The Importance of Routine
Do you remember what routine was like before the Covid pandemic changed everything?
You might get up, have a shower, eat breakfast, then walk out the front door in (just) enough time to get to your place of work.
Perhaps that routine involved catching the same bus or train each morning, or picking up your usual coffee from the familiar face at your local café.
Maybe your commute to and from work involved some exercise too, either a long walk back from the office or even a cycle.
Anything but routine
But then the pandemic hit, and routines went out the window.
It seems like a long time ago, but even if you wanted to continue a regular exercise routine you were only allowed out for an hour a day.
The daily commute was brought to a shuddering halt while households across the country balanced an entirely new set of challenges, from home-schooling to being ultra-cautious when it came to shielding.
If you were placed on furlough, even the discipline of turning up for work – virtually or otherwise – wasn’t an option.
A routine and the “new normal”
While restrictions are easing and some things are getting back to what they once were, it seems the trend of working from home is here to stay.
What can we do to ensure a healthy and fruitful routine, even when the structures around us have changed?
Keep core functions consistent
Try to go to sleep and wake up at roughly the same time, even at weekends. Eating meals around the same time is also important.
It’s also key to undertake activities every day that keep both your brain and body active.
These don’t need be strenuous – you don’t want to have too much in your day which you dread or are tempted to put off.
It could be as simple as a walk round the block, or taking time away from your desk to read a book or a newspaper.
A little of what you fancy does you good
There’s no reason at all why a good routine can’t involve treats and pleasures.
No-one would recommend playing computer games or browsing through social media all day, every day. But you can safely do this as a way of winding down or relaxing.
The same goes for reclining on a couch to watch your favourite TV programmes or a film.
Routine is important for all ages
The importance of getting a baby into a sleeping and feeding routine is well-documented. This settles them down and gets them ready for the other major learning developments that are around the corner.
But it’s important for adults too.
If you settle yourself into a balanced routine, you’ll soon notice the difference in your physical and mental health, be able to have more healthy relationships with others, and perform better at work, school or university.
