Let'sWe all know how easy it is to start something new, and how hard it can be to keep that 'newness' to it... It takes 21 days to create a new habit or break an old one, so if we don't consciously implement routines and habits that allow them to stick it is unlikely we will be able to make the changes we want to see long term.
Our Zenko Yoga Founder, Lauren, became over time a master of creating small habits that had a great impact on her life. The types of habits that felt effortless, timeless and allowed her both creativity and freedom in how life flowed.
She said "like all things in the universe, it's a dance of opposites. The creative muse is balanced and even enhanced by routine. As humans, we are distracted by interior and exterior noise and a lot of that can derail you from your path. Routines and Rituals become the guards to protect it. They direct the chaos of the day, and, over time, help accomplish goals and maximise your potential."
Routines can support us when life is busy and help keep us accountable to showing up and practicing self-care. If you get easily stressed or overwhelmed, having routines and systems can help to ease the pressure as you feel clear on what needs to be done.
- Routines don't have to be complicated, and they don't have to be set in stone.
- Routines should create ease and flow, not the opposite.
Keep reading to find out more about how you can create a routine that will set you free!
When looking to create a routine that will set you free, begin by finishing this sentence...
When I carve out space I love too...
Let's get deeper into how this can happen....
1. Brahmacharya means “right use of energy” it asks us to consider how we actually use and direct our energy. Brahmacharya also evokes a sense of directing our energy away from external desires, those pleasures which seem great at the time but are ultimately fleeting – and instead, towards finding peace and happiness within ourselves.
Filling your schedule with as much as you can may seem impressive on the outside, but when it comes to how this makes us feel on the inside, it doesn’t leave much space to breathe. Brahmacharya encourages right use of energy, so if your energy levels are flagging at the moment, consider whether your daily tasks are draining you of your vitality.
- What are the habits or routines that support you to feel more alive?
- What is one way to incorporate this into your week?
2. The Pomodoro Technique
Francesco Crillo created a technique called The Pomodoro, to help increase his own productivity and stick to the task at hand. Imagine if those burning things on your to do list were no longer things that held space in your mind and instead were done and dusted as part of your daily / weekly routine…
So here’s how to do it:
- Choose a task
- Set your timer to 25 minutes
- Work on the task until the timer rings
- Take a short break (Start with 5 minutes)
- Every 4 Pomodoros, take a longer break
This is a great way to set a small goal that requires 25 minutes up to an hour uninterrupted time. Remove your distractions, set a timer and work solidly on this task.
3. Time blocking: Simple. Blocking time in your calendar to work on certain things / projects. Time for unforeseen tasks or events that task longer.
This time can also be used as time where NOTHING is scheduled. Time where there is no need to be busy, to be doing.
4. Habit Stacking: It's simple, build a habit on an existing one you already have.
Start with:
Boil the kettle before / after I…
Make breakfast before / after I…
Clean teeth before / after I …
Go to work before/ after I …
As small habits form, you can build on this, for example:
Walk with friends before / after I…
Meditate with friends before / after I…
Go to class before / after I…
5. Routines should set you free! Creating better habits, even small ones, creates a greater vitality, more space and freedom in the time that you have each day but it takes TAPAS, discipline to do this.
Routines ask us to show up - time and time again.
In traditional practices yogi’s carved out time, 6 days a week, at a set time before the day began (often as the sun rises, hence the name of Sun Salutations) and had the discipline to do this day in day out, year after year with rest days on Sundays and Moon Days. This is no longer expected from a practice perspective but how we show up, the habits we create like this ARE important to ensure that we do SHOW UP. For ourselves. For those around us.
It is understanding and incorporating self discipline, Tapas that enables them to do it.
Want to hear even more about how you can set a routine that will set you free? You can watch Lauren's talk for FREE HERE.
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