The Importance of a Daily Routine

Routines provide structure and predictability during uncertain times. Embedding executive functions can help you stick to that routine.

This week’s post is written by Dhruti Deshpande, who runs Docent, a new newsletter teaching people how to manage life during unemployment. The stuff you won’t find in the “Career Resources” section. Her goal is to make your unemployment experience a bit better.

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When I talk to people about their unemployment experience, I end up making the same recommendation, “Have you considered setting a routine?”

You won’t find this advice in many career resources.

Many peoples’ first inclination is to dive head first into recruiting to “get through this” often at the cost of their well-being. This is completely understandable given that they are feeling a loss of control commonly associated with unemployment. One way to get a bit of control back is to build structure in your life with a routine.

Without work, it's easy to lose track of the days and time once anchored by a daily schedule. We overlook the structure a daily meeting or deliverable provides to our days. It’s tempting to put life off until after I “get through this” or to stay up all night “vamping.” Setting a routine adds predictability during a time in your life when so many other factors are unpredictable.

Build Your Dream Routine

Start by auditing your daily routine. What do you want to keep? What do you want to throw out? Just because you don’t have to get up at 7 am for your daily stand-up doesn’t mean you have to give up your morning coffee ritual.

Next, create the routine of your dreams. Instead of having your morning coffee ritual at 7 am, maybe you move it to 8 or even 9 am. You are the master of your time, a rare luxury. Shape it as you wish.

Here are a couple of recommendations I’ve gathered over the years:

• Set a consistent time to go to bed and wake up

• Get a physical or digital calendar

• Create weekly goals

• Make a plan to drink more water

• Get physical by hitting the gym, taking a daily walk or run, attending a community yoga class, etc.

• Build habits you want by practicing them daily

• Find Zen by making time to meditate

• Pick one thing big or small to accomplish a day

• Find time to be in nature by scheduling a breather or taking a walk

For me, replacing my work calendar with a personal one was a game changer. I’d always kept a detailed daily planner that I’d save if the building was on fire. I didn’t realize how much I relied on my online work calendar until I lost it.

Perhaps you’re ahead of the game and have a routine down pat but struggle to stick to it? Meet my new friends, executive functions.

Executive Functions Support Your Routine

Last year I was helping a friend with recruiting. She had a routine but every day seemed to end in chaos. I couldn’t figure out how to help her. As I was recounting my problem to my friend (and editor), Vikki, she suggested, “it sounds like she is struggling with executive functioning.”

“What’s executive functioning?” Executive functions refer to the self regulation skills we use to manage everyday tasks.

Experts like Mitch Weathers, work with teachers to embed executive functions in their lesson plans. Executive functions are not just for kids. It’s never too late to learn better ways to manage your time and schedule, and experts are available if you want dedicated support.

Here are a couple suggestions to get you started. Struggling with…

• …time management? Use timers. Set timers to remind you of daily activities (3 pm stretch break) or to focus on a task.

• …planning? Create a checklist. A checklist helps keep track of all the individual tasks required to complete something so you don’t have to commit them to memory.

• …attention? Learn to meditate. Meditation can improve your focus and attention.

• …organization? Get a planner. A planner will help you track your activities and tasks so you don’t have to commit them to memory.