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Routines or habits are an important part of life. Approximately 30-50% of your daily decisions are based on habits. Routines are created through a learning process that works much like a game: For example, when a child builds a tower of wooden blocks for the first time, it needs full attention. Block by block, the child must carefully stack one on top of the other without the tower tottering. At this point, the front part of the brain (the area responsible for consciousness and rational thinking) is active. When the child has put all the blocks on top of each other, he is happy about the finished tower. He proudly shows it to his mother, who praises her child for it. If there is a reward for the action, the child will repeat it. If the child builds a tower of wooden blocks again and again, the action becomes routine. The child no longer needs full awareness to stack the blocks on top of each other. This now works automatically.
Routines are important for everyday life for three simple reasons and can also help you achieve more success.
1. Routines structure everyday life: you simply need a certain structure to get through everyday life. When is what due? What needs to get done? With structure, one is clear when what needs to be done and you don't get confused.
2. Routines automate actions: Routines are actions that you have become accustomed to. And that means that active processes no longer have to take place for them to work. Resulting from this:
3. Routines save time: things that you do in an automated way, you can process faster and more efficiently. So you effectively save time by doing this.
There are now numerous videos, posts, articles, etc. about what well-known and successful personalities do on a daily basis. In these posts, it is also often suggested that if you adopt these habits, you will also become successful. So along the lines of "Do these 7 things and you will become the next Warren Buffet, Elon Musk, Barack Obama (... any other names ...) It is true that healthy and good routines can promote success, however, it is not necessarily true that the routines of person XY really help you personally. Maybe they don't fit your daily routine at all and it's a struggle to get through it every time. And it is also a misconception that routines automatically lead to success. They can have a very positive influence on the way, but success ultimately does not come by chance. What you don't see from the outside is the often long road that leads to success. It consists of hardships, sweat, transformation and usually many, many hours of focus and direction on exactly what you want to achieve. Nonetheless, having routines that are right for you will help you on the road to success. Simply by having routines you will become more structured and efficient. If you also establish health-promoting routines (such as sports, healthy eating, relaxation) you have already laid an important foundation. As has already become clear in the text, you should not blindly follow any routines, but rather ask yourself which habits can bring you to your goal. Especially at the beginning of the year, it makes sense to consciously take the time to reflect on what you want to achieve. Based on your goals, you then choose the appropriate routines. According to the 21/90 rule, a habit will become easier for you after 21 days and after 90 days you won't have to think about it at all. So take advantage of the start of the year and determine what and especially how you want to achieve your goals!
