1. Organization

Organization is already a given factor. It's the main reason routines exist. But the more important reason is that routines give you less to worry about. When you have a routine in place for certain things or activities, like getting ready in the morning or doing homework, you'll always have a dedicated plan. When it comes down to actually getting the task done, you already know what to do and how to get the task done. Not only does having a routine in place take a load off of your overthinking mind, but it keeps your life and your day organized, even when you're extremely busy.

2. Hygiene

Having routines for getting ready in the morning and at night will make sure your hygiene is always up to par. Having a strict morning routine and knowing how long it takes to get ready is extremely important, at least to me. It helps me know what time I need to get up, and what time I can and can't sacrifice if I'm running late. Certain steps in my routine are a necessity while others may not be. For me, I usually get lazy and don't feel like doing the tedious action of brushing my teeth before I go to bed, even though I know it's important. But with my routine, I already know it's coming and that it's only going to help me and my teeth.

3. Good habits

The steps in your routine will eventually develop into good habits. If you forget to put on a special cream at night or want to drink a glass of water when you wake up, following a simple routine every day will remind you to do them. Then they won't seem like rules. Instead, they'll become good habits you don't have to think twice about!

4. Structure

Structure isn't always a positive word, but in this case, it is. Believe it or not, structure is a really good thing to have in your life. Having structured routines helps keep me on track daily and long-term. Although I like to think I have everything together, I usually don't. I'm usually forgetting things that are important even though I tell myself I'll remember. That ultimately leads to me forgetting and pushing back things I need to do, which results in an unorganized person. I'm not bringing that person into 2019. So, routines add structure to my life in the best way possible: keeping me organized and in one piece.

5. Endorphins

Having routines is one thing, but completing them is another. Once I've successfully completed a routine, that means I've completed something even bigger. Sometimes my routines are as simple as making lunch or finishing an essay, but I know that once I've done ALL the steps, my lunch will be delicious and I'll have knocked a whole essay. The feelings after are amazing! I want to feel them all the time. Completing my routines makes me feel happy and accomplished, and that gives me even more motivation to incorporate them into the little things I do too.

6. Time

Time is a construct, created to make us THINK that we're either losing it, wasting it, or that it's going by too fast. Time equals pressure.

My daily struggle is being on time. It's something I've struggled with for a while, but like a lot of bad habits, I'm leaving that behind in 2019. Routines help me plan for things in advance so I'll be on time. By knowing how long certain routines take, I can plan accordingly and beat time instead of losing it. This is important for me because of my schedule with work, school, and other activities I need to get done on a daily basis.

7. Accountability

I am one of those people who needs to be held accountable for their actions. I say that in a good way because everyone is different. My routines help keep me accountable, especially when it comes to school. This might sound tedious, but to me, it's life changing...and saving.

When it comes to completing simple homework assignments or large projects, I have a routine for each. Procrastination is at the forefront of my mind when I have the obligation of doing schoolwork, and I know myself well. It's like I'm both a kid and a parent in my own mind, arguing back and forth on what needs to get done and when. In order to keep the "kid" part of my mind from making careless decisions and ignoring the parent side, I make a routine. They make the best case decision for each task and help me get them done.

8. Money

Having routines helps you save money! By consistently engaging in the same routines over time, I realize what products work for me and what don't. This ranges from learning what brand of snacks I need to keep me energized during the day, or what drink NOT to order late at night that'll keep me up, or even what hair product is really best (the cheap one!). These things can eventually make a dent in your bank account if you don't pay attention.