Why routines are better than habits

If you have a goal that requires some changes in your everyday behavior you will need to work with new routines. If you successfully stick with your new routines for long enough you will build new habits. By that point, routine actions have become a part of your personality. And here a critical distinction needs to be made between routines and habits.

As long as you work on building new routines, you are actively working to improve yourself. But once an action has become too easy to require any effort, it does no longer challenge you enough to change you. Habits are not actively improving your skills, routines, on the other hand, are a framework that can be used exactly for such purpose. 

Achievements through routines, but not habits. 

The point of this post is simple. Work on creating positive routines that, with time, turn into effortless habits. And then, keep on adding new ways of challenging yourself. It has to be a deliberate process of evaluating your routine. Look for the things that have become second nature to you. Be proud of yourself for that, but also look for the areas where you can level up even further. Which habits have become too easy for you? Could you increase your skills by making them more challenging or adding other activities to them?

Apply this process to your routines from time to time. Look at the two levels of your routines. The framework and the content. First, what does your general time-management framework look like? Are you efficient with your time? Do you have parts of your day where you apply a laser-like focus towards your goals? Have you made room for your creativity to unfold?

One level below that are the actions themselves. Where is your mind while you are executing your routines. Questions to ask yourself: Are your actions effective towards your goals? Are you mindful when you meditate? Are you concentrated when you study? What is the quality of your work? Are you distracted? Do you think about other things while you executing the routines? Or are you present with what you are doing? And do you enjoy and love what you are doing? 


If you have high goals and you know you have to improve to become the person that matches your ambitions, then working with routines in that way is essential. But even more so it is essential to enjoy the process. And how you do that is my core teaching.

To train the mind to be fully connected to the present moment at all times. This releases your superpowers.

If you want to learn this strategy to apply mindfulness towards your goals, go to the Coaching-page and contact me through the message box on the right.