Realistic Routines to Power Your Day

Exploring routines that might work for you (and no, you don't have to wake up at stupid o'clock!)

Hello 👋

Welcome to Notes by Martine, the Deep Dive edition.

This month’s Deep Dive is about routines and their potential for powering your day.

Apologies for the slight delay in this month’s deep dive email - I’m just getting over a nasty virus. If I’d written to you at the weekend, I’m not sure my words would have made any sense! I appreciate your patience.

Let’s dig into routines…

Realistic Routines Only

I’ve been flirting with the practice of start-up and shut-down routines for years.

Who doesn’t love the idea of bouncing out of bed at 5 a.m., skipping outdoors to soak up some vitamin D, taking a cold plunge in the sea, reciting affirmations, meditating, running 10K, writing morning pages, and drinking a green smoothie?

It sounds glorious.

It’s also horribly unrealistic.

While these activities could form part of a start-up or shut-down routine for you, the only way you will stick with that routine is if you can - realistically - do it every day.

The benefit of start-up and shut-down routines comes from repeating them daily.

These routines can prepare you for a successful day and promote a glorious night’s sleep. They can make your life better. But they only work if entirely personalised to accommodate your unique needs.

Realistic routines only, please.

This deep dive email shares resources to inspire you to create (or refine) your own start-up and shut-down routines. Some might include crazy wake-up times and morning pages - if that does not work for you, don’t do it; if you’re curious, try it.

I also share an exclusive video showing how I prepare for and end my day (my routines are primarily administrative but essential for my mental health).

Take inspiration from others and make your routines work for you.