maybe you need a routine. Maybe you don’t.

Did anyone else find themselves caught up in reorganizing their days with meticulously planned routines?

I sure did. I came across a few articles about how they can improve productivity, so I immediately dove into crafting overly detailed schedules, planning everything down to the minute.

But despite my enthusiasm and more than okay-ish discipline, those routines just didn’t stick around for long.

Plus, the moment I realized I had skipped a step, I felt like a complete failure for not being able to keep up (oh, hey, perfectionism!).

After a fair share of trial and error, I can confidently confirm that routines are not my thing.

I love structure and consistency, but I also get bored quickly and need room for spontaneity to keep things from feeling overwhelming.

These days, I've found my sweet spot. I schedule time for self-care and set daily priorities, but I don’t mind if things get messy, especially when I'm not feeling my best.

I design my environment to support my goals and lean on loved ones for support and accountability—that’s all the structure I need.

There is plenty of research about how routines can improve our well-being, but there is also much evidence that they won’t help everyone thrive.

It could be our personality or circumstances, but sometimes, adding flexibility to our schedules is more supportive. Routines can also feel exclusive when people have caring responsibilities or little time for themselves.

So, if the cookie-cutter advice isn’t working for us, it’s not because we're doing it wrong or not trying hard enough.

We all thrive in different ways, and how we work best can change daily—and that’s perfectly okay.

If you have the time and headspace for it, make sure to experiment.

about the author:

Hi there! I'm Silja, the founder of the wholesome growth club, an inclusive hub for career coaching with a soft spot for introverts and perfectionists. I’m an Amsterdam-based expat, but I love connecting with people worldwide. With a background in recruiting, I know the struggle of crafting a career path that feels truly yours. At the wholesome growth club, we're all about fostering sustainable growth, meaningful engagement, and authentic connections. Our blog is dedicated to making coaching accessible and sharing insights to approach work and life with an extra dose of confidence, slow productivity, and self-compassion. If you are curious to make things happen for yourself, get in touch—we offer personalized coaching journeys that will get you closer to your (dreamy) goals in no time.