Routine. How does that word make you feel? For some of you, I’m guessing it gives you a warm fuzzy feeling, whilst others might be backing away in horror.

The truth is, we’re creatures of habit, us humans. No matter how hard we try to shy away from the dreaded monotony of routine, we always seem to find ourselves falling back into a certain rhythm that makes life bearable.

Even if you’re one of those people who are anti-routine and get the cold sweats whenever it’s mentioned, I’m betting you’re not completely immune. Most of us have a morning routine, right? I get up, I clean my teeth, I shower, I get dressed, and I have breakfast. What about you?

Even now I’m freelancing I find that I’ve slipped into a daily routine. It’s certainly not as rigid as when I was working 9-5, but there’s still some semblance of routine there. I usually have lunch at the same time, I tend to have dinner at the same time, and, when I’m not going out for the evening, I’ll usually do a similar thing after work, too.

Let’s face it, routine makes us feel safe, like all our ducks are in order. Having a daily routine speeds things up for us because we know what we need to do and when. It helps us organise our lives.

That being said, a lot of people HATE their routine, mainly because it drones on in the same way every day. No excitement, no difference, no change. And, whilst we’re creatures of habit, we’re also partial to a little excitement in our lives to keep things interesting.

So when you get to that point where your routine is slowly grinding you into the ground, how do you shake things up? How do you put a bit of pizazz back in your day?

Simple. Well, it’s kind of simple.

Usually there’s a better way to do things. Often, we fall into routines we hate because it’s the easiest way to do things. But easy isn’t always the best way and it’s certainly not always the most exciting.

Remember, you get to choose how you fill the hours in your day (well, apart from when you work, but that’s a whole other can of worms).

So it’s up to you to juggle things around and make the best of a bad situation.

1. Start Your Day With Something You Love

Most of us get up, check our emails, drag ourselves into the shower, get dressed in the dark, chow down on some breakfast and head to work.

This systematic approach to mornings doesn’t use our brains to the best of their abilities because, if you didn’t know, our brains function at their highest when we wake up. So use this time or lose it!

Kick start the day by doing something you love, whether it’s writing, exercising, or reading. I’m not talking about lounging on the couch and watching films, that’s not conducive to anything.
You actually want to use your brain, so pick an activity that gets the cogs whirring and your heart beating a little faster.

It doesn’t have to be for long – just half an hour or so should be enough. Set your alarm for a little earlier if you need to (urgh, I know, that’s the devil’s doing). Trust me, if you try this for a week, two weeks, a month, you’ll be bouncing through the day in no time at all.

2. Redesign Your Space

I’m all for a bit of DIY. A change of environment can give a big boost to your routine.

Think about where you spend the most hours in your day. If it’s at work, shuffle your desk around, put up inspiring posters, and generally make it clean and tidy. You’ll be amazed at how much happier you’ll be if the space around you doesn’t resemble the disarray of a kid’s party.

You might also want to move your bedroom around, or make it brighter and airier. I find it difficult to get up in the morning when it’s dark, but when it’s bright and sunny I’m up and raring to go in no time – try and reflect this in your room if you can.

3. Prioritise What You Love

So many people give up doing the things they love because they don’t think they have the time. It’s easy to fall into that trap, but look at how much time you’re spending doing unimportant things (cough, like scrolling through Facebook, cough).

When you prioritise something it becomes difficult NOT to do it. You wouldn’t miss your morning shower would you? Exactly.

Write down a list of all the things you need to do today and then a separate list of the things you want to do today. Is there time left over to do the things you want? If not, juggle some things around. Can you combine some of the things you need to do?

When you consider something a priority you somehow manage to find the time to do it. It’s all in the mindset.

4. Write Down Your Achievements at the End of the Day

One of the problems with daily routine is we feel like we’re doing a lot without really getting anything done. Our days are filled with things we need to do, but they don’t amount to much. At least, that’s what we think when we tumble into bed at the end of the day.

It’s worth writing down a list of things you’ve achieved each day, however small, to show yourself that you’re moving forwards and you’re not stuck in an eternal cycle of doom. Seriously, get as miniscule you want with things like “painted my nails”, “tried out a new recipe”, or, “got to work on time for once”.

Not only does it inject you with a little motivation to strive for more and more each day, but you’ll be able to see where you have time free to spice up your routine.

You got to work early for once? How did you manage that? Did you have to sacrifice something else? You get the gist.

5. Make Use of Your Down Time

I’m guessing a lot of you (like me) have large chunks of your day where you seem to be just waiting around, like when you’re cooking dinner or waiting for the bus or travelling to work. Instead of idly wishing this time away, use it to do something productive.

Have you been wanting to learn a skill? Read a certain book? Learn more about a particular topic? This time is perfect for doing these types of things. Even if you only have five minutes whilst you wait for the bus, whip out a language app or browse through some Wiki pages of a topic you’re interested in.

If it’s writing you love, carry a notebook with you and jot down ideas on the train or read a few pages of a book while you wait for the kettle to boil.

These chunks of time may not seem important in the great scheme of things, but they all add up (and every little helps, right?).

6. Keep on Experimenting

The reason we fall into these routines is, like I said, because it’s easier than not doing it.

That’s not to say you’ll enjoy the next daily routine you come up with, or even the next one. Finding the perfect schedule to your day isn’t something to be taken lightly, so spend a few weeks or even a few months experimenting with your routine until you find one you’re happy with.

And, if after a few weeks you find yourself starting to hate that, too, just change it up again. Routines feel like they’re set in stone, but they’re absolutely not! As soon as you start playing around with them you’ll realise that and, hopefully, you’ll find a new happy medium.

Your turn! Do you have a good daily routine? How do you add excitement to your daily routine?