One of the best things a person can do for themselves is to learn from others’ wisdom and experience; and reading The Compound Effect is like learning from hundreds of successful people all at once. How? Because the author, Darren Hardy, has studied the behavior and habits of hundreds of successful people over decades, and compiled some of these most valuable nuggets of wisdom into one book.  It truly is a must read!

Today let’s look closely at one of those nuggets of wisdom: The power of routines.

I’d like to examine:

• the benefits of routines
•  how to start implementing routines
•  and bookending your day.

Routines are awesome because they make beneficial behaviors a daily habit so that you are doing them automatically.  The slow steady stream of consistent behaviors builds amazing momentum and change over time. This cuts down decision-making time and makes life flow more easily.

How do you harness this power for yourself? Begin by identifying your goals. For this purpose, think of something you would like to improve over the next three months. Write them on index cards and tape them on your mirror so that you see them twice a day.

Darren Hardy recommends choosing a skill you want to build and over the course of three months read 30 minutes a day from a book or listen to an audiobook on that topic.

Set your phone timer to 30 minutes, and instead of watching tv, read or listen to your book! You will be amazed at how many books you will get through in a year! You have just implemented a valuable activity to your daily routine!

Darren Hardy uses the phrase “bookending your day”, meaning, set up a daily morning routine after you get up and an end of day routine before bedtime.  You will be amazed at how this can make you feel more in control of your life.

Ideas for morning routines include:

• reading,
• exercise
• meditating
• reviewing your to-do list
• checking emails.    

Ideas suggested for evening routines include:

• journaling
• making a to do list for the next day
• reading
• evaluating your progress on your goals

Routines give us stability and a feeling of control over our lives and are the best way to show consistent growth in an area.

 Now the question is, my friend, what do you want to start building into your morning and end of day routines?

-Jan Jones

For more insight on the value of a routine, enjoy this video.