Every year, when the month of August ends I ask myself – Is returning to our routines as awful as people say? Perhaps returning to routine life is just what we do not want.

And it is true that after working day to day, all year long, with responsibilities both at home and outside, of strictly complying with schedules each day, at some point we need to take a break and set those routines aside.

But for how long is it good to get out of our daily routine? How would you respond to that?

If you are reading this post at a time when you find yourself exhausted or tired of doing the same thing every day, or if you are still working and have not been able take a vacation, you would probably answer – I could go on vacation forever! Or – I don’t want any schedules anymore ever! I hate returning to routines!

Maybe you are in the exact opposite situation, you are finishing your vacation and your mind is already getting into that “going back to school” mode. Maybe you are at the point where you have been without routines for so many days that your body is crying out to get back to those schedules and habits that help keep it in balance.

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Whatever your case may be, I understand you.

I think we’ve all been through those moments and have most likely had similar feelings. But there is one thing that I have realized and I want to share it with you – routines are necessary.

At this point in the summer, where September is just beginning, I personally feel that I have flowed enough with this season and that I need to return to my routines. One thing that I have learned is to accept that each season has its positive things. I accept that summer does not allow me to do what I am used to doing during the rest of the year, so I enjoy the things that it does allow me to do – having more of a social life, limited schedules, enjoying family time, being able to swim on the beach…

“I hate monotony but I need routines”

I love this statement. It really identifies with me.

Routines help you get into a habit. Depending on how your routines are, those habits will be good or not.

For example, if I make a habit of getting on my cell phone just before going to sleep, it will probably be difficult for me to fall asleep and then I don´t get enough rest. However, if I choose not to use any electronic device for at least an hour before going to bed, I can get into a healthier habit, fall asleep much earlier and rest better.

Now, I would like to tell you about my daily routines.

Most of my daily routines are based on Ayurveda. In case you don’t know what that is, Ayurveda is the oldest known holistic medicine. Its origins come from India from over 5000 years ago. Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word that means “ayur” life and “veda” knowledge. So, we can translate Ayurveda as the science of life.

With the principles of this ancient science in mind, here is what I generally do each day:

• Go to sleep early, as soon as I can. Before 10:00 pm, I make sure I’m in bed, but if I can get myself into bed by 9:00 pm, even better.
• Get up early, before the sun rises. Between 2:00 and 6:00 in the morning, our body is under the energy of “Vata”. Vata is air and ether. It is light. It is movement. Therefore, if you get up between those hours, your body will feel lighter throughout the day.
• Eat energy-rich foods: “If you want life, eat living things.” What foods are these? Foods charged with energy from the sun: fruits, vegetables, beans, grains,  seeds… Foods that receive direct energy from the sun. I am not a vegetarian but it is true that I have reduced my meat consumption and I feel better. I am more alive.
• Eat early or not eat dinner at all: It is very important to go to bed with our digestion done so that our bodies do not lose energy during the night digesting and so that our bodies can dedicate themselves to rest and cell renewal. Whenever I stick to this, I wake up full of energy the next day.

These four things are very present in my day-to-day life. I would say they are the essential pillars to keeping my day and my life in balance.

I also have other habits that I have been incorporating little by little and that are already part of my daily routine:

• Cleanse the toxins in my body: Ayurveda pays close attention to the elimination of toxins from our bodies and from our minds. It suggests a series of daily routines that help eliminate them. As soon as I get up, what I always do is:
  • I sit on the toilet and eliminate all the toxins generated during the night.
  • I brush my teeth.
  • I scrape my tongue: Digestion begins with the tongue. With a tongue scraper (if you don’t have one, I suggest getting a copper one if possible) I remove the toxins on my tongue and rinse with water or sesame oil, known as oil pulling. When I practice oil pulling, I rinse for about 10 minutes.
  • Nasal wash: I use a Neti Pot with warm water and a little sea salt.
  • I wash my face with cold water.
  • I drink a glass of warm water with a few drops of fresh lemon. This is my way of saying Good Morning! to my stomach, by eliminating the waste in it.
  • I dry exfoliate with a loofah and take my daily morning shower with soap as natural as possible and then I moisturize with a natural moisturizing cream. In my case (how could it be otherwise? 😉) right now I using natural Aloe Vera Soap and natural Aloe Vera Cream from Naturalmente Mediterraneo.

• Cleanse the toxins in my mind: There is no better way for me than through meditation and yoga.
• Move my body’s energy: I ​​try to do some sport every day, even just a little: walking, dancing, running, cycling, yoga… Something that helps my pulse increase and the energy of my body to move.

I am so excited to start returning to all those routines!

It may seem like these are a lot of things to do every day, but it isn’t. The key for me has been to incorporate routines little by little. Otherwise the easiest thing would be to procrastinate.

Believe me, I totally understand that Word 😉. Procrastination, laziness, not being consistent … All of this is very familiar to me. It has been quite difficult for me to incorporate habits and routines into my life. I am a person who thrives on change, I do not like to always do the same thing. New projects, new ideas are always hovering in my head.

Now I have to admit that returning to routines, being patient and consistent has helped me organize my life and feel much better.

And how about you? Do you follow any kind of routines in your day-to-day life? Do you feel that now is the time to take them up again?

We would love to know more about your experiences!

Let us know in the comments section.

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