It sounds like an oxymoron, but I find this approach essential for my wellbeing.
If you're like me and struggle with routine, finding it non-inspiring, this may be the answer. It's simple: there are only a certain amount of things you can do in a day, and with all good intentions, you want to put the healthy options at the top of your list, but what happens most days is that the healthy choices may not excite you enough to avoid procrastination. So how do we prioritise, get them done, benefit from the results, and do them regularly?
Remember how good it feels when we listen to our bodies and intuition? I must confess that drops in and out for me. Mainly due to the clatter and noise of the daily hustle. I love going to yoga classes, running, and meditation, but I procrastinate until it's too late in the day etc. So I've found a way to get it all done and feel fantastic about it. I also get to be healthier, motivated, productive and happier. Whether you write it down, or you're like me and you know what you need, and let's not forget that it's an important factor here: understanding what you need is the prequel to this step.
On days I'm not away working on location, my goals are: tone and limber up doing at home or studio yoga classes, run to keep my bones and mind healthy, take care of my dog, keep the fridge and pantry stocked, and work time (which means hours on my laptop).
So I don't always feel like doing all the exercise in the morning after my coffee, and that's when I say to my lovely self, 'that's ok, either do it later or tomorrow, but you have to do it three times a week'. With that in mind, I go about my day. You're thinking, that sounds lame, I can do that, and I say yes, you can because what happens is that you do end up doing it three times a week or even if it's only two times a week, the point is that the guilt is not there, and you start to feel healthier because you have done it twice that week. The routine should not go away, nor should the flexibility part of it, as long as it's a constant. If you waver off the path, just come back around. But I guarantee that a flexible and guilt-free mindset and the inner commitment to keep a routine will yield great results.
This flexibility also allows for variations in your routine when you desire it. So by the time you have relaxed in your daily or weekly rituals, you may come across something else that you'd like to try, and with the flexible approach, it's no problem to incorporate or discover new ways to live a healthy and conscious life.