Why Routines are Important for our Mental Health

Why are routines important? 

Routines have many benefits for everyone of all ages. 

Routines create a sense of knowing what is to come next. Being able to predict and plan what your morning will look like can start your day off right! And setting up a routine before bed can help your sleep habits as well. Sometimes there are things we cannot control in our day that come up and that’s okay! 

Routines can make us more productive. It helps us stay organized. One way to do this is to create a to-do list in your notes app the night before of things you need to do. This way you can plan what time would be best to wake up to start your day.  It can take away the stress of feeling like you need to make decisions in the morning. 

Routines can help us achieve our goals.

If we are living a busy lifestyle, routines can help to develop good habits by repeating the same routine over and over again.  

Prioritizing your routine can help. If you know you have to be somewhere in the morning, make an effort to get up a little earlier so you can do your routine. If you’re in highschool there are many things you cannot control about what you have to do in a day so prioritizing your routine can help bring some control to your life.

One tip when creating a routine – don’t plan every second of every day. This will make it difficult if things come up. Learning to be flexible can help change the timing of your routine when needed.

About

UpStreet is a mental wellness program that offers free drop-in consultations with therapists, scheduled therapy appointments, text-based peer support, and support groups for teens ages 12-22. UpStreet aims to reduce the stigma of seeking mental health support, to avoid escalation of symptoms to a crisis stage, and enhance teens’ quality of life. Reach out to an UpStreet team member now using the chat bot located at the bottom of the page.