Routines optimise time and energy

We all have routines — getting up, brushing our teeth, eating breakfast, going to work — but have you ever stopped to think about why? Routines make life easier and help us achieve goals. They help us structure our day, save time and energy, and give us a sense of control.

Whether it’s an entrepreneur looking to make their mark, a student striving for academic excellence, or an athlete aiming for greatness, a well-defined routine changes everything.

From setting aside time for exercise and self-care to creating a daily to-do list to get things done, creating a routine can help you stay stay on track.

“A daily routine built on good habits and disciplines separates the most successful among us from everyone else. The routine is exceptionally powerful,” says Darren Hardy.

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By regularly engaging in good behaviours, habits and rituals, we develop patterns of thought and behaviour that become ingrained in our character. In other words, our habits shape who we are.

To achieve goals, then, is to cultivate a set of habits that align with the outcome you expect. It means to behave consistently in a certain way. Success, then, is a journey and a series of actions that requires time, effort and consistent practice.

Routines are the bedrock of success for many of the world’s top achievers. From Olympic athletes to renowned scientists, the ability to create and stick to a routine can have remarkable rewards.

Joe Louis was right when he said, “A champion doesn’t become a champion in the ring, he’s merely recognized in the ring. His “becoming” happens during his daily routine.”

It is no coincidence that the most successful people in the world have a strong sense of focus and discipline that comes from having a routine.

Dwayne Johnson, known as ‘The Rock’, wakes up at around 4:00 am, which allows him to get a workout in before starting his workday. Johnson begins his day with some form of cardio, which has included running, cycling, and stair climbing in the past.

Johnson’s routine can change over time, depending on his movie schedule and training needs for the character he’ll be playing.

Oprah is known for setting clear goals for the year. She starts her day early with exercise, meditation, journaling and reading before work. She is also a lifelong learner and avid reader and often discusses the books and ideas that have impacted her life and career.

Bill Gates has a very structured and disciplined routine. He reportedly wakes up at around 6:00 am, although he has also mentioned that he occasionally wakes up as early as 5:30 am.

Gates starts his day with some form of exercise, which has included running, tennis, and weightlifting in the past. He’s also a voracious reader, and he has said that he reads for about an hour before going to bed each night. He often goes through around 50 books per year.

Warren Buffett is an advocate of lifelong learning and is known for reading a lot, spending hours a day reading and learning new things. Buffet has a daily routine that includes reading for several hours, and he also prioritises clear thinking by cutting out unnecessary distractions.

Benjamin Franklin was a highly accomplished polymath in many areas, including writing, science, and politics. He was also a master of time management and developed a system of setting specific goals and using a schedule to achieve them.

J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, is known for her discipline and focus when it comes to writing. According to various interviews and statements she has given, she had a strict routine when she was writing the Harry Potter series.

One of her habits was setting daily word count goals for herself. She would aim to write a certain number of words per day, and she would not stop writing until she reached that goal. This helped her to make steady progress on the books and to stay motivated.

Another habit she had was writing in cafes or other public places. She said that writing at home was too tempting to procrastinate, and the background noise of cafes helped her to focus on her work. She also set aside specific times of the day for writing, usually early in the morning before her children were awake.

Routines optimise time and energy and provide us with a sense of control

John C. Maxwell once said, “You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.”

Doing the same things in the same order can create an environment conducive to achieving your goals. Studies have shown that routines can help maximise productivity and focus, leading to better performance in any field.

Research suggests that developing actionable routines and sticking to them can help us focus and reach our goals faster. It’s a way of setting ourselves up for success, propelling us forward in life.

By having a routine, we can create and stick to a specific workflow, ensuring productivity and success.

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We all want to become the best version of ourselves, but sometimes it can feel like an impossible task. Achieving greatness is humanly possible — all you need is a solid daily routine.

Establishing a routine can help you to become a super achiever, as it can help you to prioritise your tasks, focus on what’s important, and take control of your life.

“The big things that come our way are … the fruit of seeds planted in the daily routine of our work,” says William Feather.

A routine can also provide structure and discipline, which are the foundations of success. By following a regular routine, you can reduce the number of decisions you make daily, which can be mentally exhausting.

By defining and creating a good routine, we can create a specific workflow and stick to it, ensuring we are productive and successful. Routines can also help us prioritise tasks and avoid distractions, allowing us to stay focused and reach our goals.

Routines make life easier. By developing a routine and repeating the same activities repeatedly, our brains become conditioned to perform these tasks with minimal effort. This allows us to focus our attention and energy elsewhere, which can help us become more productive and creative.

Routines can often feel like a never-ending cycle of mundane tasks. It’s easy to forget why we put ourselves through that daily grind. But, if you stick with it, the rewards of building a routine can be life-changing.

“Your future is found in your daily routine. Successful people do daily what others do occasionally,” argues Paula White.

While it may seem tedious to build a successful routine at first, the effort is worth it in the long run. So, next time you find yourself in a rut, remember that routines can put your brain into autopilot mode and help you achieve great things!

Contributed by THOMAS OPPONG

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