I know. Nowadays, routine gets a bad rep. It's equated with boring and dull, and who would want that when there are so many exciting things to do ?
So let me make the case for doing some things at the same time every day, for example eating, getting up and going to bed, or having activities and events planned the same way and the same day.
- it regulates your nervous system. Like it or not, there are enough unexpected or stressful moments in your day already. By maintaining consistency with some aspects of your life, you allow your brain to relax into something that is safe and known, and thus limit the "fight and flight" response.
- it balances digestion. When you radically alter your eating, wake up and bed times (or the type of food you eat, for that matter) from day to day, you are forcing your body and digestive system to work with a different pattern and preventing it from finding stability and running smoothly, and so you are making things extra hard for your organs.
- it can actually be fun, give you more time, and help you be more productive and creative. When you don't have to think too much about certain things (laundry day, your AM or PM routine, when to go to yoga), you can use that mental space to dream, do something unexpected (yes !) and move efficiently between tasks.
Still not convinced ? How about trying it just for a week ?