#017 - Routine organisation and lifestyle planning: Creating a life that works for you

I used to think that a good lifestyle meant following a perfect, pre-defined routine.

I remember looking at the countless blogs and social media influencers who would share  their perfect mornings—waking up at 4:30 AM, doing a devotional, meditating, working out,  having a nutritious breakfast, and then heading to work. I thought, “If I just follow this, I’ll be  more productive, happier, and more successful.”

But the reality was very different. My life, at that time, was far from the neat, perfectly  organized schedules I saw online. I had a job that required me to be in the office by 9 AM,  with a commute that took me an hour and a half each way. After work, I’d face another hour  and a half to two hours of traffic. By the time I got home, I was exhausted, sometimes staying  up late to work on assignments for my degree. And yet, I was trying to force myself into this  idealized version of productivity. That perfect morning routine I saw online felt like a distant dream.

 And yet, the more I failed to stick to that routine, the more guilty I felt.

 I started questioning myself: “Why can’t I just wake up earlier? Why can’t I follow through like  others do?” I was stuck in a cycle of comparing myself to these seemingly perfect lives I saw  online. I believed that if I didn’t follow that “perfect” routine, I wasn’t doing enough, or worse, I  wasn’t disciplined enough. And that guilt was exhausting.

But the reality was that I couldn’t fit into that mold. And I began to realize something  important: maybe the problem wasn’t me, but the idea that I had to replicate someone else’s  schedule. It was a liberating moment, a realization that I was free to design my routine.

The truth about a well-organized routine and lifestyle planning is this: it’s not about copying  someone else’s formula.

It’s about understanding what fits your life, your needs, and your goals. Often, we see  influencers or successful people online waking up at dawn and thinking, “That’s how it’s  done.” But what if your circumstances—your work, your family, your health—don’t allow for  that kind of routine?

It took me a while to realize that my life required a different approach. The first step was to  understand what my goals were and whether they were realistic in my current situation. This  self-awareness was enlightening. Trying to do everything—work, study, exercise, maintain a  social life—was overwhelming. I had to ask myself, “What do I actually want to accomplish,  and what’s truly feasible right now?”

In a time where we are constantly bombarded by the “ideal” way to live, it’s easy to feel like  we’re not doing enough if we don’t fit into that mold. But life planning isn’t about perfection;  it’s about prioritization. This message is reassuring. Maybe I couldn’t dedicate two hours a  day to working out, but I could squeeze in 30 minutes whenever I had the chance. That was  still progress.

What matters most is understanding what truly aligns with your priorities and creating a  routine that supports your unique lifestyle, not someone else’s.

It’s easy to feel like you should do it all. After all, we see people on social media who seem to  have it all figured out. But that’s the trap. We often forget that these routines are tailored to  their lives, not ours. And that’s okay. You don’t have to wake up at 4:30 AM to be successful  or lead a fulfilling life.

The real work starts with being honest about where you are in life and how much you can  realistically commit to. If your goal is to balance work, study, and self-care, you might not  have the luxury of hours in the gym. But that doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re  building a routine that works for you.

Lifestyle planning involves creating a routine that supports your goals while also considering  your current capabilities.

The truth is, we’re often chasing unrealistic goals—sometimes, we’re not aiming for what’s  truly important right now but for things that seem “ideal” from the outside. Learning to say,  “This is my priority now,” and aligning your routine with that can be the key to not just a  productive life but a meaningful one.

Am I building my life, one routine at a time?

Mari Giuseppe - Nutrition and Lifestyle