How to Build a Daily Routine That Works for You

Creating a daily routine that works for you—and sticking to it—can take some time but it's well worth the effort. But, what should your perfect daily routine contain? That depends on your needs. Build a successful routine to fit your daily timetable. Be honest about what you can make work by evaluating your lifestyle, bandwidth, time-management abilities, and what you need to accomplish.

Here are five steps to help you develop a reasonable daily routine you can maintain and better organize your life.

1. Make a List

   Crafting a daily routine begins by writing down every daily task you need to do at home and work. Don't worry about how you organize this list; this is a brain dump, not a checklist.

   If you find it difficult to remember all the tasks you need to get done in one sitting, carry a planner or notebook to take notes throughout the day. No task is too small—if you want to work "brush teeth" into your daily routine, put it on the list.

2. Structure Your Day

   Early birds do things most effectively before lunchtime, while night owls get their burst of energy in the evenings. Think about when you work best. Then, group your tasks into the time of day when you'll most efficiently complete them.

   • Mornings: You might be pressed for time in the morning, but group all your early tasks, such as feeding and walking pets, preparing breakfast, or putting dinner in the slow cooker. Think about what tasks you want to do while you're fresh. Or, decide what tasks you dread tackling so you can get them done and out of the way early in the day.
   • Midday: Morning caffeine wears off by midday, and energy levels wane. Do the boring, routine stuff that doesn't take a lot of brainpower, like answering emails, setting appointments, and running errands. If at home, handle routine cleaning, such as emptying and loading the dishwasher or wiping down the bathroom.
   • Evening: Evenings work best for planning and preparing for the next day. Lay out your clothes, pack lunches, and declutter the spaces that tend to be drop zones, such as mail piles.

   Tip

   Visual tools help you remember and solidify your schedule. Display a chart or use visual cues like color-coded tabs, vibrant sticky notes, hued markers, or stickers. Online planners have plenty of visual cues, too.

3. Get Specific (Optional)

   Get as specific as you want with your outline of tasks. For example, write a daily morning routine that looks something like this to account for time:

   • 6:00: Wake up, shower
   • 6:30: Breakfast, brush teeth
   • 7:00: Leave the house
   • 7:15: Drop off kids at school
   • 7:30: Arrive at the office

   You might prefer that level of detail until you get the hang of your routine.

4. Schedule Time for Flexibility

   A good daily routine will harness your most productive hours for challenging tasks and your least productive hours for mundane tasks. But life can be unpredictable sometimes, so prepare for unplanned events by scheduling flexible free time in your routine.

   Having blocks of free time in your daily routine allows you to shift tasks around while keeping things flowing smoothly despite atypical events. That's helpful if you have a long doctor's appointment or an impromptu social invite. Free time blocks ensure you never feel pressed for time.

5. Test Drive Your New Routine

   Once you've created your daily routine, try it. Ask yourself:

   • How does your daily routine feel? 
   • Did you schedule your tasks at times that make sense? 
   • Do you need to adjust anything? 

   Commit to the routine for at least 30 days. Tweak any scheduling that isn't working out. Sticking to your daily routine will be easier once your tasks are in the correct time slot.

Moving Forward With Your Routine

Remember that nothing is written in stone. Keep tweaking your routine as changes happen in your life. Follow the steps you used to create your initial routine to form new and productive habits. Begin by finding a free planner online to kickstart your new routine.