If someone asked me this question my answer would be, I do them. I wasn’t always this way, I was fortunate to have mentors and coaches to help me learn along the way. Now, I am a big advocate for keeping routines no matter what time of year it is, no matter where you are, solid routines are always going to benefit you.
This isn’t just about the holidays, a season when we seem to have more to do and less time to do it. A number of my clients travel quite a bit. We talk about keeping their health and fitness routines going regardless of location. Traveling does not have to be an excuse to eat in a way that does not fit your goals, for instance. If you take one vacation a year, this may not be an issue, but carry that vacation mentality over to business travel, too, and you may have a bigger challenge on your hands.
The truth is, good routines help us to stay more calm, more together, more energized, and overall feeling good- all of what we want to bring to holidays, vacations, business travel or any other occurrences in our lives that make us want to use the excuses we might want to use. I was going to list them here, but I think you know what they are. In no world, that I know of, will you be better off for keeping your routines, than not keeping them.
If you are already off track- I celebrate that, too– as a way to notice how valid your routines are. Being off track shows you the power of your routines. Notice it quickly and hop back on.
And here’s a radical thought for you at this time of the year- start that new routine you are imagining for the new year right now! If you have solid routines that you have kept up, how might you up level them now? There’s no reason to wait to get started.
If you want a place to start anew or to strengthen- start with your morning routine. Getting up early, taking actions that set you up for a positive and productive day. I am talking about the time between when you wake up to when you begin work.
If you are feeling overwhelmed with too many to-do’s- take some off your list for just a couple of weeks, but don’t let them be the routines that support you in having a healthy, happy, energized and present life. What is REALLY important?