How to Get Rich and Thin Using Daily Routines

Every mother or father of a new baby knows how magical routines can be when followed, and how upsetting to baby when interrupted. Establishing a routine for baby can make getting things done easy….the baby comes to expect and desire certain things at certain times of the day. Routines also help as the child grows – supper is followed by homework, then bath, brushing of teeth, reading and bed. You accomplish getting your child fed, educated, cleaned, used to reading and used to healthy sleep.

Whether we plan it or not, each of us has a rhythm to our days – a routine that we follow. Maybe you wake to the alarm, stumble to the kitchen to start the coffee, dress and drive to work. Maybe you stop and chat with the people in your cube aisle on the way to the break room for more coffee then start up your computer and read your emails……

Whatever your routine is, you typically follow it – doing those things, in those ways, at those times, but are you using your routine to maximize your health and wealth?

Routines Get Things Done
Merriam-Webster  defines routine as: “a regular course of procedure ora habitual or mechanical performance of an established procedure”.

Routines are comforting to us, and they can work miracles in getting things done, but they can also be great time wasters.

Healthy, productive individuals establish routines which march them towards their goals. Instead of a heavy, caloric breakfast they might eat a yogurt and a piece of fruit, then go for a walk – maximizing their progress towards slimness. Instead of surfing the net, they might establish a routine of sending out 5 sets of new client prospect material each morning – maximizing the wealth of their business or their journey towards career goals.

You can establish temporary routines as well as permanent ones, to accomplish a periodic or once in a lifetime task. If the task is very unpleasant to you, set up a routine so that you do a little each day or each week.

I once had two large bedrooms that the previous owner had splatter painted. Splatter painting involves standing with a brush full of paint and flicking your wrist to land paint globs on the wall. To repaint the rooms, I needed to smooth out the surface as it was bumpy with paint globs. Those rooms had great room style ceilings – the walls soared to 20 feet in the center. I did not want to sand those rooms! The way I accomplished it was to set aside a half hour each day after supper to sand. I didn’t try to do a section or complete a certain amount. I just followed my temporary routine and sanded for a half hour consistently each eventing. I finished both rooms – eventually – without much interruption to my day.

Routines Help Accomplish Your Financial Goals
Set a routine to learn about investments, study the market, organize your documents, learn about new types of investment opportunities, review your portfolio, balance your books and etc.

I have a goal to learn more about alternative investments. I am also a bathroom reader (yeah you know what I mean!). To reach my goal, I have set up a magazine rack close to the throne with constantly changing books and magazines about investing. Each day, once or twice a day, I read and study a little bit from those sources. Over time, I am learning more and more about investing and alternative investments.

Some financial routines can be automated (as you already know). Set up payroll deductions to go into your brokerage account to do dollar cost average investing. It adds up fast. I once accumulated an account worth $100,000 using this method.

Routines Help Accomplish Health Goals
Your body adjusts to the food (quantity and variety) you eat and the demands (exercise) you make on it. Set up and stick to eating routines that consistently subtract volume from the amount of food you eat (and substitute healthy calories for empty ones). Set up exercise routines to consistently utilize your caloric intake. You will lose weight! You will gain strength!

In 1984, I decided to lose weight. Each morning, I used records and videos to exercise at home. I started bringing my lunch to work, cutting my caloric intake. After several months I was down by 25 pounds. Ever since then, I have continued to use at home exercise routines each morning. Even if I don’t feel well, or don’t have time for the full routine, I do some exercise each morning, even if it is just for a few minutes. After doing so, I pat myself on the back – for no matter how the rest of the day goes, I have accomplished a goal!

Review Your Routines
Life is change and change is life. Take a good hard look at the routines you follow and adjust them to meet the goals you now have. Don’t let an outdated or poorly thought-out routine subvert your goals!

What routines do you follow every day? Do they waste your time, or do they accomplish great things for you? Are they moving you towards your goals?