Not sure how to get back in routine? Check out our tips!
Christmas & New Years has come and gone and 2022 has kicked off! Next thing on the agenda is restarting a routine. Whether it may be a new, old or changed routine you are aspiring towards for 2022, the Exercise Physiologists at Longevity – Drummoyne, Edgecliff, Marrickville, Bella Vista, Randwick, Lindfield, Balmain and Neutral Bay are by your side to help you achieve and stick to it this year.
Routine. What do you want your daily or weekly schedule to look like? Whether it be getting up at 5am each morning for an exercise session or taking daily walks after dinner, ascertaining, and communicating what you envision your routine to be is paramount.
- Write down your ideal routine
Transcribe your goals for what you wish to achieve daily and/or weekly. Using a daily schedule or timetable can be helpful in time management and breaking up the day to help keep you on track and avoid distractions.
- Start slowly
Don’t be too strict in the beginning. Studies have shown that habits take anywhere from 18 to 200+ days to be established and being overly strict at the start will only set you up for failure. If you are aiming to improve your sleep by going from sleeping 4hrs a night to 10hrs, gradually build it up. For example, set a goal to sleep 6hrs a night 3 x per week and progress it as you go.
- Be realistic
Life isn’t always as expected, and it is important to account for this in your routine. Taking a “reset day” or even a “reset afternoon” could be helpful to be a buffer for unexpected curveballs.
- Be resilient
Building on the above, change is inevitable, and instead of resisting and avoiding change in your aimed routine, try to ‘control the controllables’. For example, traffic is an example of something you can’t control but what you can control is the time you leave for work, exercise, etc. Establish the controllables so you can be prepared for change.
- Prioritise & remember your WHY
Schedule your routine around your priorities and goals for 2022. Revisiting goals when and if routine gets derailed helps to emphasise the purpose of your routine and create autonomy in motivating yourself to stay focused in adherence.
- Create a supportive environment
If you’re aspiring for a sunrise swim once a week, packing a bag the night before and going to bed early sets you up for success. Being prepared and thinking ahead goes a long way and on days when you may struggle, having things organised makes it easier to stay on track and achieve what you set out to. In addition, ask for help & guidance if you need it. This is could from family, friends or your EP checking in with you and providing strategies & advice in how you can best achieve restarting and succeeding with routine.
The Exercise Physiologists at Longevity look forward to helping you re-establish routine post the Christmas & New Year period and we can’t wait to help you navigate & achieve your goals in 2022!
Call the Exercise Physiologists at Longevity Personal Training and Exercise Physiology Edgecliff, Pymble, Marrickville, Randwick, Drummoyne, Balmain, Bella Vista and Neutral Bay on 1300 964 002 to enquire today.
Written by Ellen Spencer
