If you type “daily rituals for productivity” into Google, you’ll find tons of articles that share different morning rituals that you can adopt. But do you only need a morning ritual? And what is the benefit of having daily rituals, to begin with?
Stick with us because today we’re discussing how daily rituals help you be more productive and 5 rituals you must incorporate into your life.
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[01:22] Your Elaborate Morning Routine Won’t Work
[03:39] The Difference Between Routines and Rituals
[04:53] Good Rituals Begin with Good Habits
[06:31] 3 Ways Daily Rituals Improve Productivity
[11:22] What Makes a Good Ritual?
[14:46] 5 Daily Rituals That Help You Be More Productive
[18:47] Creating Good Daily Rituals Will Be a Game Changer in Your Productivity
[20:00] Bloopers
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Michael Hyatt
Your Elaborate Morning Routine Won’t Work
[Theresa] Back when I began my journey into better productivity a colleague of mine suggested that I create a morning routine. She said that she had one that really helped her start her day off right. Then, she rattled off a long list of things she did every morning before she got to work.
In those days, I’d get stuck in the comparison trap. So, as I was listening to all of these tasks (and I was looking at them as tasks) that she was doing before 9 am, I immediately felt inadequate.
[Meghan] Oh man! Comparing yourself to others feels like it will help improve things, but it really just makes things worse most of the time. I have to catch myself some days because I still struggle now and then with not feeling good enough or feeling inadequate.
Comparing yourself to others feels like it will help improve things, but it really just makes things worse most of the time.
[Theresa] Yeah, it’s not a good feeling at all. But what I took from the conversation was that I needed a great morning routine of my own. And fast!
I had no idea what I was doing, so I started with my colleague’s routine. It sounded great to me, so why reinvent the wheel? I wrote it all out, changed the order a bit and I was off.
Guess what happened?
[Meghan] I’m thinking there’s a messy moment in there somewhere.
[Theresa] I fell flat on my face! It was messy for sure. But now that I understand more about habits and rituals, it’s not surprising that I failed. There were several reasons that I did.
First and foremost, I bit off way more than I could chew. That was my first mistake.
Second, at that time, my kids were in middle and high school. I didn’t take that into account when I planned out this long morning routine.
Third, I didn’t make the routine my own. I was trying to incorporate activities like journaling and meditation—things that I didn’t know how to do or simply didn’t enjoy doing.
Finally, I didn’t understand why I was trying to establish a routine in the first place. And I certainly didn’t get that routines were different from rituals.
The Difference Between Routines and Rituals
[Meghan] Okay, I’ll stop you right there. What is the difference between a routine and a ritual? Because sometimes they seem interchangeable or like they’re maybe the same thing.
[Theresa] Routines and rituals are the same in that they are both a performed set of actions. The difference between them, however, is in the objective behind the actions.
So, a routine is an action you just need to get done like make your bed, brush your teeth, or fold towels. You have a certain procedure for performing these tasks, but there isn’t a bigger purpose behind it.
A ritual is more purposeful in nature. There is more intention behind it. Michael Hyatt says, “It’s best to think of rituals as prescribed procedures for achieving specific results. They don’t guarantee results, but they do set us up the best possibility of success.”
A routine is a certain procedure for performing tasks that just need to get done, but there isn't a bigger purpose behind it. A ritual is more purposeful in nature. There is more intention behind it.Click To TweetI’ve found that to be true. My rituals give me my best chance to succeed. I’ve designed them to help me get into a positive headspace that affects my mood and productivity in a good way.
Good Rituals Begin with Good Habits
[Meghan] I’ve never given much thought to rituals. So, it’s interesting to think about rituals as steps to success. In my mind, that’s more of a habit. So, how does one begin to create good rituals?
[Theresa] You start small. A good ritual begins with one good habit.
[Meghan] Starting small is where it’s at. It’s why we talk about it in almost every podcast episode. Pick one thing and start there. It’s easier to make small tweaks. Then, over time, those small tweaks yield noticeable results.
[Theresa] Right. Ask yourself, “what’s the one thing I can change right now that would make a difference everywhere else?”
Create better habits by asking yourself, “what’s the one thing I can change right now that would make a difference everywhere else?” Start small.Click To TweetFor example, my one thing was fixing sleep. So, I started by creating one good habit around my sleep. Once that habit was established, I added another habit and then another until I had created a healthy and helpful ritual around bedtime.
My bedtime ritual helps me get restful sleep so that I’m in a good place right when I wake up.
[Meghan] A bedtime ritual sounds like a good starting place. There’s lots of science backing productive morning routines, but there’s less information about nighttime rituals.
[Theresa] That’s true. And don’t get me wrong, having good morning rituals are essential to having a productive day, but you don’t have to begin there.
[Meghan] Good to know. Now, I’m wondering, how do good rituals improve productivity?
