2021, (14th August, 11:30 PM)
First year of my college. I was sitting alone in my room with a notebook and a pen in my hand. I was very concerned about having a perfect routine that would make me more productive. I watched hours of tutorial videos because I wanted a science-based, well-researched routine that understands human psychology.
But the fact is, it’s been almost 4 years and I’ve failed at every routine I made.
You might wonder, then what’s in the letter this time?
I have developed a routine that works 99% better than most well-researched ones.
But before that, you must understand that there is no such thing as a perfect routine.
Everything I will share here is based on my 4 years of experience and observation.
Let’s dive in..
I already told you, there is no perfect routine.
A routine is simply a structured day. It helps in allotting time and prioritizing tasks. The end goal is to be more productive.
The common mistake most people make is changing their routine every time they fail to follow it.
First, you must understand that a routine binds you. And no one wants to be bound. Everyone wants to be free.
That’s the basic nature of all living creatures and your mind.
Your mind doesn’t want to be confined. It wants to explore. So, the question is, why do we create routines that bind us? Why do we need to order our minds?
Before that, you must understand psychic entropy.
Entropy is randomness, and it’s a universal phenomenon. Have you ever noticed your room? You arrange it, but soon everything falls back to a messy state. Why?
Because of the entropy of the universe. As Stephen Hawking explained, our universe is constantly expanding, which affects everything in it, even your mind and room.
The mind tends to move toward disorder and chaos if you don’t direct it toward a goal. Look around you, the world is always in chaos. Observe yourself, the bombardment of thoughts, anxiety attacks, sadness.
You’re wired to be in chaos because you feel safe there.
So, your ability to focus and achieve a goal depends on the degree of your psychic entropy.
Less psychic entropy = more focus = better routine.
A good routine is backed by a few strong habits. The habits are built with daily effort. It is no one day game.
The 3 habits that you can improve are:
1) Waking up 1 hour before the world
This is the one habit I suggest you own by hook or crook. Because that’s the zone of high energy. You wake up, plan your day, and start with the most important task that matters to you.
For me, it’s writing.
The ideal timing, based on research, is waking up a few minutes before sunrise. If you’re not ready for that, then choose your own hour. Wake up at the same time daily and plan your day accordingly.
But for creative people, the best time is before sunrise, because it enhances your creative power.
2) Understanding your own body clock
Your body clock refers to your habits, your productive hours, and your energy levels.
If you’ve been waking up at 10 AM, do late-night work easily, and feel dull in the morning then it’s fine. But you must analyze yourself first.
Mark the hours when you truly enjoy doing things and build your routine around that. This routine belongs to you not to some idiot projecting theirs onto you.
But scientists have found that following a biological routine like waking up early, exposing yourself to sunlight, and sleeping early helps you stay fit both mentally and physically.
So, the best choice is to align your body clock with scientific temperament slowly and gradually shifting yourself toward it.
But first, find your own body clock.
3) Normalizing the change in routine
Most people can’t stick to their daily routine not because it wasn’t perfect, but because they thought they could follow it from Day 1.
That expectation kills motivation. Here’s why:
“Your brain isn’t wired to do hard things. And when you command it to follow a strict routine, it sets an expectation barrier which, when unfulfilled, gives you a feeling of unworthiness and a reason to lose motivation.” ~theevolvedwriter
So, how do you overcome it?
You don’t need tactics to overcome it, but you must learn to start slow, step by step.
The starting phase is overwhelming. You might lose track. You might get lost in the process. You might experience self-doubt.
Believe me it’s the old conditioning of the mind resisting discomfort.
I’ve tested this with my students, and it works at its best.
You don’t get a perfect routine on Day 1 but one day, when you have enough data about your habits, your productive hours, and your body clock.
Then you can build it.
If you want to know the exact blueprint that my students use, then dm me on insta (@theevolvedwriter).
Thank you for reading the letters.