Daily Routine: Tools for Creating Balance and Mental Well-Being

A daily routine provides a clear framework for life that allows us to know what to expect. A routine grants inner peace, a sense of control, stability and better function in various life environments. A routine is composed of a series of daily actions that regularly and routinely occur. These actions can be regular habits or daily routine that helps us organize time so that we can efficient perform tasks.  

Each person has a unique daily routine that suits them that is influenced by their personal data, including age, state of health, abilities, desires, activities and occupations, as well as by the data of the human and physical environment in which they live and function. 

The connection between routine and mental health 

When there is a clear and structured routine, and we perform the tasks we set for ourselves - life becomes more balanced and stable. This situation contributes to a sense of wellbeing and mental peace of mind, in addition to promoting physical, mental and cognitive health. It lends a sense of continuity, control and efficacy, helping us connect to the “here and now”. 

It is important for everyone, of any age, to have a balanced routine that includes meaningful occupation in all spheres of life: self-care, family, work, home, friends and recreation. Balancing the various activities contributes to general health, provides a solution to various needs in life (such as earning a living) alongside satisfaction and meaning, while facilitating self-fulfillment. 

The importance of a daily routine and schedule to people with mental health disabilities 

Individuals dealing with a serious mental health disability are at higher risk of developing a lifestyle characterized by a lack or violation of occupational balance, impaired role involvement, reduced opportunities for meaningful activities, and fewer opportunities for emotional satisfaction and personal development.

Active and optimal routine 

Routine is a familiar pattern in everyday life that supports your ability to perform what is needed in the required time. When routine is functioning, it becomes an assuring fact that lends a sense of security and control in your life.  

A beneficial routine involves a combination of occupations and activities that are carried out in a manner that is tailored to the strengths, abilities, and unique personal character of each individual. But for everyone, it is important that the routine includes components from different areas of life, such as work, studies, leisure, rest and sleep, in amounts that are appropriate for each person's age and roles.  

To create and maintain a routine, it is important to establish a regular schedule that ensures a balance between physical and mental activities, and between necessary and enjoyable activities. Active and balanced participation throughout the day in all areas of life and performance of tasks may delay declining function, improve quality of life, and help increase self-confidence, a sense of competence, and mental resilience.  

Daily routine as a tool for mental resilience during stressful situations 

Mental resilience is not innate but rather an acquired ability that develops over the years and is influenced by personality and environmental factors. There is a proven link between participation in meaningful pursuits and promoting health, quality of life, and mental resilience. Everyone has activities that contribute to their sense of self-efficacy and belief in their ability to perform actions that will advance them toward the goal they established for themselves.  

Stressful situations threaten the continuity of the daily routine and, accordingly, negatively impacts the mental resilience of each and every person. During a crisis, which is characterized by tension and restlessness, it is therefore important to try and connect with the pursuits and activities available in the immediate environment, in order to regulate the intensity of emotions, alleviate tension, and maintain resilience. In other words, when there is an imbalance, it is important to examine the situation and aim for action that will restore the sense of efficacy, self-confidence, and the ability to act and emerge from the crisis. 

What to do in stressful situations 

Occupations vary from person to person. Everyone has activities that are right for them and these can also change according to different periods in a person's life. The important point is that the endeavor itself and the activity performed are what improve the situation during a crisis, and as such has a beneficial therapeutic effect. In other words: any activity that removes you from the turmoil triggered by the crisis can facilitate recovery and restore your routine. 

When the routine is violated: repercussions on function and health  

When the familiar routine is disrupted, such as in emergencies, crisis and illnesses, the daily routine is disrupted, resulting in imbalance, and an undermining of the sense of stability and certainty. In such situations, it is important to restore the familiar routine as quickly as possible, or to establish a new routine that corresponds with the new situation to stabilize the entire internal balance system. 

Furthermore, life often brings us unexpected events that results in additional urgent tasks to handle, or new tasks whose completion may lead to restlessness and stress. These feelings and the disruption of the existing and familiar order may interfere with the daily routine and normal life, and accordingly - may disrupt the mental balance and trigger fear, worry, stress, etc.  

From a lack of occupational balance to a disrupted routine 

Occupational imbalance is reflected in patterns of activity such as excessive sleep and engagement in passive leisure activities, such as excessive television viewing, combined with performing fewer productive activities and limited participation in social leisure activities engaged by other people. The damage is reflected in a diminished ability to participate in various activities and manage a normal daily routine, and subsequently to declining physical and mental resilience, satisfaction, and quality of life.  

Participating in meaningful pursuits moves you toward realizing the principles of the "Recovery Perspective" - ​​a concept in the field of mental health that refers to "recovery" as a personal and ongoing process of coping, development, and growth, through  

development of social relationships and expansion of social roles, renewal of hope and a new self-perception beyond the disease itself. 

Many hours of work may violate the balance  

Working very long hours, leaving no time in the weekly, monthly, or annual routine for rest and leisure, disrupts the balance between the components of the daily routine, resulting in tremendous fatigue and impaired physical and mental health. 

Extreme violation of the daily routine  

Extreme disruptions of the daily routine may  damage the interrelationship between our emotions and intellectual function, the ability to pay attention, think, and remember, which are mutually influenced. The outcome may be a loss of balance in life in general and, as a result, a loss of your mental capacity and resilience in particular. For example, relinquishing the meeting of essential needs, such as self-care, including: drinking, eating, resting, and sleeping, in favor of choosing or being drawn into new unexpected pursuits.