Ashley Brown - The Routine Building Handbook: Your All-in-One Habit Builder for Increased Productivity, Inspired Work, and Lasting Success

The Routine Building Handbook

Your All-in-One Habit Builder for Increased Productivity, Inspired Work, and Lasting Success

Ashley Brown

Text copyright 2021 Ashley Brown. Concept and design copyright 2021 Ulysses Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized duplication in whole or in part or dissemination of this edition by any means (including but not limited to photocopying, electronic devices, digital versions, and the internet) will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Published by:

Ulysses Press

PO Box 3440

Berkeley, CA 94703

www.ulyssespress.com

ISBN: 978-1-64604-246-3

ISBN: 978-1-64604-286-9(ebook)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021937739

Acquisitions editor: Claire Sielaff

Managing editor: Claire Chun

Project editor: Bridget Thoreson

Editor: Renee Rutledge

Proofreader: Barbara Schultz

Front cover design: Ashley Pine

Interior design and layout: what!design @ whatweb.com

Production assistant: Yesenia Garcia-Lopez

IMPORTANT NOTE TO READERS: This book is independently authored and published and no sponsorship or endorsement of this book by, and no affiliation with, any celebrities, products, brands, or other copyright and trademark holders mentioned within is claimed or suggested. All trademarks that appear in this book belong to their respective owners and are used here for informational purposes only. The author and publisher encourage readers to patronize the quality brands mentioned in this book.

To you, the woman who desires more, may this book be a stepping stone toward the abundant life you ABSOLUTELY deserve!

When it comes to routine building, Ive noticed there are usually two types of people: those who thoroughly enjoy routines and those who arent sure if routines can actually work for them. No matter which side youre on, its important to understand that routines can be an extremely useful tool for managing the chaos and beauty that is lifea springboard that can keep you on track with your highest values. Not only do they help you systematize your actions and lessen decision-making, routines are also an extremely powerful way to add ease and joy to your every day.

I like to compare routines to the silver bar that clicks in place and keeps you safe on a roller coaster. With this silver bar secured, you feel safer on the ride and able to experience maximum joy. Think about it: without the safety bar to hold you in place, you would be more hesitant to get on the ride, anxious about what could happen, and unsure if you would survive. This is very similar to life without routine.

Living life without intentional routines is unpredictable, which can cause discomfort, stress, and anxiety. But with the safety bar of routines to secure you on the ride, there is a freedom and excitement for whats to come, stability when the unexpected twists and turns show up, and the feeling of being grounded and secure no matter what. Of course, this doesnt mean you will never experience hardships, but the safety net of routines helps to lighten your load and make the hard days more tolerable.

Its possible Im a bit biased because routines have been a positive driving force in my life, and if it were up to me, everyone would see them in the same light as I doas an intentional way to live your most fulfilling life. Growing up, I was always the girl with a planner in her backpack and colored pens on her desk. I loved anything that kept me organized, from a three-ring binder to multicolored highlighters. I would get bent out of shape about the slightest change in routine. Thankfully Ive become much more flexible since then, and although Ive learned to go with the flow, I still thrive on routine.

This became crystal clear when I lost my routine during my two-year bout as a stay-at-home mom. After being at home for only a month or two, my life quickly took a turn for the worse, and I began to feel depleted, on edge, and doubtful of the decision to leave my full-time job. My home was messier than it had ever been, I wasnt spending quality time with my daughter like I had imagined, and I quickly lost sight of myself and my mental health. The bright side is this sucky part of my life didnt last too long. With prayer and a strong will to turn things around, I leaned on what had always helped me thrive: routines. With much trial and error, I slowly but surely found my happiness, power, and peaceone routine at a time. I strongly remember cultivating a morning routine that started my day with gratitude practice and a bedtime routine that included reflective journaling and meditation to ease my mind. Funny enough, the bedtime routine is still going strong. When I reflect on that time, Im in awe. Routines dramatically shifted my life in a positive direction and brought me back to life.

Enough about me. Youre here, which means in some sort of way you are ready to adopt routines as your own. Kudos to you. Maybe you want to create that perfect morning routine you hear everyone talking about but havent quite figured out. Or youre looking to keep up with cleaning because your laundry and kitchen have taken on a mind of their own. You could also be clueless about which routine you needyou just know you need one and you need it now. Lucky for you, you have this book.

Before you dive in, its important to understand what youre getting yourself into. In order to have the most success with routine building, you must be clear on the purpose and benefits of routines. I describe a routine as an intentional flow of actions done consistently. Simply put, a routine is a consistent set of steps you take to get a specific result. In my experience with routines, Ive found them to have three main benefits:

The structure and predictability they provide create profound comfort and clarity.

Routines decrease stress and reduce mental load through consistent repetition of actions.

Lastly, routines help you carry out your core values by directly aligning your actions with what matters most to you.

With these benefits, routines can have an extremely powerful impact on your life, helping you manage your time and energy with ease. They can take you from feeling burned out, overwhelmed, and fragmented to feeling in control, grounded, and overjoyed.

Although routines provide a range of positive benefits, theyre frequently rejected and mislabeled. For example, routine has become synonymous with words such as rigid, restrictive, and boring. Maybe you have begun to think of routines as stifling to your creativity, lacking in freedom, or too predictable to be fun. If youre a routine rebel, hear me out. Routines can align with your go-with-the-flow style while also adding structure where you need it most. I have found that routine building is less challenging when you understand it can be flexible, offering you the power to create your own guidelines.

Whether youre a routine lover or still hesitant to give routines a shot, to drive the process, you must believe it can be freeing, flexible, and fun. You opened this book for a reason, and I want you to have success. Whether you want smoother mornings, empty laundry baskets, an earlier bedtime for your kids, better health, or more uninterrupted alone time, youre in the right place. Routines will get you there. Commit to the process and watch the magic begin.