Have you ever noticed that it gets harder to make decisions toward the end of the day? Ever felt too tired to figure out what to have for dinner or what to watch on TV? That’s because we all have a finite amount of decisions that we can make in any given day.

We all have a finite amount of decisions that we can make in any given day. Routines and habits free brain space for more creative and productive thinking, and eliminate a lot of daily stress! Click To Tweet

Knowing that helps us prioritize. We can cut out a lot of decision making by implementing habits and routines. That way we save decision making for the important stuff. It also frees brain space for more creative and productive thinking. Routines simplify our lives and eliminate a lot of daily stress.

Chances are you already have a morning routine. You get up, get your coffee, read the paper or check email and fix some toast before heading into the shower. Let’s expand on that. If you create a “uniform” for yourself, you don’t even have to think about what to wear. You just grab a pair of pants and a shirt, or a skirt, tights and sweater and off you go!

Implement some routines into your day wherever possible. For example:

• Meal planning helps you figure out what meals to fix and eat.
• A cleaning schedule makes sure you stay on track with household chores.
• An exercise routine helps you stay on track with your fitness goals.
• A bedtime routine helps your body prepare for restful sleep and helps you fall asleep more easily.

A great night time routine helps you wrap up the day’s activities and prepare for a great morning. This is especially helpful if you aren’t a “morning person.”

• Start by doing a few chores that make the next morning easier.
  • Making sure the kitchen is clean
  • Pack a lunch for the next day
  • Collect items you’ll need to take with you like a gym bag, briefcase, purse, gloves, scarf and hat
  • Select an outfit and accessories for yourself
  • Brain Dump – Put any last-minute ideas on your To-Do list for tomorrow – that gets them out of your head and on a list so you know you won’t forget them. This will help you relax and get a good night’s sleep.

• Next, come up with a few calming things that help you slow down and get ready for sleep.
  • Meditate and breath
  • Journal
  • Read a book
  • Listen to some music
  • Wind down with a cup of herbal tea

I encourage you to stop for a moment, sit down with a pen and piece of paper, and think about what parts of your day and week you can turn into routines. By writing them down and creating daily to-do lists, it’s as if you give yourself a commitment and saying to your brain, “I will help you incorporate these new behaviors into your daily activities until you’ve established these new habits and they become part of your routine.”

Spending a little bit of time creating routines and habits will make your day run a lot smoother. You might just find yourself less stressed and accomplishing more during your productive hours. And that’s a beautiful thing. It allows you to save plenty of decision making for the fun stuff like figuring out what to do for “date night” with your husband, or “family night” with the kids.

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