The Ultimate Guide to Resetting Your Routine

We’re all creatures of habit, and the sooner you accept and harness the power of this fact, the better!

As a free-spirited creative, I railed against my habit-loving-nature for years and it led to burn-out, overwhelm and lack of progress!

Routines help us…

• Automate tasks so we can focus on more important things
• Feel more in control of our lives
• Stick to good habits
• Be more productive
• Reduce stress

Seriously…what’s not to love!?

Why routines are particularly important for soulpreneurs

There’s no getting around the fact that, as a soulpreneur, the buck stops with you!

Sure, you can outsource tasks and be part of a collaborative community, but ultimately how you spend your time and what you focus on is your decision.

Having a routine can help you really maximise your precious time and be more productive.

If you struggle to stay focussed on your goals and keep getting distracted by bright-shiny-object syndrome, it could be because you have no routine holding you in focus.

Knowing exactly what action to take to move-the-needle in your business is one thing…having the routine to actually Do The Work is another!

You can know all-the-stuff, but if you aren’t taking action it’s all-for-nothing!

Is it time for a change?

I knew it was time to try a new approach when I realised I was rushing around like a headless chicken, trying to do all-the-things-at-once, doing bits-and-bobs higgeldy-piggeldy…and basically not seeing all my efforts turn into cold-hard-cash!!

[side note: remember you are a business owner, this isn’t a charity where you give your time, energy and effort for free!]

Here are a few other ways to know if it’s time for a change:

• You feel like you’re in a rut
• You’re not seeing the results you want
• Your routine is no longer effective
• You’re bored with your routine
• You want to try something new

The benefits of resetting your routine

For me, the biggest benefits are feeling less stressed, having more energy, being more efficient and productive, and working less hours!

Having a routine also makes it way easier to take advantage of opportunities and stick to your goals – because you’re taking focussed, strategic action every day.

You can also see the Bigger Picture, and are better able to measure, monitor and tweak your routine to keep you on track.

Journal Prompts to reset your routine

Here are some journaling prompts to hep you assess your current routine, determine what you’d like to change, and create a reset plan:

What is my current routine? (remember: even getting out of bed, brushing your teeth, feeding the cat, making a cuppa is a routine. This question helps you to actually SEE your routines so you can become more intentional about them!)

During which parts of my day am I most focussed, productive and efficient? (starting to become aware of your own energetic flow helps you schedule work, rest and play)

What will give my mind the best start to each day? (routine doesn’t mean you have to do the exact same thing every day – it may be you have a ‘20 Min Pause‘ which could mean Meditation Monday, Read Tuesday, Journal Wednesday, Walk Thursday, Sit In Stillness Friday)

What will keep my body healthy each day? (again, this could be ‘45 Min Move‘ which could be Yoga Monday, Pilates Tuesday, Jog Wednesday etc. Or even ‘Veg Wednesdays’ or ‘No Sugar Tuesday’s. Get creative and shake things up – especially if you’re prone to boredom like me!!)

What will keep my business healthy each day? (what are those needle-moving-actions that generate money? List them out and see how you can schedule to take the actions every-single-day. Again, switch it up so you’re not focussing on the same stuff day-in-day-out).

[If you haven’t already, check out my Business Ecosystem Training which breaks your business actions into 6 Parts: Traffic, Acquisition, Engagement, Sales, Metrics, Service]

How would I love to end my day so I’m ready for a good night sleep? [For me it’s skincare, make a cup of Digest Tea, Read a page of The Daily Stoic, Read my book for 30 minutes, brush teeth, cuddle cats and husband, head to the land of nod]

By answering these journal prompts you should have a pretty good idea what will help you be at your best each day…now it’s time to put it into practice…

Tips for resetting your routine

Now you have a good idea what you want your Ideal Day to look like, here are some tips to help you get started:

• Invest in a planner or calendar to help you keep track of your new routine.
• Start small by changing one thing at a time.
• Set realistic goals for yourself and build in some flexibility.
• Create a support network of family and friends who can help you stick to your new routine.
• Be patient with yourself and give yourself time to adjust to the new routine.

[If you haven’t already, join the mentoring and accountability community where women are guided to be self-led soulpreneurs running peak-performance businesses inside ‘The Soulpreneur Success Hub’]

What to do after you’ve reset your routine

Make sure you have a solid plan for what your new routine will entail – I have a Monthly Planner with my daily routines listed so each day I have it to hand and work through it methodically. (seriously, it takes so much guesswork out of each day you’ll be amazed how much head-space you free up!)

Identify your goals and objectives for resetting your routine – if you don’t know why you’re doing it and the impact of not doing it will have, you probably won’t stick to it! Get clear on your WHY and hold that close.

Start slowly and gradually add new elements to your routine as you become comfortable with them – Have the Big Picture but set a schedule so little-by-little you build-up to the full routine.

Be flexible and adjust your routine as needed to ensure it works for you – don’t be too hard on yourself on the days the routine goes to pot (because it will). Remember, each new moment is a fresh opportunity to start again so check your Routine Plan, see what action is next, and get going!

You Are Ready!

The fastest way to get results is to take action. Don’t question yourself, just get a routine on paper and start today. This is a process that will take some getting used to and finessing, but once you’ve crafted a routine that works for you you’ll be happier, healthier and wealthier!

ROUTINE is the second part of my Self-Led Soulpreneur Framework, so if you’ve found this blog helpful hop over to my Approach page to find out more.