and potentially influence your entire day. Think about the mornings that go perfectly for you. What typically happens? Now how can you recreate that every day? My guess is that a tad bit of preparation is part of the answer.

Be mindful of your kids’ needs and plan for them.

Kid’s require additional time and effort anyway. Which is why it’s so important to stay one step ahead of them. From lunches, to laundry, to school bags and bedtime routines, there are no shortages of things to help your kids with. Just as you first make time to prepare for your day and then purposely organize your needs for the day/week ahead, do the same for your children. Not only will it create a less stressful environment for you and your kiddos, but it will also serve as an example to your kids of how to be proactive.

Use your phone calendar to free up space in your mind.

This one may sound too nuanced, but it can make such a difference. By saving important dates, events, or appointments in your phone’s calendar, you benefit from three things:

1. Not having to keep up with paper/post it notes with random information, and the peace of knowing you’ve stored it somewhere handy.
2. The benefit of having your phone remind you of said thing.
3. More mental freedom to focus on other things that matter to you (instead of the brainwork of having to remember important information).

I share a calendar with my husband. Both of us can add to it from our phones, and the other will receive a notification that an event was added. We’ll also both receive reminders as the date approaches. This joint calendar allows us to keep each other informed and better manage our lives (and children’s lives) on the go.

Be honest with yourself.

You know yourself and what makes you tick. You also know what you hate. And that’s an advantage. Use what you know about your strengths and weaknesses to build routines that play off of those. For example, if you know you hate cooking, but want to save money and eat healthier, seek out meals that are nutritious, yet easy to make, as well as some takeout options that are healthy and affordable.

A brief moment to think ahead (and problem solve in advance) could turn a poor routine into one that enriches your life.

Thanks for reading! Share some of your favorite routines below.