Form a Routine to Shape and Uphold Who You Are.
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We are creatures of habit, it’s true. And we thrive much better when we get up at the same time, eat at similar times, and go to bed at a relatively similar time every day.
It’s important to know that your performance, intention and direction each day are directly affected by when you get up, whether you hit Snooze or get up right away, whether you’re eating a chaotic diet, getting the same amount of sleep every day, and living in circadian rhythm.
Take some time to think about a daily routine that will work for you. Think of how much you work in a day, when you should get up before work as well as how much time it takes to get ready in the morning without rushing out the door. Plan it out. Are you going to give yourself time to have breakfast, make your lunch before work or the night before? The choice is yours.
Starting the day with a light stretch, or perhaps being someone who does their workout in the morning so it’s out of the way might be your style. Or maybe it is doing your workout at night after work, a walk after supper, with a plan to read a book for 20 minutes in the evening, or meditate for 10 mins before bed so you never give yourself the opportunity to say “I don’t have the time.” No, you make the time.
We must set aside and budget our time the same way we would do with our money, then we can see how we’re spending it.
There are 24 hours in a day, and 168 hours a week. So if you sleep 6-8 hours a day/42-56 hours a week, work 8 hours a day/56 hours a week, now you have 56-70 hours a week to get ready for work without wasting time, to sit on your phone scrolling social media, watch TV, do the workouts you need to do, or stay reading the book you want to read. That’s only a third of your life to do what you want to do!
Be mindful when organizing your day that if you spend even 1-2 hours a day on Facebook, that’s 7-14 hours a week. Is that how you want to spend your time?
I’ll tell you, when I started thinking about that, I started to budget my time better, the same way I would budget my money.
Let me share a quick story about what happens when you don’t stay on routine. Last month I decided since I’m working at home now, I’m going to work out at home and walk the dogs every day, because I wanted a thriving house with dogs that weren’t crazy all day while I was trying to get work done, and I wanted to not feel lazy and inactive being stuck at home in another lockdown.
As I kept up the routine of walking them every day, I found that just like anything when we keep up consistency, it gets easier to keep doing.
But it wasn’t just getting easier for me to keep it up, I started noticing after a couple weeks that if I hadn’t walked them yet by 9 o’clock, the dogs would go sit by the door with this energy like they knew it was time, then follow me around the house bugging me more than they ever used to until we go. So, they know the routine too now, I see and think to myself.
They’re listening better, are more well-behaved, know we walk every day and they’ve come to expect it. The body is kind of like that. After weeks of working out at home three days a week plus walking the dogs, I was feeling good. I started running them, and little by little we were running five days a week, (which by the way is more than I’ve ever been able to hold myself to daily morning cardio in my life) and I felt great.
Then real winter hit two weeks ago. That actual -20 to -30 absolutely freezing Alberta winter. This is the kind of weather that used to make me stop running in the winter and go Nov-March maybe running indoors at the gym, but it’s never the same as going for a run right out your door in the morning.
I spent a week whining and complaining it was too cold to run, and I could feel the tension rising in my body and the dogs. They don’t care it’s cold, our husky’s good for minus 40, so this human logic is moot to him, he wants to go. And my body, well, it needed the routine too. So last week it decided to force me out of the house in a harsh way — I slept funny and woke up Monday with my lower back out, for two days.
My root chakra was mad! I knew this was my body telling me I had to find a way to do something about it.
So, by Wednesday last week, I said “Screw minus 20,” bundled up and took the dogs out, worked out, did my weekly yoga Thursday, worked out legs Friday, and ran them Wednesday to Saturday despite -20 to -40 weather. I knew I needed to stay on routine for not just me, but also for my pets who’d come to expect it.
By Friday, my body and back felt better! And pushing myself to do it and stay on track has driven me to run more often in colder conditions than ever before. So, who’s really winning, them or me?
This is your chance to structure the habits and routine that will shape and uphold who you are. Want to be someone who always has a lunch at work? Plan to pack one. Want to be someone who’s flexible or breathes better? Work yoga or cardio into your weekly routine. Tired of having crazy dogs that clearly need to get out? Make time to walk them every day.
Want to be someone who’s alert, focused, and driven? It all starts with structure. It starts with getting consistent sleep, getting up at a decent time, and not after hitting Snooze for the 5th time! It starts with looking at the person you want to be and acknowledging that being this person will come with embodying certain traits and habits that are required to be that person.
Be the person you want, do it every day, and you’ll have it in your life.
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Jordan Forget is a loving father, a healer, and a seeker of the Old Norse wisdom. He draws from his background in kinesiology and his reiki training to provide his clients with a path to healing and balance. He has dedicated himself to helping others through this holistic approach, and is committed to continuing on his own shamanic path. Through his practice, he aims to demystify the road to being healthy and whole, and strives to provide his clients with the tools and training to be the best possible version of themselves. You could contact him via Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok or email. You could also join his upcoming online event here.
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