{"id":2618,"date":"2020-03-18T10:34:02","date_gmt":"2020-03-18T17:34:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/?page_id=2618"},"modified":"2026-02-18T16:22:30","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T00:22:30","slug":"routines","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/resources\/student-health-101\/environmental-wellness\/routines\/","title":{"rendered":"Routines"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[et_pb_section admin_label=&#8221;section&#8221;]<br \/>\n\t\t\t[et_pb_row admin_label=&#8221;row&#8221;]<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t[et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243;][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;Text&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h1>Creating a Routine:<\/h1>\n<p>Aristotle once said <strong><em>\u201cWe are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.\u201d <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>To a lot of people, this can sound counter-intuitive, but developing a daily routine can help you to feel more in control. Routines can also help you to make room for all that is important. Routines can aid both your mental and physical health. Structure can help us cope with change, form healthy habits, and reduce our stress levels.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/1-16.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/1-16-300x144.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"850\" height=\"408\" class=\" wp-image-2718 aligncenter\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/1-16-300x144.png 300w, https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/1-16-1024x493.png 1024w, https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/1-16-768x370.png 768w, https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/1-16-1080x520.png 1080w, https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/1-16.png 1350w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>The Importance of a Routine:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/2-17.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/2-17-300x144.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"849\" height=\"408\" class=\" wp-image-2719 aligncenter\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/2-17-300x144.png 300w, https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/2-17-1024x493.png 1024w, https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/2-17-768x370.png 768w, https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/2-17-1080x520.png 1080w, https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/2-17.png 1350w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 849px) 100vw, 849px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/3-17.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/3-17-300x144.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"850\" height=\"408\" class=\" wp-image-2720 aligncenter\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/3-17-300x144.png 300w, https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/3-17-1024x493.png 1024w, https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/3-17-768x370.png 768w, https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/3-17-1080x520.png 1080w, https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/3-17.png 1350w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Anchor: <\/strong>Having an outlined schedule of your day can bring comfort. Knowing that you will be having your evening meal at 6 pm, and going to bed at 10 pm, can help ease stress. The certainty of your routine can help to manage the uncertainty of life. When coping with unpredictable periods of time, structure and routine make it seem more doable.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Quality of Sleep:\u00a0<\/strong><span>Sleep is really important for our mental\u00a0 and physical health. Going to bed and waking up at a similar time most days allows our body to get used to our <\/span>sleep-wake cycle<span> and sets our sleep-wake clock accordingly.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Build on Important Things:\u00a0<\/strong><span>Important things include allowing time for ourselves to enjoy rest, relaxation, and have fun. There are going to be times when something important takes longer than we expected, but structuring time to include some downtime increases the likelihood that we\u2019ll manage to have that time most days. We must always make time for self-care.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Reduced Stress: <\/strong>trying to remember things can be stressful and can fill your brain up with everything on your \u2018to do\u2019 list. This becomes incredibly overwhelming for many people. When we have a routine, a lot of the things we do day-to-day slot in, and we don\u2019t have to think about them anymore.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Improved Health &amp; Well-Being:\u00a0<\/strong>Find time to care for your body. This includes implementing time for nutrition and physical exercise. Finding time plan, cook, and eat a balanced diet can seem hard<span>. It is important to find time, as f<\/span>ood can really affect our mood. Making time in your<span> routine to do these things can help, because it allows us to block out some time for cooking, eating, and cleaning up afterwards. When it comes to exercise, one of the largest barriers to doing it can be finding time. It can be difficult to fit exercise into our day, especially when life gets busy. By having a daily exercise routine, you are actively implementing movement into your life.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>How Can I Create a Routine?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/3-17.png\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/4-8.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/4-8-300x144.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"849\" height=\"408\" class=\" wp-image-2721 aligncenter\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/4-8-300x144.png 300w, https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/4-8-1024x493.png 1024w, https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/4-8-768x370.png 768w, https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/4-8-1080x520.png 1080w, https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/4-8.png 1350w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 849px) 100vw, 849px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span>The most important thing to remember when beginning a new routine is to start\u00a0<\/span><em>slow<\/em><span>.