When a significant event interrupts the normal rhythm of your everyday life, you probably feel out of sorts. Perhaps you don’t finish everything on your to-do list, struggle to focus, or feel overwhelmingly tired.
It’s a pretty stark contrast to your typical daily routine, right? When your life has a predictable pace, you might find that you do your best work and have more free time, leaving you feeling productive and empowered.
This is the power of routine. When your days follow a structured plan, you can tick off everything on your list and have the time and energy levels to take on more — whether that’s self-care activities, quality time with loved ones, or a new skill.
The importance of having a daily routine
A daily routine is a set of actions you perform every day, like waking up at the same time or hitting the gym each evening. Not all routines center positive behaviors like exercise or a solid sleep schedule. Negative ones — like staying up too late every night — form routines nonetheless.
Positive daily routines are important because they foster healthy habits. Habits form when you repeat an activity regularly and consistently get a reward, like happiness or an improvement in your health.
Over time, you might start to perform these activities on autopilot. If you go to the grocery store each evening after work to pick up fresh vegetables for dinner, you improve your nutrition and reinforce this healthy eating pattern. You like how you feel and continue shopping nightly and eating well. And if you regularly attend a yoga class that relieves tension in your body, you’ll sign up without thinking twice, since that’s part of your routine. Without a proper routine, you might struggle to decide when is best to work out or what to eat for each meal.
Routines are also essential because they take some of the unpredictability out of your day, reducing stress that can take a toll on your mental and physical health. The structure allows you to enjoy healthy daily habits like eating nutritious meals, sleeping well, finishing your work, and having time for social interactions. With this, your quality of life heightens, and stress decreases. As a result, you’re at lower risk for heart disease, and you experience mental health benefits, too, like better mood regulation.
14 daily routine examples
Thrive Global founder Arianna Huffington doesn’t check her social media in the morning. Media magnate Oprah Winfrey starts her day with an hour of exercise. And inventor Benjamin Franklin journalled every day.
The common thread between these vastly different activities? The daily routines of successful people support their creativity, productivity, and health.
You can promote your own success by doing the same. The following list of 14 excellent daily habit examples is a starting point for finding a set of rituals that work for you.
Morning routines
A morning routine can help you face your day with intention, structure, and meaning. You get into a positive headspace, put energy-driving nutrients into your body, and feel enthusiastic about what you hope to accomplish.
Here are a few ideas for starting your day with a positive outlook:
1. Wake up early
There are only so many hours in the day, but if you adjust your sleep schedule to get up an hour earlier, it can feel like you’ve tacked on a little more time. Early risers (and those in the 5 a.m. club) may also experience improvements in mental health and productivity, according to the Sleep Foundation. By adding waking up early to your daily schedule, you might find that you can function at your highest and accomplish more.
2. Have breakfast
You’ve likely heard someone say that breakfast is the “most important meal of the day.” And there’s truth to this adage. The Sleep Foundation also notes that eating breakfast gives you the physical energy to start your day and helps clear brain fog. And inserting this meal into your everyday activities also spurs positive long-term effects: for instance, people who eat breakfast can improve their heart health and reduce their risk for diabetes.
3. Make the bed
If making the bed seems like just one more thing to do, that’s understandable. After all, you’ll get back in it later, right? But this small act can make a significant impact on your day. Making the bed can jumpstart your productivity, pushing you to complete the first task on your to-do list and follow suit with the rest. Plus, it keeps your bedroom tidy, making it an inviting space for your sleep hygiene routine before bed.
4. Set affirmations for the day
Everyone occasionally suffers from self-doubt, confidence issues, and insecurities. But you can reframe your self-perception first thing if you say or write positive affirmations. These statements highlight your talents and attributes and remind you what you’re capable of. You could try affirming yourself by saying, “I can finish all of my work well today,” or “I am worthy of respect, love, and compassion.”
5. Take a cold shower
Taking a cold shower isn’t right for everyone, but some find it energizing — the same way the first sip of coffee might be. And science suggests these inklings are true. Showers under 70 degrees Fahrenheit can boost endorphins, circulation, and metabolism. And as unlikely as this may sound, frigid showers can stave off a cold or flu.
Evening routines
Winding down at the end of the day can help you prepare for restful sleep. Ideally, you want to use this time to lessen stress and get your body and mind into a low-energy, relaxed state that promotes quality rest.
Here are three activities to implement at the end of the day:
6. Stretching
Light stretching before bed can improve your quality of sleep. Whether you realize it or not, your day physically strains your body, and stretching can help it recover. You release muscle tension and improve blood flow, allowing your body to rejuvenate as you sleep. If you suffer from muscular pain, this activity can lessen your discomfort, making it easier to sleep through the night comfortably.
