When Routine and Mindfulness Come Together

A routine doesn't happen on its own - we have to first set an intention, and then put in deliberate effort to make it happen.

When people ask me how they can keep up with a daily mindfulness practice, I don't say something inspirational like "Just do it!" or "Believe in yourself."

I say, "Routine. Routine, routine, routine."

Over the years I have come to realise just how valuable routines are for living mindfully.

As best as possible, I make sure I wake up at the same time every morning to meditate. I set aside my phone during breakfast and practice eating with full awareness. Every day as I travel from one place to another, I practice walking mindfully whenever I get the chance.

I know this probably sounds boring.

To be honest, mindfulness itself is hardly exciting, but we practice it because it makes a significant difference to our health and wellbeing. It transforms the way we live.

And so does a routine.

Whether we (1) bring mindful awareness to a routine daily activity or (2) create a routine for our mindfulness practice, when mindfulness and routine come together, we can be sure that we are spending our time much more meaningfully and effectively.

Here's why:

Routines are intentional designs.

A routine doesn't happen on its own - we have to first set an intention, and then put in deliberate effort to make it happen.

We take ownership of our own life and recognise the agency we have in designing the way we want to live.

We prioritise being well and plan out each day with thoughtfulness.

We work in that 7 a.m. run in the park and that 8:30 a.m. meditation before starting work.

We drink our coffee mindfully, on purpose.

We make it a point to practice deep listening with our family every evening at dinner.

We don't do routines for the sake of being routine.

We evaluate what works best for us and make decisions that are healthy and wise.

The whole endeavour of designing routines is a mindful one.

Routines ground us.

Living with mindful routines serves to ground us and keep us anchored amidst a messy, chaotic lifestyle.

The predictability of engaging in a familiar activity at a fixed time of the day offers stability and security for both the mind and body.

When we practice doing one thing at a time instead of multitasking, the mind becomes less scattered and more collected.

When we bring moment-to-moment awareness to how our body engages with a routine activity, the mind is more present with the experience and less likely to get lost in autopilot or in the headspace of non-stop thinking.

A mindful morning routine helps us wake up feeling more refreshed and transition into the day with more energy.

A mindful evening routine helps us wind down properly and sleep better at night.

Routines make us stronger.

Following routines with mindfulness and regularly practicing mindfulness meditation make us stronger in various ways.

The practice of sticking with routines every day cultivates discipline, which spills over to positively impact our capacity to focus on our goals and manage our time.

The more disciplined we are, the less likely we allow ourselves to fall back into patterns of procrastination or self-destructive behaviours, and the more productive and effective we will become.

Mindful routines help us commit to the things we would like to prioritise.

A half-day digital detox every weekend ensures greater presence with our loved ones.

A one-hour time block from work every day gives us time for reflection and creative brainstorming.

A ten-minute pause in between tasks offers us space to recalibrate before moving on.

The repetitive nature of a routine meditation also means that we are strengthening our skills of attention each time we practice.

Each time we bring our attention back to the present after noticing the mind has drifted away, we increase our ability to focus.

Each time we stay with an unpleasant experience that arises and observe ourselves with patience and non-judgement, we build up our resilience.

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It is worth nothing that routines can get boring after a while, since we are engaging in the same thing over and over again every day.

As we bring mindfulness to the routines we have established, we might notice ourselves falling into autopilot mode and going through the motion. Observe any feelings of boredom and restlessness that arise, as well as the tendency to seek novelty and stimulation.

Inviting curiosity to each moment of our experience and reminding ourselves of such intentional designing of our life can help keep daily routines purposeful and more "alive".

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