avatarAngelica Mendez

Summary

The article discusses strategies for successfully adapting to new routines, emphasizing the importance of time management, self-grace, accountability, and flexibility.

Abstract

The author shares personal experiences with adjusting to a new work schedule and side hustles, highlighting the challenges and triumphs of establishing a consistent routine. They advocate for honest self-assessment, grace combined with accountability, and meticulous planning to navigate the transition. The article underscores the necessity of being adaptable and accepting that an ideal routine may evolve over time. It also provides practical tips such as scheduling tasks, taking breaks when necessary, and creating a continuous work loop to maintain productivity without succumbing to perfectionism.

Opinions

  • The author believes that change begins with acknowledging personal challenges and being honest about the need for improvement.
  • They emphasize the importance of self-compassion during the process of adopting new routines, while also maintaining a level of accountability to ensure progress.
  • The author suggests that planning and scheduling are crucial for managing time effectively, especially when juggling multiple responsibilities.
  • They express that it's normal for initial routines to change as one learns what works best through trial and error.
  • The author opines that taking scheduled breaks, especially after long work shifts, is beneficial for long-term adherence to a routine.
  • They share the view that a balanced approach, avoiding the all-or-nothing mentality, is key to sustaining efforts in creative endeavors like writing and content creation for platforms like YouTube.
  • The author advises that perfection should not be the goal; instead, focus on creating a routine that is practical and sustainable.
  • They encourage readers to be patient with themselves, as finding the right routine is a process that takes time and adjustment.

How to Change Routines Successfully.

It will take time and effort.

Photo by kike vega on Unsplash

Recently, my work schedule changed, and I added another side hustle around the same time.

I’m currently still trying to adjust/find a routine I can stick to to continue working while building my side hustles.

This made me think about how many of us have tried or are currently trying to create/adopt better routines to start making change happen in our lives.

Although I haven’t found my ideal routine yet, I’ve still been able to stick to the plans I made, and I’m very proud of that because past me would have melted down at the idea of not having a ‘perfect’ routine in place.

I also wanted to share with you so that, hopefully, some of the things I write about help you on your journey.

Without further ado, here is what I’ve been doing to help me settle into a new routine successfully.

Grace, grace, grace… and accountability.

Have grace with yourself as you change things around.

Nothing is perfect, and getting into a new routine is anything but.

At the same time, don’t let every excuse in the book become valid.

This is what it means to have grace with accountability.

As I’m adjusting to this new routine, there are days that no matter how hard I try to focus on writing, I can’t seem to get anything out.

Rather than be mad at me for not being able to come up with any new ideas, I allow myself a break, but I also make a promise to try again later or the next day.

I’m actually holding myself accountable today.

Yesterday, I left a note on what topic I wanted to write about (this blog), and even though I woke up tired (I didn’t sleep too well last night), I told myself I would attempt to write this blog, and thankfully, things are working out.

But first, I had to make an effort to get up, get to my desk, and remind myself of the promise I made yesterday.

Schedule yourself.

Plan it out.

As I said, I wrote a note about what I would write today — I planned it beforehand.

One way that lets me get a clear picture of the time I have available is by using a calendar with time stamps.

These blocks of time tell me exactly when I’m busy working and when I have free time.

Before starting my new schedule at work, I planned out my month (February) so I knew more or less which days I would need to transfer tasks over to.

I’m used to doing a lot of my work in the mornings before leaving for work, but now that I’m starting work earlier, I’m changing things around and seeing if it’s better to leave those tasks for one of my days off or cut them in half and do some work in the mornings.

I still haven’t figured out what works best, but I’m certainly on my way, and that’s thanks to planning things ahead of time and scheduling myself.

Adjust as needed.

The routine you start with may not be the one you end up with.

As I said, I’m still figuring out what works best, and it certainly looks very different from what I had in mind when I first started.

Right now, it’s more convenient for me to write in the mornings before leaving for work.

However, some days, I need to schedule a break because I work long shifts (around nine to ten hours) — most likely, this will happen on Sundays.

I’m going to see if allowing myself a break from writing Sunday mornings will help me settle better into this routine.

In addition, because I start my days earlier now, I don’t have time to do much editing or recording for YouTube.

Right now, I’m trying to figure out a good filming, editing, and uploading schedule.

So far, it looks like this: record on Tuesday/Wednesday, edit 50% of the video on Thursday.

Allow me a break/time to come up with editing ideas on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday (write during those days ish), and finish editing next Tuesday (record the next video, too) and upload to YouTube on Wednesday or Thursday.

I want to create a continuous filming, editing, and uploading loop that lets me consistently post videos.

And I’m much closer to getting there thanks to planning things out but adjusting as needed since I’m still getting used to two side hustles and a different work schedule.

Even when I find a good routine, remember that nothing is perfect, and there will be days when I don’t write or film when I plan to.

That’s being human.

So don’t forget to have grace with yourself, but also try to get back on the wagon the next day after you’ve had some time to recharge.

There’s no such thing as the perfect routine.

The only good routine is the one you can stick to, but don’t put pressure on yourself to have that routine figured out right away.

It takes time, and that’s normal.

I hope some of these tips helped, and good luck accomplishing your goals in 2024!

Change
Routine
Planning
Goals
Growth
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