I Rewrote My Daily Routine—And It’s Actually Working
My two-week experiment is helping me feel more creative, aligned, and calm.
Ten days ago, I did something totally out of character for this Type A woman: I changed my entire schedule.
I’m calling it an experiment.
It started when I caught myself—yet again—complaining that I didn’t have time to do the kind of work I really wanted to be doing. A sentiment I know many people share.
I’m aware that I have the same 24 hours as everyone else, and more flexibility than folks raising young kids or working two jobs to make ends meet. I know. I know.
Still, I was giving my best hours—my peak energy and focus—to admin tasks and business to-dos that usually don’t need that kind of attention and left me feeling depleted. By the time I got to the creative work, I was wiped out. Mentally and creatively drained.
I kept saying I wanted to write a novel, but somehow, everything else came first. That was the friction point.
The Experiment
In The Experiment, I give my best time to the novel and the most meaningful writing work—the stuff that takes singular, creative focus. Then, when my energy dips, I shift to the more routine tasks. Those still matter, of course, but they don’t need my sharpest thinking.
The whole idea is to reduce that inner tug-of-war without dropping the ball. The first week wasn’t easy. I felt fidgety doing deep creative work while my inbox filled up. But I stuck with it—two hours a day on the book, every day. And now? It feels a little better. The writing is moving forward, and that feels satisfying. The business work and assignments still get done, and the quality of my work hasn’t suffered.
The Energy
But the quality of my life? It’s gone up. I feel more at ease. I’m in alignment with what I need and want right now.
When we keep talking about doing something we never actually do, our personal integrity takes a hit. Now, I’m keeping a promise to myself—and that feels better.
I’ve also learned that by adapting, we can be productive, take care of business and family, and still pursue our goals with more energy.
There’s plenty of research to support this idea: when our habits match our goals, both well-being and performance improve. It hasn’t all been smooth, though. I’ve had to adjust—work some longer days to finish afternoon responsibilities, cancel one writing session for a morning client meeting. One day, I wanted to quit because I felt uncomfortable and slow, filled with self-doubt. But I kept going.
I expected this. Even small changes can feel uncomfortable when we’re building new habits. The voices in my head start screeching. I’ve felt a little frantic—how will I get it all done? But then I do. That’s the lesson, right? I’m a person who gets things done. That won’t change, no matter what time of day I take it on.
When the experiment ends next week, I’ll reevaluate. Make some tweaks. Adapt. Decide if I want to continue with this approach and this project. That’s how experiments work—we study, evaluate, adjust. And I’ll look more closely at other friction points in my life to see what else I can smooth out.
Ease the Friction
If you’re feeling the friction too—feeling out of alignment because you’re too busy to do the things that are most important or interesting to you—consider these questions.
Five Questions to Find the Friction
What task do I keep avoiding (but still want to do)?
When do I feel most in flow during the day?
Which habits drain or distract me?
What’s one thing I could remove or delegate?
What am I really working toward—and does my schedule reflect that?
Then, make some tweaks to play up the good energy. Try your own experiment to see if you can bring more ease and joy into your life. Maybe that means getting up early on Saturday for some me time so you don’t feel exhausted and resentful at the end of the day. Or signing up for a class, even though it’s usually when you make dinner. Maybe it’s letting the laundry go—or having one of the kids do it—so you can tend to what’s been neglected. Or taking a real lunch break to recharge. Or starting your day with your absolute favorite task.
Getting clear on what you want—and gently shaping your day around that—can turn a chaotic blur into something more meaningful and make life a little easier.
And that’s what I’m going for.
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