The Importance of Routine

Getting ready for a competition isn’t easy. A lot of people think the hardest part is the training, and although working out consistently is important, staying organized and disciplined the remaining 22-23 hours is when the going gets tough.

As many have said: anyone can workout for an hour, the hard work is outside the gym. Just like anything in life, to achieve your fitness goals you need to put in effort consistently. And here is where creating your own daily routines comes in.

Organizing your day around your personal goals will help you stay on track. That doesn’t mean following a strict schedule – having a clear order of your priorities for the day can be of great help too!

For example, as I’m preparing for a fitness competition, my training and nutrition are top priorities. Therefore, my days usually start with a workout. This way I can tick one of my top priorities before other things get in the way. When it comes to food, I do have a meal schedule however it is flexible and I try to eat every 2-3 hours to prevent my body from going in starvation mode and feeding on my (little) muscles.

Although most parts of my day are flexible, my mornings and evenings tend to be quite structured. I usually have a list of small tasks which form my ‘evening routine’ –  unpacking and repacking my gym kit, prepping my supplements for the next morning, choosing my office outfit, washing the dishes and finally spending some time reading in bed before I nod off.

Having this little routine eases the stress in the morning and allows me to focus on other things, such as my posing practice discussed earlier.

So if you have been struggling to achieve your goals and have been feeling overwhelmed lately, take a look at your daily life and see where you can add some structure. This will give you a sense of direction and a peace of mind. You will feel like you have a plan and that you are taking small measurable steps towards your goal every day.

Here are my tips to get started:

1. Ask yourself what is it that you really want to achieve in the coming months and years. What is it that you must do each and every day without fail to achieve this goal?
2. Make a list of those things and see where you can fit them in your day on a regular basis. Can you dedicate your evenings or mornings to working on your dreams?
3. Once you are set on your top daily priorities and where they fit in your daily schedule, start by trying to tick off at least one of those each and every day.
4. Remember to think in advance – if you foresee any busy and tough periods ahead make sure you re-adjust your routines without dropping your priorities too further down the list (i.e. Try to keep doing the bare minimum at least, so that you don’t loose the momentum of moving towards your goal)

Good luck!

WW