\u00a0<\/span>Change is going to take time, a<span>nd big changes will take even more time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>More Information:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/advice.shinetext.com\/articles\/the-importance-of-a-daily-routine\/\">The Importance of a Daily Routine<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.blurtitout.org\/2018\/11\/08\/mental-health-benefits-routine\/\">The Mental Health Benefits of Having a Routine<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bustle.com\/articles\/148246-7-benefits-of-a-solid-daily-routine\">7 Benefits of a Solid Daily Routine<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/open.buffer.com\/daily-success-routine\/\">The Ultimate Guide to Becoming Your Best Self<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/wou.edu\/health\">Wellness Coaching<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/wou.edu\/health\">Student Health and Counseling Center<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column]<br \/>\n\t\t\t[\/et_pb_row]<br \/>\n\t\t[\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Creating a Routine: Aristotle once said \u201cWe are what&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":1843,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"<h1>Creating a Routine:<\/h1>\r\nAristotle once said <strong><em>\u201cWe are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.\u201d <\/em><\/strong>\r\n\r\nTo a lot of people, this can sound counter-intuitive, but developing a daily routine can help you to feel more in control. Routines can also help you to make room for all that is important. Routines can aid both your mental and physical health. Structure can help us cope with change, form healthy habits, and reduce our stress levels.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/1-16.png\"><img src=\"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/1-16-300x144.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"850\" height=\"408\" class=\" wp-image-2718 aligncenter\" \/><\/a>\r\n\r\n<strong>The Importance of a Routine:<\/strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/2-17.png\"><img src=\"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/2-17-300x144.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"849\" height=\"408\" class=\" wp-image-2719 aligncenter\" \/><\/a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/3-17.png\"><img src=\"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/3-17-300x144.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"850\" height=\"408\" class=\" wp-image-2720 aligncenter\" \/><\/a>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Anchor: <\/strong>Having an outlined schedule of your day can bring comfort. Knowing that you will be having your evening meal at 6 pm, and going to bed at 10 pm, can help ease stress. The certainty of your routine can help to manage the uncertainty of life. When coping with unpredictable periods of time, structure and routine make it seem more doable.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Quality of Sleep:\u00a0<\/strong><span>Sleep is really important for our mental\u00a0 and physical health. Going to bed and waking up at a similar time most days allows our body to get used to our <\/span>sleep-wake cycle<span> and sets our sleep-wake clock accordingly.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Build on Important Things:\u00a0<\/strong><span>Important things include allowing time for ourselves to enjoy rest, relaxation, and have fun. There are going to be times when something important takes longer than we expected, but structuring time to include some downtime increases the likelihood that we\u2019ll manage to have that time most days. We must always make time for self-care.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Reduced Stress: <\/strong>trying to remember things can be stressful and can fill your brain up with everything on your \u2018to do\u2019 list. This becomes incredibly overwhelming for many people. When we have a routine, a lot of the things we do day-to-day slot in, and we don\u2019t have to think about them anymore.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Improved Health &amp; Well-Being:\u00a0<\/strong>Find time to care for your body. This includes implementing time for nutrition and physical exercise. Finding time plan, cook, and eat a balanced diet can seem hard<span>. It is important to find time, as f<\/span>ood can really affect our mood. Making time in your<span> routine to do these things can help, because it allows us to block out some time for cooking, eating, and cleaning up afterwards. When it comes to exercise, one of the largest barriers to doing it can be finding time. It can be difficult to fit exercise into our day, especially when life gets busy. By having a daily exercise routine, you are actively implementing movement into your life.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>How Can I Create a Routine?<\/strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/3-17.png\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/4-8.png\"><img src=\"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/files\/2020\/03\/4-8-300x144.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"849\" height=\"408\" class=\" wp-image-2721 aligncenter\" \/><\/a>\r\n\r\n<span>The most important thing to remember when beginning a new routine is to start\u00a0<\/span><em>slow<\/em><span>.\u00a0<\/span>Change is going to take time, a<span>nd big changes will take even more time.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<strong>More Information:<\/strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/advice.shinetext.com\/articles\/the-importance-of-a-daily-routine\/\">The Importance of a Daily Routine<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.blurtitout.org\/2018\/11\/08\/mental-health-benefits-routine\/\">The Mental Health Benefits of Having a Routine<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bustle.com\/articles\/148246-7-benefits-of-a-solid-daily-routine\">7 Benefits of a Solid Daily Routine<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/open.buffer.com\/daily-success-routine\/\">The Ultimate Guide to Becoming Your Best Self<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<strong>Resources:<\/strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><a href=\"http:\/\/wou.edu\/health\">Wellness Coaching<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li><a href=\"http:\/\/wou.edu\/health\">Student Health and Counseling Center<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-2618","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2618","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2618"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2618\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":108699,"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2618\/revisions\/108699"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1843"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2618"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}