Daily Routines

The idea of a routine is anathema to my way of life. All the same, one of the most significant struggles during and after the coronavirus pandemic has been making my days productive. While economic concerns have not disappeared after retiring on Social Security, I don’t want to be locked into a routine. Personal preferences aside, there is a scientific reason to develop and follow a routine.

Routines are linked to better health, academic success and even resilience. We can all take simple steps to synchronize our activities with our circadian rhythms and biology. Small tweaks in the timing of things can pay off. (As a doctor, here’s my simple, science-backed schedule for a healthier day, Dec. 1, 2025, Washington Post by Trisha Pasricha, M.D.)

That damn biology! How limiting!

Working with ChatGPT, I developed a daily plan to help structure my time at home. I had not thought about compartmentalizing routine activities, yet this plan does so and has produced better results that free me of worry about how I spend my time. The three morning and two afternoon work sessions with a short break between them has been revolutionary.

I began developing this Daily Plan a few years ago. Then, it included only items in the first three bullet points. By expanding it to encompass the whole day, and implementing some basic science about circadian rhythms, my life has been better. It’s a never-ending process to refine this. My daily plan will get its first major test as I finish my second book this winter.

In general, I take Sundays off a plan and let my life free-form for a while. That has proven to be a useful break from regimentation.

Daily Plan

• Wake-up: Physical regimen, weight, waist, coffee, pills, reading, blood pressure, newspapers, social media, photos.
• Downstairs: Banking, orders, record information.
• 5 a.m.: Creative writing; blog post.
• 20 minutes before dawn: Exercise, breakfast, cleanup. If weather is inclement, change exercise to indoors at 11 a.m.
• After breakfast: Work block. 3-55 minute sessions w/5 min break.
• After work block: Household tasks and lunch. Includes outside errands.
• 12:45 p.m.: Midday recovery routine. Take five-ten minutes of quiet in the sun.
• 1 p.m.: Work block. 2-55 minute sessions w/5 min break.
• 3 p.m.: Kitchen work.
• 5:30 p.m.: Dinner, take medication.
• 6 p.m.: After dinner active period, followed by runway to sleep.

Do you use a daily routine?