3 Ways Daily Rituals Improve Productivity
[Theresa] There can be many reasons to create a ritual, not just to improve productivity. So, just know that the intention behind your ritual is as unique as a snowflake. You first have to ask yourself why you’re creating the ritual.
There can be many reasons to create a ritual, just know that the intention behind your ritual is as unique as a snowflake. So know why you’re creating that ritual.
[Meghan] So, specific daily rituals have a purpose. They help you accomplish something.
[Theresa] Yes. I have five daily rituals and each one has a specific purpose. I’ll share more about that in a bit, but what’s important to know right now, is that all of those rituals help me be more productive.
Daily Rituals Boost Your Mindset
[Theresa] Here’s how [your daily rituals can help you be more productive]:
First, specific daily rituals can be created to help you get in a good mood. When you feel good, your effectiveness and efficiency improve.
When you feel good, your effectiveness and efficiency improve.
[Meghan] Yep! No question about that! Your mindset makes or breaks your day. When I’m in a good mood, I’m on fire. A bad mood reduces my productivity for sure.
[Theresa] That’s 100% true. So, when you create a ritual, plan it out so that you’re in a good headspace before you tackle any work.
And it doesn’t matter if that work is professional or personal. I mean, your ritual can rev you up to write a podcast episode or clean out your linen closet. It puts you in the mood to move forward.
And really good rituals can help keep procrastination at bay as well.
[Meghan] There are some days when I’m avoiding doing what I need to do. So, I like the idea of having rituals in place to combat procrastination.
A good ritual can rev you up to write a podcast episode or clean out your linen closet. It puts you in the mood to move forward.Click To TweetDaily Rituals Allow for Better Time Management
[Theresa] That’s great! Good daily rituals also allow for better time management.
[Meghan] Ok, I admit that every time I hear the word “ritual,” I think more about spirituality and more woo-woo stuff. I don’t think about rituals and time management together. That said, I do know that good time management produces better productivity.
[Theresa] That’s not very surprising. Most people associate the word “ritual” with spirituality and religion. But if you begin to change your perception that “ritual” is related to purpose and intention, you’ll start to think about the word differently.
Most people associate the word “ritual” with spirituality and religion. But if you begin to change your perception that “ritual” is related to purpose and intention, you’ll start to think about the word differently.Click To TweetPurposeful and intentional is exactly what you should be focusing on when creating a daily ritual when it comes to time management. So, let’s say I’m creating a daily ritual around how I begin my workday. In this case, I’d be very intentional about the procedure I put together to get my day started.
[Meghan] Okay. So, how does doing that ritual at that particular time of day help with time management?
[Theresa] Doing a particular set of tasks, or daily rituals, at that time may set me up for something super important that needs to get done. Perhaps getting those tasks done at that time may free up space in my brain so I don’t have to worry about them anymore. Or maybe those tasks help me stay in control of my day because I don’t interrupt myself with thoughts of them or worry about forgetting something.
For example, my workday start-up ritual is a set procedure that involves checking all messages everywhere. Because I do that at the same time in the same order every day, I stay in control of my communications. They don’t control me. That saves me time.
[Meghan] Oh wow, that’s awesome! A good daily ritual saves time. What a valuable life and business hack – I love it!
Alright, give us another way that daily rituals increase productivity.
Daily Rituals Allow for Better Predictability
[Theresa] Daily rituals allow for better predictability. Simply put, I know exactly what to expect from my rituals. Each one has a purpose, remember?
There are good consequences when I complete them. And, there are bad consequences when I don’t. I know what those consequences are.
Each daily ritual you create has a specific purpose. Completing your ritual should have positive consequences that help you move forward.
For example, my evening ritual is designed to save me time in the morning. When I complete my routine, I have a very easy, organized morning. When I don’t, I have to spend more time preparing in the morning for my morning, which makes me cranky.
[Meghan] It’s like a domino effect. Skipping the evening ritual messes up the morning and puts Theresa behind schedule. And no one wants a cranky Theresa! So it seems like there’s a lot riding on rituals potentially.
[Theresa] Exactly. The entire direction of my day is affected by what happens the night before.
What Makes a Good Ritual?
[Theresa] So, what makes a good ritual? Good rituals are highly personal. Begin with knowing why you’re creating them in the first place. What is the intention behind the ritual? And what is helping you do?
What it consists of is entirely up to you.
Just like I couldn’t successfully assume my friend’s morning ritual as my own, I can’t tell you what your ritual should look like.
Again, we’re talking about starting small, my friends! Start small.
[Meghan] Think about your biggest pain points and consider one small tweak you can make somewhere in your routine or in your life to improve things.
Think about your biggest pain points and consider one small tweak you can make somewhere in your routine or in your life to improve things.Click To TweetI’ll remind you of what Theresa said earlier. Ask yourself, “what’s the one thing I can change right now that would make a difference everywhere else?”
