How to Create a Daily Routine That Works for You

Have you noticed the difference between successful people and those who are just trying to get by? Between the well-put-together employee who walks into the 8 AM business meeting and the one who arrives three minutes late, looking like they rolled right out of bed? Most likely, both are well intentioned and both desire to show up looking their best.

What’s the difference between employee one and employee two? Employee one has a routine that works for their personal needs. They have a night routine that sets them up for the morning. Throughout the day they employ tactics to be more productive. Their routine is tailored to them and their needs.

Employee number two on the other hand lets life fly them by the seat of their pants. They wake up at the last minute, quickly throw something on, and rush to work with an apple between their teeth. Employee number two always feels behind, and in need of a nap.

Let’s walk through how to create the perfect daily routine so that you too can walk into your 8 AM meetings with confidence.

First, picture your ideal day. What time do you wake up and how do you feel? What do you do? What do you eat? Do you work out or take any walks during the day? How much time do you spend with your family? Maybe you have fifteen minutes in the morning to sit on the couch with coffee and meditate, or time to make a healthy breakfast. It’s important to remember anything is possible when imagining this. Rule number one is not limiting yourself in this exercise. As Jennifer Davis explains in her book, Living Exponentially, “Identify activities that give you the most satisfaction/joy and determine how often you engage in them. Your goal is to find ways to do them more often.”

Now that you know what you want, let’s make it happen. To do this, define your non-negotiables. Do you need to be home in time to eat dinner with your family? Do you need to work out in the mornings? Or is one of your non-negotiables arriving at work fifteen minutes before the day starts to organize and make a cup of coffee. Defining non-negotiables helps set boundaries in shaping your day. The last thing you want is something less important getting in the way of a make-it or break-it part of your day. Write these down and start picturing what needs to happen for these goals to be successful.

Setting up your successful daily routines starts with a solid morning routine. How the morning goes sets the stage for how the rest of your day will go. A peaceful morning will pave way for a peaceful day. Of course, this all starts with the night before. Be clear and specific about what time you need to go to bed to wake up well-rested with enough time for your ideal morning. Everything else relies on this first step.

Once you have your non-negotiables and a morning routine, how do you organize the rest of your day for productivity? Timeboxing is a great way to set yourself up for success. It takes into account the Parkinson’s Law, stated by C. Northcote Parkinson. He claims in his essay submitted to The Economist that, "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.”

To use this law to your advantage, set specific periods of time to accomplish tasks. In this way, your tasks are more likely to take the amount of time you allocate for them instead of that too familiar feeling of spending hours on a task you thought would take thirty minutes.

According to a blog post by Clockify, there are five steps to doing this well. “ 1) Find suitable tasks, 2) Define your goals, 3) Set the time, 4) Work and assess your results, 5) Claim your reward.”

To break that down is as simple as this. First, pick your task to complete. Whether it’s cleaning your kitchen, writing 6,000 words of a five page essay or sorting through your email box; you can put almost anything in a time box. Next, define clear goals so you know what finishing the task looks like. Does cleaning the kitchen mean washing and drying all the dishes, plus sweeping?  Be exact. Then, set a realistic time to accomplish this task.

Once you have all this in place, work on your defined task. Set a timer to help visualize how much time you have left as you work. At the end of your time, evaluate how your goals align with what you accomplished and determine the next steps.

Lastly, claim your reward and take a break. This could walk around the block with the dog or a little brain break engaging in a fun hobby.

And just like that, your day becomes much more productive, and you have more time to devote to the non-negotiable items in your daily routine.

When arranging your schedule, keep in mind the science behind the human brain. According to an article from Harvard Health Publishing, “Some studies that have looked at work and classroom performance place the range anywhere from 10 minutes to 52 minutes.” Determine what time span is most effective for your ability to focus and use that to help base how long you spend on tasks.

The last thing to consider when creating a daily routine that works for you is that it will be unique to you. Some people are much more effective in the morning compared to the night and vice versa. Know yourself and how you work, then use that knowledge to schedule your most challenging tasks.

Creating a daily routine that works for you is all about intention, structure, and self-awareness. By defining your non-negotiables, crafting a solid morning routine, and using timeboxing to maximize productivity, you can set yourself up for success every day. Remember, routines aren’t one-size-fits-all. What works for someone else may not work for you. The key is to design a schedule that aligns with your energy levels, priorities, and goals. With consistency and small adjustments along the way, you’ll find yourself walking into every 8 AM meeting feeling prepared, confident, and in control of your day.