The Psychology of Routine

By: Tariana Williams

We have officially finished 31 days of 2026. Four weeks. One month. How far have you come with your resolutions? What goals did you set for yourself, what routines did you want to implement? 

Did you?

If you didn’t, that’s okay! It’s not a reflection of your discipline or intent, it’s about the structure within them, finding ways that your brain feels so rewarded that these habits become second nature. 

The Importance of Routine

Before looking into the psychology of routine, it’s important to establish what a routine actually is. For the purpose of this paper, a routine is a series of habits that benefit your lifestyle that are repeated on a regular basis. Given that it takes a few weeks to create a habit—and a couple of months to solidify it—now is the perfect time to break down the habits that didn’t work and start creating routines that do.

So, what is it about routines that makes people swear by them? The people who wake up at the same time every day with general activities scheduled throughout seem to be the happiest. Parents swear that getting their child on a good routine for school has changed their lives. 

The truth is, that routine allows for not only productivity and discipline, it also allows for spontaneity and creativity. They don’t have to be rigid, strict, structures. I find that I operate better when I have a morning routine or a semi-thought out schedule, which is one of the many benefits of having a routine. They provide a sense of predictability in a world that is so unpredictable, allowing us to feel safe and secure.

The Psychology Behind It

There are many benefits to adding some type of routine into your life. It makes life a little easier, more effortless. When decisions become more automated, we free up space to focus on things that actually matter. 

In a 2016 Harvard Business School paper, they found that by decreasing anxiety–which we know is what routines do–improve mental and cognitive performance. Our brains crave stability, reducing anxiety with decision-making. When we don’t have to think about what comes next, our minds have more space to focus on things that actually matter.

You’re also less likely to compromise. If you streamline the somewhat annoying routines in your life–like setting aside time to make your bed and answer emails, for example– you have more time for rest, connecting, hobbies, etc., You have more time to be human! 

Routines can also be reaffirming in the decisions we make. Repeated actions remind us that we still have control over who we are and how we move through the world. Even small habits are quiet investments in ourselves, declarations of choice. In moments when our lives feel uncertain and chaotic, routine grounds us, reminding us that while we can’t control everything, we can choose how we show up–especially for ourselves. 

How To Really Create a Routine

To create a good routine, it’s all about the intent and conscious choices. I am not a morning person, and I have started to accept I never will be. Going to the gym at 6 in the morning and having all of my homework done by 10 will never be the case. Instead, I have accepted that I am an afternoon person, creating time in my morning to slow down and take care of myself, whereas in the afternoon I am often the most productive. 

However, it’s not realistic to say, “Tomorrow I am going to wake up and start my routine of journaling every day” when you haven’t journalled for the past 6 months. Instead, try setting reachable goals that align with your schedule now. Try aiming for journaling 3 days a week, that way when there are days you have done more you can feel more accomplished, encouraging more days of journaling. 

One way I would recommend creating routines that will actually work with your schedule and benefit your life is breaking habits down my categories, kind of like a vision board. A few examples could include:

• Academic: Studying twice a week outside of class, researching topics that genuinely make you curious (without the impending doom of being graded), or working on better note-taking. 

• Hobbies: Reading before bed, carving out time in your day for arts and crafts, or practicing language learning every morning. 

• Mental Health/Self Care: Making your bed every morning, journaling three times a wake, or not checking your phone past a certain time every night. 

Don’t create a routine that everyone else has told you would be good for your life, you choose what will be good for your life. Slowly but surely, these routines will become a lifelong investment of self-love and care, ensuring that you are giving yourself a version of you that feels like you.

Works Cited

Arlinghaus, Katherine R, and Craig A Johnston. “The Importance of Creating Habits and Routine.” American journal of lifestyle medicine vol. 13,2 142-144. 29 Dec. 2018, doi:10.1177/1559827618818044 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6378489/ 

Gardner, Benjamin et al. “Making health habitual: the psychology of 'habit-formation' and general practice.” The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners vol. 62,605 (2012): 664-6. doi:10.3399/bjgp12X659466 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3505409/