The pressure to be perfect is evident everywhere, whether in your morning routine, fitness plan or in your productivity schedule. 

Also, social media has fueled us to be constantly striving to reach an unattainable standard that is not humanly possible. 

Photoshopped pictures to deceiving angles, social media has become a vehicle for unrealistic ideals of perfection, which can leave us feeling not good enough and grasping at any new trend to meet these standards. 

Instead of striving for perfection and basing your routine on social media trends and people who are unlike you, you should focus on how to build a routine around you and your needs. 

No one is the same; therefore, neither should your routines be. The focus on your routines should be personal wellbeing, energy and peace of mind.

Why You Shouldn’t Chase Perfection

The myth of the perfect routine has led to constant comparison and idealisation, causing frustration and burnout in most. 

This is because everyone is so different, whether it’s hair or skin type or taste. 

Therefore, learning how to create a routine made for someone else and their expectations is bound not to work. 

Constantly striving for perfection leads to stress, procrastination, and self-doubt, causing more problems with self-esteem and even health problems. 

The reality is that no one’s daily routine is flawless as life fluctuates and changes constantly.

Focusing on how you feel rather than how you look can help you feel centred, energised and calm. 

This is key when learning how to build a routine because you are focusing on feeling rather than aesthetics. Combining this with the focus on consistency over intensity helps self-care routines feel less of a chore and takes off the pressure.

Firstly, creating small routines through habits and then building on these regularly is the best way to establish a routine that is manageable and that you can stick to. 

In addition, embracing flexibility by adjusting your routine based on energy and schedule lets you reduce guilt by being realistic with routines.

How to Build a Routine That Makes You Feel Good

Here is a step-by-step guide to stop chasing perfection and start building a routine: 

Step 1: Build Up and Experiment

When you learn how to create a routine by adding steps each week and experimenting with what works for you, you’re more likely to stick to it because you won’t feel overwhelmed.

However, you’re never going to achieve a routine that feels right for you immediately; you need to discover what you like and what works for you. 

Making your expectations results-based is going to take the joy out of these routines and sets you up for disappointment. 

Instead, you should focus on what makes you feel good, whether that’s 5 minutes or a 5-mile run. As long as your headspace is happy, this is what matters.

Step 3: Stop Saying ‘I Should’

By stopping yourself from saying that you should do something such as ‘I should eat healthy every day’, removes the guilt and pressure associated with these tasks. 

When you stop saying you should do something, you remove the emotional weight, permitting yourself to do what actually works for you. 

Self-compassion and self-love helps you accept when things go wrong and don’t turn out as planned. 

You just have to remember that progress is not linear; it’s a journey. 

Create a Routine for Yourself

Recently, the beauty, lifestyle and exercise world are moving away from perfection. And brands such as Refy encourage people to celebrate themselves.

Hence, it’s time for you to stop striving for perfection and learn how to create a routine based on who you are. 

When you stop chasing perfection, you make space for simplicity, and that’s where your best routine begins.