How Long Does It Take A Routine To Become A Habit?

Ashley Brown 0:00 [Intro]
Have you ever asked yourself how long it takes a routine to become a habit? In this episode of the routine and things podcast, I'm answering this exact question and sharing what it takes for your routine to become habitual. Let's get to it.

Ashley Brown 0:29
Have you heard the routine and things planner is finally on presale the routine things planner helps you get organized and in routine so that you enjoy the heck out of your life, you will be able to organize what matters while incorporating strong routines into your life. What's different about the routine and things planner, it uses routine blocking a simple planning method for organizing your tasks into four routine categories, you will be able to organize your weeks with ease. Stay focused on your priorities and keep top of mind what matters, including you, girl. If you want your planning to be effective and to do this in the simplest way possible, then this planner is it. To get organized and use routines to create more space and freedom in your life. Get the routine and things planner today. To get your routine and things planner, you can head to routineandthings.com/plan or click the link in the show notes.

Ashley Brown 1:28
Hey, girl, welcome back for another episode of the routine and things podcast. I'm your girl Ashley, host of this podcast. And I'm so happy that you are joining me this week. If it's your first time listening, welcome, welcome. Welcome. And if you are constantly listening to the podcast, girl, I appreciate you so much. So today today, today is all about answering a question that I got from someone in the community. And they asked how long does it take a routine to become a habit? And I have to say I've been asked this question before this isn't that the first time that I've been asked this question. Yeah, people have asked me this question before. And I'm always like, Oh, this is an interesting question. Because when I think about routines, and habits, they are just so different to me. And I just usually focus on routines, I don't usually focus on building habits, or forming habits. I always feel like my routine, if I consistently do it, then eventually it may become a habit.

Ashley Brown 2:37
But it's not a necessity for me. But this is a really great question. I'm going to speak about this a little bit today, I share with you my perspective. But before we get into that, I want to just share what the definition of a habit and what the definition of a routine is. And so these two definitions, I looked up on Google, Google is my friend. And when I looked at the definition of habit, it said a regular tendency or practice, and then I looked up the definition of routine, and it said a series of actions done regularly. So they pretty much sound the same. But the thing about a habit is it comes automatic. That's the difference between a habit and a routine is that for it to be a habit, it needs to be a regular tendency or practice that comes automatically.

Ashley Brown 2:37
And so if you're trying to turn a routine into a habit, I truly believe it's all about consistency. When I looked up how long it takes to form a habit, it said between 18 to 254 days, but it said that average amount of days is 66. So it takes about 66 days to form a habit. So you can take that or leave it. But it could definitely be true that it's going to take you some time to form a habit because for something to become automatic, it needs to be done consistently and frequently. So I always think about I have weekly routines and I also have daily routines, which I like to say aka most days, most days routines. And if you're trying to turn a weekly routine into a habit, that's probably going to take you far longer than 66 days for sure because it needs to be more regular.

Ashley Brown 4:36
Weekly isn't really as regular as most days or daily. And so it's probably going to take you a shorter time if you're trying to turn your daily routine into a habit is not going to be as much time as if you're trying to turn a weekly routine into a habit but I'm pretty sure if you're trying to turn a routine into a habit you're focusing on a daily routine and if you stay consistent with that routine, then it will become a habit. If you're doing a daily routine, and most days of the week you are doing it on a regular occurrence is going to eventually become automatic for you. I've been experiencing this with my exercise lately. So I started exercising in the mornings when my daughters are eating breakfast. And when they're watching a little bit of TV before they go to school.

Ashley Brown 5:25
I started exercising, and I'm on day I think 35. I exercise six days a week, in the morning during that time, and it has started to become very much more habitual in terms of automatic like I put on my like, I brush my teeth, wash my face, I get them dressed for the day. And then I go in my room put on my workout clothes, I don't even try to pick out what I'm wearing. I put on like what I'm wearing for the day, I put on my workout clothes, I take my butt downstairs, I drink me some water with some lemon. And then I put on my Beachbody exercise program. Right now I'm doing Morning, morning meltdown, not morning meltdown. I forgot what it's called. But it's something with mornings in it.

Ashley Brown 6:12
But yeah, I'm doing that one right now. And so it has become and is becoming let me say that it is becoming automatic for me to do that. And I'm on day 35. And so that has been really cool to see that things can start to become a part of your normal tendency normal frequency if you consistently do them. And so just remembering that when it comes to routines, if you want to form them into habits is all in the consistency. And also you want to make sure that that routine isn't extensive, that it's a very simple routine, I feel like the easiest routines are turned into habits would be routines that are very, very minimal.

Ashley Brown 6:56
Like maybe just two steps to the routine. Maybe it's even you've taken something that comes automatic already, you added an additional step to that. And now that is your routine that you're trying to make a habit. But if you keep it minimal your routine and the amount of actions and steps in your routine, it's going to be easier for you to form this into a habit, but focus more on the consistency. I just feel like don't try to focus on much and turn it into a habit just focus on keeping it consistent and doing that routine consistently, and eventually is going to form into a habit. So that's my two cents. But that's all I got for you today.

Ashley Brown 7:32
Hopefully this was helpful to answer your question. Keep doing the routine. If you have a daily routine right now you're trying to form into a habit just keep doing it. Stay consistent with it, even in the days where you don't feel like doing it. Do what you need to do to get up and do the routine especially if you're not exhausted or you know sometimes we have certain days where we might not be physically or emotionally there. But if it's not one of those days and you're just tired from just going throughout the day, try to get up and do that routine and stay consistent with the if it's your goal to turn it into a habit. So that's it for today.

Ashley Brown 8:06
Thank you for that question. So be sure to come back next week I'm gonna be answering another question from someone in the community and I'm excited to do that. And also check out the routine and things planner. Have you ordered yours yet? They are now on presale get your routine and things planner helping you get organized and in routine so that you enjoy life. It helps you organize what matters while incorporating really strong routines into your life so that you can have more space more freedom in your life more joy, which is so important. What I love about our planner our planner is the only planner that uses a routine blocking method where you organize tasks into four routine categories.

Ashley Brown 8:49
If you are a visual learner, you love visuals, you will probably more than likely love the routine and things planner you get to see your full week at a glance. So when you open it up, you get to see your full week there. It has the grid off to the side, which is the routine blocking grid you get to play around with when you want to do things move it around in the certain blocks is such a beautiful planning method and it's very simple to use. When I designed the routine and things planner simplicity was at the top of my mind because I wanted it to be very easy for you to use this planner so that you can plan organize your weeks, incorporate your routines and live your freakin life.

Ashley Brown 9:32
So check out the routine things planner, order yours today when they're on presale, so you guarantee that you get yours because once it launches in October, there's no guarantee that I'm gonna have more planners. So get yours today. I'm only getting a limited quantity this year. And I would love for you to have one. But that's it. I hope that you enjoyed this episode, be sure to rate and review the show. Thank you for joining me this week and I hope that you come back for next week. Until next time, continue to enjoy wherever you are, whatever you're doing, Stay happy, and I will talk to you next week.

Ashley Brown 10:06 [Outro]
Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed today's episode, take a screenshot and share it on social. I would love to know you're listening and for tools to help you start, maintain and enjoy your routines. Be sure to head to routine and things.com Here's to staying happy