Importance of Routine to Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle

The word routine might not sound so important in our daily lives. While a few love to have solid routines to their daily schedule, a few others shudder at the thought of maintaining a routine. So, what is Routine? Is routine really important to maintain a healthy lifestyle?

Humans are known to be creatures of habit. So much so that sometimes we perform a task involuntarily and say, “It is a force of habit.” As much as we love spontaneity and surprises, we also tend to feel more comfortable when we know what we are doing next or what to expect. Routine helps us stay grounded and maintain a balanced life.

To start with, routine is not just about sticking to the clock on the wall, it helps us in maintaining our body clock – the circadian rhythm. All living beings have circadian rhythms – physical, mental and behavioral changes in our daily cycle. The body maps every task you do, how it is mentally affecting you and accordingly releases the hormones and controls the biological functions to keep you balanced.  Routine is a key element to maintain a healthy circadian rhythm.

So, let’s look at how maintaining a routine helps us:

A Fixed Schedule

With our busy lifestyle, many believe it is hard to keep aside a few minutes for exercise. The majority of people believe that dedicating a particular time will initially be difficult.   When you stop resisting, eventually it will help you maintain a workout routine. When you decide to exercise in the scheduled time slot, you habituate to it and the body starts responding better. It clocks in what time you eat and what time you exercise and accordingly starts reacting to it.

Increased Productivity

It goes without saying that, when your day is planned and scheduled, the time management gets better. Also, once you follow a certain pattern, the body invariably gets used to it and you can be more effective in your productivity.

Healthy Balance

Routine helps in maintaining a good work-life balance. Regular habits and self-discipline help you navigate when things get out of control. This helps in achieving your goal more efficiently.

Mental Health

When both the body and the mind know what to expect next, it reduces stress and improves the overall mental health.

As they say, Consistency is key to everything. One way to make workout routine easier is to sign up for fitness classes which helps you follow your workout plan, mandatorily. You can also look at belly dancing which makes workout fun and interesting to learn.

Another way is to find yourself a workout buddy. Having someone to lean on for your fitness journey helps you get into the routine better. You can map a fitness goal and hold each other accountable until you meet it. KellyKintetix, offers a ‘Bring Your Buddy’ program to encourage members to find a fitness partner. Sign up to the classes to plan your workout routine - Classes (kellykinetix.com)