Can good routines really make an impact? WebMD explains one psychological benefit of having a good routine is that “if you have a plan, you’ll feel more in control.” It can be difficult to maintain routines when external factors (i.e., pandemics or school schedules) dictate your schedule. Conversely, however, having daily practices that ground you can set the tone to handle these outside stressors. Need some ideas? We have a few that you can test out…
1. Start Daily Journaling
If you are an English major, you may already be doing “Morning Pages,” but if not, journaling can seem like a fruitless endeavor. Scientists disagree. Dr. Steve Orma, a CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) clinical psychologist explains how journaling can be an antidote for anxiety. Orma said, “Just as we create routines with exercise for our physical bodies, we should do the same for our mental health. One way to do this is scheduling ‘thinking time’ to think through any problems or worries weighing on you instead of letting them build up.”
A regular habit of journaling has been linked to reduced anxiety and depression, better sleep and even a stronger immune system. Even the simple task of setting out daily intentions can contribute to a smoother, less overwhelming day.
2. Adopt a Daily Meditation Routine
The act of meditating can be applied in different ways. Any repetitive chore can be an act of meditation. It’s apocryphal knowledge that Agatha Christie used to think up her characters while washing her dishes each day (if you lack dirty dishes, apply this to any other daily mundane task). Another unconventional meditation is focusing your breaths while walking. When I walk around campus, I often incorporate square breathing when I feel like I need an emotional reset. Then there are the more traditional meditation techniques, which have numerous benefits and are easily accessible through the Calm app provided by Smith. Even if this more traditional approach seems overwhelming, the app has beginner lessons and nighttime meditations to help you wind down.
3. Scheduling Out Your Week
Choosing a day to plan out your week will help prioritize the things that need to get done and the things that can wait. My first semester at Smith I took a course called “Applied Learning Strategies” (IDP 136) in which I learned valuable time management strategies in addition to tips for better note-taking and mindset. These strategies can seem basic, but when implemented into one’s daily routine, they can bring about substantial benefits. This class taught me the benefit of planning out my week each Sunday night, prioritizing tasks for the week and then using time blocks in my calendar to ensure I have enough time for what needs to be done. These simple time management strategies have decreased my anxiety and helped me feel more in control. I notice that when I don’t do this practice, my week goes a bit haywire.
4. Incorporate a Daily Practice of Gratitude
I once heard a famous self-help guru say that “there’s no room for fear when there is gratitude.” This reminder keeps me going back to my gratitude lists. At some points in my life I did them morning and night; now I just focus on daily gratitude and no longer focus on my anxiety. Gratitude is another practice with a long list of benefits: better sleep, decreased depression and anxiety, improved physical and psychological health and increased mental strength. Psychology Today notes a study on the benefits of gratitude in overcoming trauma. The study showed lowered effects of post-traumatic stress from Vietnam War veterans and survivors of the September 11 attacks. Gratitude is one of the easiest things to incorporate as it can be done virtually anywhere, but its daily practice will reap large emotional rewards.
5. Visualizing a Positive Outcome
The practice of visualization is different from hoping for something to happen or just “positive thinking.” There is an intention and emotional connection to it that sets it apart. Visualization techniques have been used by many successful people and professional athletes. Psychology Today says that “the brain is getting trained for actual performance during visualization.” They cite a study that showed that the brainwaves of professional weightlifters lifting weights and those only imagining the actions were almost the same. When visualizing, it’s good to get specific about your outcome and push out any negative self-talk while also incorporating all five senses into what it will be like on the other side of your test, paper, interview or whatever scenario you are visualizing an outcome to –– get really specific!
“The interesting thing about the mind,” wrote HuffPost, “is that it has a difficult time distinguishing between reality and imagination. Whether we have landed our dream job, or simply imagine landing our dream job, our body will stimulate the same neural networks.”
How many of these practices you choose to incorporate into your daily routine is less important than that you approach whatever you try with consistency. Take a chance and see if it works!
