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How to Create a Routine
Benefits of Getting Into a Routine
Tips for Sticking to New Routines
The Takeaway
Following a consistent routine can help your mind and body thrive. Even better, many routines consist of good-for-you habits (think: meditating, journaling, working out), so they benefit your overall health in major ways. But actually implementing new healthy habits to the point that they become part of your day-to-day routine isn’t always automatic.
“Starting a new routine can feel overwhelming,” says Debra Kissen, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist and CEO and founder of Light On Anxiety CBT Treatment Centers in Illinois. “But the key to success lies in one word: repetition.” The more you practice a new behavior, she explains, the more natural it becomes.
Read on for tips from the experts on how to create a routine—and how to really stick with it.
How to Create a Routine
1. Ask Yourself “Why?”
Before you start a new routine, it can help to consider why, exactly, you’re making changes in the first place. For example, do you want to eat more protein because you’ve been falling a little short and hope to strengthen your muscles? Or are you planning on doing more indoor cycling workouts to improve your cardiovascular health? Understanding your motivation will help you stick with it over time, according to Lindsey Hamilton, EdD, an associate athletic director at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, and PR & Outreach Division Head for the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP).
“If you begin a meditation practice just because someone says so, it might not keep you going on day 20 when your schedule is full,” she explains. “However, if you clearly understand how you will benefit from the practice and you desire the impact it will make on your life, your new routine will stand much stronger against distractions.”
2. Make a Plan
After figuring out your “why,” consider your “how”: Vague goals to exercise, start meditating, or drink more water are usually easier to ditch than something you’ve committed to in your calendar.
Though everyone is different, many people find that building your new routine into your schedule can help you stay accountable, Kissen says. “You should treat your new routine like an important appointment,” she says. If you hope to build a healthier exercise routine, for example, look at the next seven days and find three specific times you can fit in a workout—then make sure you stick to it.
Of course, whenever you can make time for your new routine is great. But if your calendar allows it, scheduling new activities at the same time every day may help you stick with them. In a small 2019 study, participants who exercised at roughly the same time every day reported more frequent and longer workouts compared to those who worked out at different times.
When you’re planning out your new routine, anticipate any obstacles that might pop up as well. Do busy mornings keep you from working out? Try scheduling a shorter workout or planning for the evening instead, Kissen says.
3. But Allow Yourself to Start Slow
Some research suggests that making too many changes too quickly—or trying to implement very drastic changes without giving yourself time to adjust—can have the opposite intended effect.
“We all know that feeling when you get really excited to incorporate a life-changing routine and then it falls off way faster than we care to admit,” Hamilton says. “It did that because it did exactly what we expected it to: It changed your life.”
Instead, she says, focus on small, slow, intentional changes rather than making a major shift. If you have a long list of new habits you’re hoping to take on—say, meditating, journaling, or hitting 10,000 steps a day—start by incorporating just one at a time. Then, once your new habit becomes routine, add another in. (More on this later.)
4. Repeat, Repeat, Repeat
The first step is showing up just once. After that, you need to motivate yourself to show up consistently. “Over time, the new habit will become automatic,” says Noah Kass, DSW, a psychotherapist in New York.
As for how long you need to show up before a new habit becomes a natural part of your routine? Some research suggests it takes at least a couple months, if not longer. In a small 2009 study, participants chose a new behavior tied to eating, drinking, or activity that they wanted to turn into a habit. On average, it took around 66 days for those habits to become automatic. But newer research suggests that number could range from a few weeks to months depending on the new routine in question.
Once that habit does become automatic, though, you won’t have to spend so much time thinking about it. “One of the best parts of creating a new positive habit is that you no longer have to waste mental energy psyching yourself up to do it,” Kass says. “It will become your new normal.”
