A sustainable daily routine will promote personal wellness as well as reduce the negative impact on the environment and other people. A sustainable daily routine is built on creating a balance of wellness, productivity and responsibility by developing habits which can be practiced in the long run. A routine is sustainable when it conserves energy, decreases waste and promotes responsible decisions. In addition to promoting responsible decision-making, a sustainable daily routine will conserve mental energy and decrease decision fatigue by establishing practices and making them into habits.
Developing a sustainable and responsible daily routine is not about creating a set of rigid “rules”, but rather about establishing a set of basic systems that produce consistent results.
1. Develop Your Routine Based on Energy Levels, Not Only the Clock
A sustainable routine must honor human limitations. Therefore, it makes sense to match your highest level of focus with your highest level of energy, and to preserve energy levels for relaxation and restoration so you do not experience burnout.
When we manage our energy levels, we tend to have fewer stressful decisions and therefore, we make more decisions that are consistently positive for performance and emotional stability. Some helpful structural components of a routine that will help you honor your energy levels include:
- Maintaining a consistent wake/sleep schedule.
- Scheduling one or two high-priority activities during your most energized part of the day.
- Taking short breaks to give yourself an opportunity to refocus your attention.
- Establishing clear boundaries around your school or work time.
2. Incorporate Sustainable Consumption Practices into Your Daily Routines
Sustainable consumption practices can be established in our daily routines. This means establishing some guidelines for our food, water, electricity and shopping choices.
Consistent small-scale defaults to minimize waste can be created without much effort. Reducing waste through reuse and prevention has far greater potential for sustainability than last minute repair.
Some examples of daily habits that support sustainable consumption include:
- Carrying a reusable container/bag.
- Preparing your own meals to limit packaging waste.
- Turning off the lights and electronics that are not being used.
- Creating some buying rules to help you resist the temptation of impulsive shopping.
3. Establish Systems for Health, Activity, and Recovery
A sustainable daily routine needs to provide for the physical well-being of its user. The habits of movement, nutrition and recovery are fundamental to building long-term energy and minimizing stress.
As opposed to relying on intense exercise sessions and perfect eating, consistency in these areas will greatly contribute to maintaining a healthy and focused mind-set.
Some essential health-related systems include:
- Eating regular meals with adequate amounts of protein and fiber.
- Engaging in moderate physical activity each day.
- Using stretching or calming exercises to facilitate recovery from physical activity.
- Drinking enough water and spending time outside.
4. Make Responsibility Visible Through Planning and Reflection
It’s possible to enhance a routine through planning and reviewing your actions. Consistent planning and reflection will increase your ability to be accountable for your actions and assist in reducing repetitive errors.
Keep in mind that planning and reviewing can take a very little amount of time – even just a few minutes to redirect your path.
Some simple planning and review tools include:
- Writing down three important tasks you want to accomplish on a daily to-do list.
- Performing a weekly “reset” (laundry, planning, cleaning out your living/working space).
- Performing a quick habit check at the end of the day (sleep, food, movement, focus) and using this information to plan for the next day.
- Planning your goals and agenda for the next day before you go to bed.
Summary
Creating a sustainable and responsible daily routine is dependent upon the following: managing your energy levels, practicing responsible consumption, establishing a system for maintaining good physical health and engaging in short reflection practices. Each of these steps will aid in stabilizing daily life while providing a foundation for a future that provides for your well-being and reduced waste. The best routines are practical, consistent, and easily duplicated even on the busiest of days. When habits are intentionally developed and structured, they provide less stress, more success in achieving your goals and establish responsible outcomes that endure over time.