7. Goal setting
Set goals for tomorrow before you go to sleep. Reflect on the day and consider your accomplishments and opportunities. If you didn’t finish your to-do list, you know which high-priority tasks you should do first thing the next day, and you can establish these as morning goals.
8. Implement good sleep hygiene
Establish a bedtime routine that fosters high-quality sleep. After you’ve set your goals, stretched, brushed your teeth, and done all of your other evening rituals, prepare your sleep space. Pull down the black-out curtains, stop using your phone or the TV (the blue light can keep you up), and put in earplugs if you use them. Apply a relaxing scent to your sheets or body, and set the room to your ideal sleeping temperature. Avoid any thoughts or activities that could reactivate you.
Anytime routines
Routines should ideally happen at the same time each day, but everyone’s schedule looks different. The following daily activities are ones that you can squeeze in wherever they best fit. Perhaps you have a long train commute that provides reading time or a break in the middle of the day you can use to get some fresh air.
Here are a few “anytime” routines to boost your self-awareness, knowledge, and well-being:
9. Journaling
Journaling can reduce stress and anxiety, making it a health-positive activity to add to your day. You can flush out your frustration on the page, interrogate feelings about the day's events, and explore insecurities in a safe space. The activity helps you understand yourself better, recognize behavioral or emotional patterns (like how certain interactions consistently make you sad), and think through complex problems. Journaling can be an excellent complement to coaching or therapy, as you can share what you’re exploring in your notes with a professional and unpack it further.
10. Exercise
Exercise improves your cardiovascular health, boosts your mood, strengthens your memory, and builds muscle mass — the list of benefits goes on. Proper fitness routines are distinct for all bodies, so consult with your doctor if you want advice on what’s right for you. Some thrive off low-impact activities like yoga or walking, while others aim to build muscle by lifting or improve cardiovascular health through running. If you enjoy team sports, you’ll get a bonus from this routine: the motivational support of your teammates and social connection.
11. Drink water
Proper hydration is essential to good health. Water transports nutrients and oxygen to your cells, flushes waste, and lubricates joints. To ensure proper hydration throughout the day, start your morning with a glass of water and drink throughout the day until you reach the proper amount for your body and activity levels, which is generally around 3 to 4 liters a day. If you often forget to drink water, set reminder timers or purchase a bottle that can hold several liters with the goal of consuming every drop by the end of the day.
12. Read or listen to podcasts
Turn your commute into self-directed learning time by listening to podcasts and audiobooks. You can level up your professional skills, learn more about self-care, or simply enjoy inspiring stories from a variety of voices. You could also insert reading into your wind-down routine or lunch break. Any time you open your mind to new narratives, you grow and become more empathetic. Plus, it keeps your brain active and can help prevent Alzheimer’s and dementia.
13. Practice gratitude
Practicing gratitude is the act of stating what you’re thankful for each day. You can define these things for yourself, like writing about how grateful you are for your productive day at work, or share them with others (for example, writing a friend a thank you note for helping you move). Studies show that practicing gratitude can make you happier, combat depression, and even improve your immune health.
14. Socialize
Social relationships are an essential part of your wellness. Being social can make you more resilient in trying times, provide a support system, and increase your empathy and self-esteem. Plus, spending time with loved ones and friends is enjoyable. No matter how busy you are, try to carve out routines around social contact, like a game night with the family or Saturday brunch with friends.
Daily schedule example
Setting routines is a positive practice. But if you become too dedicated to them and over-schedule your day, you may find yourself stressed and frustrated. In order to keep your routines healthy, create an achievable list of to-do’s for your day.
Here’s an example to guide you:
- 5:30 a.m. Wake up
- 5:45 a.m. Drink water and eat a snack
- 6:00 a.m. Go for a jog
- 6:30 a.m. Shower and get ready for work
- 7:15 a.m. Make bed
- 7:30 a.m. Write affirmations while eating breakfast
- 8:00 a.m. Commute to work and listen to a podcast
- 10:00 a.m. Take a 15-minute water and meditation break
- 12:00 p.m. Eat a nutritious lunch
- 3:00 p.m. Take a 15-minute walk break with a coworker
- 6:00 p.m. Buy groceries for dinner
- 7:00 p.m. Make and eat dinner
- 8:00 p.m. Read
- 9:00 p.m. Stretch and begin bedtime wind-down
- 10:00 p.m. Go to bed
Establishing healthy routines takes effort, but it’s worth it
Sometimes, you need the chance to wake up late and skip brushing your teeth. But when you repeat these actions regularly, they become more and more likely to inspire a potentially harmful daily routine.
Instead of falling into habits that could damage your wellness, productivity, and relationships, work to establish healthy ones. Yes, it’ll take some extra initiative on days when you’d prefer to omit your gratitude journaling to keep watching a TV series. But when you experience the positive outcomes of a healthy routine, you'll feel the benefits of all your hard work.
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