[Theresa] It’s so important to ask yourself that question. You may start with work rituals. Or you may begin with a bedtime ritual like me. Just start.
And, I just want to mention here, that you should also consider the season of life that you’re in when creating your rituals. For example, your morning ritual will look very different if you have small children as compared to an empty nester like me.
Having a really good ritual isn’t dependent on length. It’s about how purposeful it is—what it’s helping you do.
Having a really good ritual isn’t dependent on length. It’s about how purposeful it is—what it’s helping you do.
[Meghan] I’m hearing that message again and again: a good ritual has a clear purpose. So, that’s key!
So Theresa, tell us how to start!
[Theresa] Of course! I’m going to share five daily rituals to incorporate into your day. Just remember: if you try to do it all, you’ll drive yourself mad! Again, go small.
If you want to establish a morning ritual, start with creating one new habit. Then add to it.
For instance, begin with drinking a glass of lemon water when you wake up. Repeat that task for a while, and then add a gratitude practice after it.
[Meghan] Sorry, to interrupt, but that sounds like it would take forever!
[Theresa] It takes patience. One ritual will be born from another, though. So while you’re establishing a morning ritual, the start of a good evening ritual will emerge. And you can then start adding that evening ritual.
Creating good daily rituals takes time and patience.
So, if you are going to drink a glass of lemon water every morning, you could set out your glass on the counter the evening before. Now you have the start of an evening ritual to build on.
[Meghan] And a good reminder to drink your water in the morning.
[Theresa] Now you’re getting it! Just start. You’ll start to see the benefits quickly. And you can adjust your rituals as your needs evolve.
5 Daily Rituals That Help You Be More Productive
[Theresa] While we’re on the subject of good rituals, now is a great time to share those five daily rituals I’ve mentioned.
As we already discussed, your daily rituals need to be yours. For them to be highly effective for you, you’ve got to figure out the habits they contain.
I am going to share what they are when I do them and their purpose though. Then you can decide which ones are for you.
[Meghan] As Theresa shares these, an entirely different ritual may occur to you. You don’t have to use Theresa’s. Your daily rituals, whatever they are, should help you in some way. They are personal to you.
[Theresa] This is not a one size fits all type of deal. I can’t stress that enough. You’ll have to figure out what works best for you.
Four of my five daily rituals were inspired by Michael Hyatt. He recommends creating the following rituals:
- Morning Ritual
- Work Day Startup Ritual
- Work Day Shutdown Ritual
- Evening Ritual
My fifth ritual is a Bedtime Ritual. I created that for myself years ago. For me, it’s important to keep it separate from my Evening Ritual. You do what works for you though.
[Meghan] While I’m dying to know Theresa’s specific rituals and habits – because I’m a naturally nosy person – I get it.
Like we just emphasized, creating rituals is highly personal to you. Your habits and rituals are unique to your preferences and personality. So let’s talk about purpose.
The Purpose of Your Daily Rituals
[Theresa] Let’s begin with the work rituals. And since my day always begins the evening before, I’m going to start with the Work Day Shutdown Ritual. The purpose of this ritual is to set me up for the next day’s work.
While I’m not going to get into specifics, I’ll share that I usually spend the last hour of my workday checking messages, doing a review of my day, and finalizing my top three tasks to accomplish for the next day.
[Meghan] You save time when you decide what you’re working on the day or night before. There’s that time management benefit at work. And I LOVE saving time!
[Theresa] Absolutely! I waste no time when I get to work because I already know what I’m doing. I’m also set up for it.
My Work Day Startup Ritual involves a few tasks that I want to get out of the way, like checking messages. But I also review my plan for the day. So I’m reminded again and I have no decisions to make.
[Meghan] You can get right to work then.
[Theresa]them, but they also support work.
My Evening Ritual sets me up for the morning. I usually get out everything I need for the morning. It’s all-out waiting for me.
[Meghan] So what Theresa is saying is that her Evening Ritual is her Morning Ritual Prep. That saves her time and reduces friction or resistance. She can’t talk herself out of things, like drinking that lemon water she mentioned earlier.
[Theresa] Right. My Bedtime Ritual facilitates a good night’s sleep. Obviously, when I’m well-rested, I function at a higher level the next day.
And my Morning Ritual centers around good health practices, both mentally and physically. When I am taking care of myself, I perform better at everything I do and I believe I’m a better person because of it.
Creating Good Daily Rituals Will Be a Game Changer in Your Productivity
[Meghan] Your daily rituals provide tons of advantages. Each ritual impacts how you feel and how you function. You can accomplish so much when you’re performing at your best. And better productivity leads to more success.
[Theresa] That’s true, Meghan. Creating daily rituals with the right intentions behind them can be a game-changer in your productivity. So, pick a place to dive in.
