Get the transcript here.

Let’s chat about something that might hit a little too close to home: routines. Specifically, the routines that make you want to smash things. You know, the habits and schedules we put in place because we think they’re going to help us, but instead, they make us feel stuck, frustrated, or hell, angry when they don’t work the way we need them to or thought they would.

They turn into these monotonous, boring must-dos that we have to check off our list for today, because…well, we were told this would game-changing, ya know? But we’re over here just struggling to keep our brains from rotting out with the tasks that make our brains go…bleh.

Spoiler alert, though – routines don’t have to be rigid, soul-sucking, or monotonous. They can actually work for you instead of against you. And today, we’re going to explore exactly how you can start experimenting with your routine so that it serves you instead of driving you up a wall.

So if your current routine makes you want to throw your planner across the room – or, let’s be honest, if you’re avoiding even having a routine because of the thought of having a planner to also have to keep up with is making your brain short circuit – stick around. We’re going to figure out how to make this work for you.

Now, I will admit – there was a time, not so long ago, when I needed my routine to be perfect. It wasn’t just a guideline for my day – it was THE LAW. Every step, every detail, had to happen exactly the way I had planned it in my head, or else I felt like everything was ruined.

It was exhausting. Not just for me, but for the people around me. If something messed with my schedule? I snapped. If my family didn’t follow my plan for the day? I was a nightmare to be around. I would harp on the mistake for hours, days even. I would be short with whoever I thought had messed up my routine, I would repeat what needed to happen over and over again so everyone would know that this is what needs to happen in the morning so that I could get to work on time.

I clung so tightly to this rigid structure, even though it didn’t actually make me feel good. In fact, it made me feel worse – because I couldn’t get my family, yet alone my brain, to conform to the routine I thought I needed. And I bit everyone’s head off as a result.

It took me a long time to realize that my obsession with structure wasn’t actually serving me. It wasn’t helping me feel in control – it was just another form of fear and shame masquerading as productivity. Once I started letting myself experiment with my routines instead of treating them like unbreakable rules, everything changed.

Routines can be amazing – don’t get me wrong. They can help give us structure and stability, helping our chaotic brains manage all the things we have to do. At the same time, they can also become… well, a soul-sucking vortex of monotony.

Have you ever gotten to a point where your routine just feels boring? Like, you’re still doing it, but you don’t actually care anymore? You’re just going through the motions?

That’s when you know your routine has stopped serving you.

We need to find that sweet spot between structure and flexibility – between a routine that gives you comfort and one that doesn’t trap you in a cycle of mindless repetition.

So, think about your current routine. What parts of it are actually working for you? What parts have you already given up on? What parts are you still doing, but you kinda, sorta hate?

Here’s where the fun begins. You don’t have to stick with a routine just because it’s there. You’re allowed to experiment.

I know that changing up your routine can feel a little… unsettling. Maybe even scary. And that’s totally valid and okay.

If you’re feeling anxious about trying something new, take a step back and ask yourself:

• Where is this anxiety coming from?
• Am I afraid of change itself, or is there a deeper reason?
• Am I worried about what others might think if I do things differently?

Sometimes, we hold onto routines that don’t serve us just because they feel safe. Or maybe we’ve tried changing things up in the past and it led to massive burnout or an unsafe situation at home or at work, or something else that has kept you from trying to experiment again.

But let me help you breath and recognize that even with these past experiences, it’s ok to change things up. We can really start to make some magic and change the way our brain thinks and reacts when we give ourselves permission to play with our routine instead of feeling chained to it.

One thing that really helped me shift my mindset about routines was identifying my core values.

A lot of times, we set up routines based on what we think we’re supposed to do – what we’ve seen other people do, what books and TV shows and infomercials and influencers tell us is “the right way.” But if those routines don’t actually align with our values, they’re not going to work long-term.

Take a minute and think: what are your actual values? What’s most important to you? Does your current routine reflect those values? Or has it just become an obligation that you feel like you can’t say no to?

When your routine matches your values, it becomes so much easier to stick with it, because you’re living in alignment and letting your brain know that you listen and value yourself. And most important, it actually feels good.

Alright, now that we’ve talked about why your routine might not be working, let’s get into how you can start experimenting with it.

Let’s go step by step here.

1. Start with mapping it out – Take five minutes to jot down your current routine. What are the steps? What’s the outcome you’re getting, or the outcome you’re telling yourself you should be getting?
2. Find the problem areas – Which parts of your routine are making you miserable? Which ones feel meh? Where is the monotony, the rigidness? Where are the “oh my god if I have to do this one more time” soul-sucking to-dos?
3. Prioritize what you’ll change – Pick ONE thing to tweak. Just one! If we try to overhaul your entire routine at once, we’ll be setting the stage for a mental disaster.
4. Test out your one change – Give yourself and your tweaked routine a trial run for a week or two.
5. Evaluate that experiment – How did it go? Did the change make things better? Worse? What surprised you?
6. Refine and adapt – If it worked, great! If not, tweak it again. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s progress.

If your first experiment doesn’t work, that doesn’t mean you failed. It just means you learned something.

And that’s the whole point.

Your routines should grow and evolve with you. So if something stops working, change it. If something feels off, tweak it. If something feels great – keep doing it!

If your values grow and evolve throughout the days, months, and years – grow and evolve your routine to match that evolution.

The key is to stay flexible and keep experimenting.

So, here’s your mission: start your routine experiment today. Pick one small change, test it for a week or two, and see how it feels. Then, share your experience! Drop a comment, leave a review, shoot me a DM, or pop in for coworking to let us know what your biggest light bulb moment was for your new routine.

Alright, weirdo, go forth and experiment!

*Some links on this page may contain affiliate links, meaning that if you purchase anything from those links, I would make a small commission. There’s no additional cost to you when you purchase, it just contributes to the building of my home library 😉

Read all of my blog posts about organizing.