Getting Back into a Routine When You’ve Gotten Off Track

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Anyone else occasionally find themselves in a downward spiral of ‘I’ll go to the gym tomorrow’ or ‘I don’t have time to cook tonight’? Life gets busy, things come up, and that extra hour of sleep always sounds so great. We’re pretty good at letting the things we know we should be doing hit the back burner when our schedules get busy.

Lately, I’ve been pushing myself to get into a routine of: a set wakeup and bed time, pre-planned meals, frequent gym sessions/classes, and a more methodical work schedule.  It’s definitely not easy to stick to in the beginning (and traveling makes it even harder) but I think committing to a routine ultimately leads to a happier and healthier life. Which is the goal right??

As far as the gym part goes, I recently became a member at Midtown Athletic Club that’s right in my neighborhood in the Bucktown/Wicker Park area. I’d been driving across the city to go to the gym for the past year, but recently decided it was time to start going somewhere a little closer to my house. The club is pretty amazing (I’ve been bragging to everyone about it). It offers: 16 tennis courts, a fitness center, a yoga room, an indoor pool and an outdoor rooftop pool, a spa, barre classes, boxing, a restaurant, a boutique hotel, personal training, pilates, spinning, a rooftop bar, etc. – all under one roof.

I love the community aspect of the club and how I can spend an entire day there – a fresh meal, a good workout, a new class, spa treatment, emails, meetings, etc. The 16 indoor tennis courts have inspired me to attempt taking up tennis classes, so stay tuned on that! Plus, they have a huge parking garage. I feel like a lot of people would appreciate knowing the parking situation is great, because in the city that’s a luxury! Check out Midtown Athletic Club here.

Motivating reasons for why a routine will make you a happier & healthier version of yourself:

• When you’re in control of your schedule, you can focus on productivity and accomplishing your goals.
• Your to-do list wont ‘t pile up and cause unnecessary anxiety.
• A better sleep schedule makes everything better and your mental health will thank you.
• Being more productive & strategic means more time to relax and enjoy life.
• You’ll get in the habit of making commitments instead of procrastinating.
• Healthy lifestyle choices mean you’ll look better and you’ll feel better.
• A routine means less impulsive decisions (going out for drinks on a Tuesday).

Regardless of what your daily schedule looks like, the point is that you decide what works for you and then you stick to it. An intentional daily routine builds good habits and provides structure and familiarity which gives you a sense of ownership, order, and organization. It builds momentum and  increases efficiency… you got this! What’s your daily routine look like?

Photography by John-Philp