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Tip of the Month: Finding Rhythm for Your Flourishing

Tired of feeling tired? Wish you had more time to care for yourself? Looking to make personal changes, start some new habits, or revive some old ones? Learn tips for building, maintaining, and reviving healthy routines and habits. Plus, read an example of a fellow Stanford student’s morning and nighttime routine to get inspired!

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First things first, what’s the difference between routines and habits?

A habit is a behavior done with little or no thought (e.g. brushing your teeth or washing your hands after using the restroom). Unlike habits, routines involve a series of behaviors intentionally repeated (e.g. going on a jog every morning or meditating before you sleep). A habit forms when a behavior is consistently practiced as a routine. If you are looking to set new habits, the first step is to establish a routine. Here’s how:

  • Understand Your “WHY?”: Reflect on what you want to achieve and why. Say your goal is to get 8 hours of sleep each night. Is this because you desire more energy? Do you want to take better care of your mental health? Understanding your why will keep you motivated and committed, despite facing roadblocks. 
  • The Power of “1”: Avoid making lofty and ambitious goals for yourself. Too much change at once can lead to disappointment, self-hate, and the desire to quit. Instead, pick one thing that you want to incorporate into your routine– something that makes you feel sustainably clear, energized, and happy. If you don’t know what that is, experiment! Create a list of ideas for an ideal morning routine– practicing gratitude, taking a hot shower, morning meditation– and pick one to start with. Once that starts to feel consistent and doable, consider adding another. 
  • Practice Self-Compassion: There will be days when things don’t go as planned and you can’t stick to your routine. Remind yourself that this is a natural part of the process and it will take a few tries before things stick. The important thing is choosing to start again. Eventually, your routines will become an integrated part of your life.

Starting new routines and habits is extremely challenging at first, but through consistency and compassion, it does get easier and can lead to extreme benefits in all aspects of your life.

Written by: Cherrial Odell, Class of 2025

Looking for inspiration? Cherrial, a current undergraduate student at Stanford, shares her routines.

  • Morning Routine: Wake up, meditate, get outside and exercise, do yoga, shower, then begin my work for the day. 
  • Nighttime Routine: Journaling and meditation 30 minutes before sleep. 

“After lots of practice and commitment, I am happy to say these are pretty standard routines for myself, although that doesn’t mean sometimes I can’t do everything on my list or I don’t get out of the swing of things. That’s when I have to prioritize: what on my list is most important to me? For me it’s my morning meditation, it is my one steadfast rule and habit/routine.”

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Resources

Stanford Resources

  • Well-Being Coaching: A Well-Being coach can help you cultivate the internal and external resources to live a healthy, vibrant life, manage stress, shift your beliefs and behaviors, build resilience, and form meaningful connections with others. Book a session today.
  • 5 Expert Tips for Behavior Change in 2024 Stanford Report: Looking to eat better? Exercise more? Get unstuck? Stanford scholars offer research-backed advice for making moves in the new year.
  • Self-Care Strategies and Challenges Stanford Report: Discover strategies and challenges you can try this year to lead to sustainable change.

Additional Resources