How to create a daily routine you will love: Pandemic Edition

Habits are born as soon as we are. we have a set of things we do each day unconsciously - that are called habits. As the pandemic struck the world, everybody experienced a change in pace and life altogether. We were forced to break our normal routine and find a “new normal” - Everything had to change and there were absolutely no exceptions. Most people were overall left dull after the first couple of weeks, but some thrived! People got back on track- eating clean, losing weight, reading more, working out… the possibilities were endless! So, what was the difference?

Habits;

Habits make who you are.

Habits vs Routines

Very often the two words are used interchangeably, but routines are more conscious than habits. A habit automatically comes to you; if not done, it makes you quite uncomfortable and as if you are fundamentally missing something. Habits, on the other hand, are actions done with more awareness and intention.

Waking up, having your morning chai or coffee are habits; whereas, deliberately wanting to work out or include meditation in your day are routines. If routines are not done on a daily basis, they fizzle out.

Why are habits and routines important?

Successful people are simply those with successful habits. - Brian Tracy

The simple rule of life is that if you continue to do what you’ve always done, you will continue to get what you’ve always gotten. To see a change in your life - you must change what you do daily.

We see a lot of people around us who are trying to lose weight and only a few succeed, and fewer actually manage to keep it off. And when the patterns are noticed of the people that succeeded, it always comes down to what they practiced on a daily basis and continued to do so post the diet. That's the simple reason why fad diets don't have long term results, but long-term sustainable lifestyle changes do.

How to bring about effective change:

1. Good habits are great and here are some ways to stick to them.

2. The most important thing for any sustainable change is to start small - overwhelming yourself with 10 new things to do each day could be effective for maximum a week, but your brain will eventually reject that, because there's no consistency whatsoever.

3. Make it a point to pick 2-3, albeit simple, tasks to do the next day, and go through with them. That feeling of achievement gives us the endorphin boost we need!

4. Ask yourself why you wanted to make this change - let the reasons be your motivation to achieve each day, and when the tasks are complete, reward yourself! You deserve it!

5. Making a change isn't easy, allow yourself the wiggle room when it makes you uncomfortable or it gets hard. Take a break and come back stronger!

6. Finally, be accountable to yourself! - make a progress tracking monthly/fortnightly/weekly chart and see what tasks you’ve done each day!

Some good habits proven to make your day awesome!

• Make your bed first thing in the morning

• Read for at least 10 minutes a day

• Plan your day the night before

• Be grateful - practice gratitude

• Drink 8-10 glasses of water

• Make your health a priority

Motivation is what gets you started; Habit is what keeps you going. -Jim Rohn

Soul palette brings to you an exclusive Instagram Live interview with Megha Asher, Co-founder of Juicy Chemistry, a sustainable organic skincare brand - to talk about her habits and routines. Hear out her secrets about what daily practices keep her going.

Tune in on the 24th of September at 5 pm at Soul Palette's Insta Live.

Bringing a change in your life is your task, but we at Soul Palette want to always make things easier for you! So here is a free printable habit tracker!

This blog is written by Soul Palette writer; Akanksha Madaan.