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Benefits of Getting Into a Routine
Sure, spontaneity is fun—but the truth is that many of us thrive when we’re in a routine. Here’s why:
Routines make decision-making easier. “Our brain likes patterns,” Hamilton says. We already have so many things to keep track of—appointments, grocery lists, work demands—that following a routine helps decrease our cognitive load and eliminate some decisions, she explains. If, for example, you always take a Peloton Pilates class on Tuesday mornings at 6 AM, you don’t have to ask yourself “When am I going to exercise this week?” on Sunday night because it’s already embedded in your routine.
They allow your brain to focus on other stuff. Because you have to make fewer decisions when following a routine, you also free up your mental space for creativity, problem-solving, and fun. “Routines give us less to think about,” Kass says.
They may decrease stress levels. There’s a reason why parents are often told to keep their young children on a set routine: When you know exactly what your day or week looks like, you feel a greater sense of control—and experience less anxiety and uncertainty as a result. In a 2011 study, researchers observed that practicing rituals is a way humans ease stress. “Routine provides a comforting sense of structure and predictability,” Kissen says. “Think of them as the foundation of a home—they give you a solid base to build on.”
Routines often improve our health in other ways too. “Because many intentional routines are health- or wellness-related, they can positively impact a variety of health factors, like your mental health, nutrition, weight management, and exercise,” Hamilton says.
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Tips for Sticking to New Routines
Research suggests that people who set New Year’s resolutions to start a new routine of eating healthier or exercising more often give up on their goals before February. Experts say following these tips can help you stick to your routine for the long haul:
Identify small ways you can incorporate change. Since too-drastic changes can lead to burnout, Hamilton suggests starting small. For example, she says, decide to exercise for three days a week instead of five, or commit to a 15-minute run instead of a longer 45-minute session. “It might not feel like a lot at first, but that will also be the reason you can incorporate it continuously into your day.”
Try habit loops. Some experts believe practicing habit loops can help a behavior become automatic. This is the idea that your new habit has to move through three phases: the cue, a trigger that sets it in motion; the routine; and the reward. For example, to prompt yourself to do a yoga flow first thing in the morning, the cue could be putting on workout clothes you laid out the night before and rolling out your yoga mat. “These small cues help remind and motivate you,” Kissen says. Your reward might look like treating yourself to a warm cup of coffee afterwards, but it could also simply be noticing the ease and calmness you feel after practicing yoga.
Track your progress. Once a new behavior does become a natural part of your routine, it can be easy to forget how far you’ve come. Keep a list of your accomplishments, Hamilton says, and celebrate even seemingly small wins. That could look like treating yourself to that fancy new water bottle after a week of consistent practice—or you can simply take time to acknowledge your success in the moment. “These rewards can keep you going,” she says.
Remember that “consistent” doesn’t have to mean “daily.” If following your new routine becomes an everyday thing, that’s great. But don’t be hard on yourself when you veer off schedule from time to time. In that same 2009 UK study, researchers found that skipping a new behavior every so often didn’t have lasting effects on participants’ abilities to form a healthy habit. “Routines and perfection are not the same,” Hamilton says. “Having a routine isn’t how long you can go without missing; it’s how quickly you return to the practice when you’ve missed.”
Stay flexible. Life happens, and even the best-thought-out routines don’t go perfectly all the time. “Allow for adjustments as needed without guilt or frustration,” Kissen reiterates.
The Takeaway
It can feel equal parts exciting and overwhelming to create a new routine for yourself. And as tempting as it might be to go all in as fast as possible, many people who end up successfully adopting new habits don’t dive in too deeply at first. Experts say that consistency can be achieved when you start small (such as by taking on just one new healthy habit at a time rather than overhauling your whole life), allow yourself to stay flexible, and really understand why you want to adopt a new habit in the first place. “You don’t need to do something every day for it to become a habit—just be consistent, whatever consistent means to you,” Kass says. “It is OK to start small. You can get more complicated later.”
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This content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute individualized advice. It is not intended to replace professional medical evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment. Seek the advice of your physician for questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition. If you are having a medical emergency, call your physician or 911 immediately.
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