How do you stick to a routine with so much pressure around you?

Honestly I don’t always stick to an hourly routine. There are just a few important things that inprioritize and divide time in major chunks.. morning time is to contemplate on life..afternoon is for work and evening is for family and friends…as long as I make sure I am doing these 3 things I know I’m going in the right direction. I don’t chase perfectionism so I don’t beat myself up for not following a routine perfectly. If you’re doing your best…then there is this inner voice that tells you that you are. And happiness & satisfaction follows through that.

I start small. Currently I only do my habits on the weekday because my weekend plans are always changing. I also know that it's okay to miss a day of writing my to do list as long as I still spend time thinking about it. It's okay to adjust the habits depending on your own situation. Flexibility is good, it allows you to know that you can commit to the habit.

First, baby steps. Like, tiny baby steps taken with the metaphorical parent still holding both of your hands from behind (which is my support system). For example, this morning was the first morning with exercise added to my routine. I almost skipped it, but I at least took a look through the exercise routines Fabulous has listed under that task. I found a 1 minute exercise and was super excited!!! One minute? I can do that! And I did! I used the bathroom sink for easier pushups since I know arm strength is one of my weaknesses. And I actually did the 1 minute exercise twice in a row! Also, making it as easy as possible to complete my routines. Everyone in my household knows when I'm going to meditate and they know when I'm going to start my evening routine. My daughter (six) has even started getting past some of her sensory issues with hygiene, because she is excited to do my routines with me. Knowing my habits are modeling healthy lifestyles for my kids makes me happy to complete routines. I've also started including tasks in my evening routine that will help me with my morning routine. Examples include putting water by my bed, picking out tomorrow's clothing, and cleaning/organizing for 10 minutes, so I can find everything in the morning. In addition, my morning routine is how I hear up for the pressure I'll face during the day. I no longer dread getting out of bed, because I know that the first hour and a half of my day is going to include a 15 min bath, at least five minutes of meditation, delicious breakfast, and time to relax with my family before work. On top of that, I know I won't get distracted, because the timer and gentle music doesn't allow it. I know I won't forget anything, because I won't check something off until I'm finished. My Evening Routine is how I unwind from the pressure of the day. This is how I tell myself to stop thinking about what I've done, what I still need to do, and get some sleep or relax and then get some sleep without thinking a out anything stressful. This includes more meditation! I also have a Morning Work Routine and Afternoon Work Routine. These help me by keeping up with things like email, a cluttered desk, my "take action" folder, ECT. I spend five minutes on each of these things. They each have a start and stop time, so I don't get sucked into a rabbit hole of emails or whatever else. This also helps me keep up with the never ending pressure of answering everything now. When I spend five minutes per day, twice per day, checking emails and answering them, I actually get somewhere. It's wonderful!

Make sure that it's easy to do and set yourself up for success. As I brush my teeth at night I set my water bottle in the bathroom for the morning. I'm still experimenting with deep work in my routine, but there's always a way to either adjust the routine or adjust the pressure.