Use The Find, Modify, Act Improvement Loop to correct your routine and turn your life around.

We all struggle with getting things done from time to time. Once the wave of procrastination hits, it’s difficult to get out of.

Procrastination stems from overthinking. Having a routine stops that. What you do next is already thought out and planned.

A routine is the path towards success. Maintaining one stops your mind from churning and your body becomes a vehicle of action. The friction between what you need to do and what you want to do erodes.

You follow the steps, carry out the habits, and stride through your day. You become more productive and you feel all the better for it.

Daily Life 1: No Routine

Let’s first paint the picture of day-to-day life without a solid routine.

Your alarm goes off. You hit snooze. It rings again. Snooze. And again. Snooze. You finally pry open your eyelids and unlock your phone. You check Instagram, scroll a little on TikTok, and catch up on messages you missed in the group chat. Half an hour later you force yourself to get up and start your day.

You’re still half asleep as you start doing work, staring blankly out in front of you. The next few hours are a blend of work, scrolling, and daydreaming. You can’t wait to clock out for the day. When you’re finally done with work, you think about going to the gym. One thing transitions into the next and you end up spending the next few hours watching Netflix. A little more scrolling and it’s time for bed. Getting to sleep is a struggle though, it feels as though you never really woke up.

Daily Life 2: A Solid Routine

Now let’s take a look at life with a solid routine in place. You’ll notice the contrast.

The alarm rings, eyes open, and you’re out of bed. You don’t check your phone because you don’t want to. What you want to do are your next habits. Getting ready, meditating, and some light stretching. Once your mind is warm, along with your body, you start work feeling energized.

After a few hours of time-blocked work, you head out for a walk to clear your mind. Your work day feels easy. You’re in the flow state, like the rest of your day. Once you’ve finished work for the day, you get to the gym.

With your workout completed, you have your post-workout meal with the family and finish the day with a great book. You feel accomplished. Satisfied knowing you left no stones unturned. You know you’re one step closer to your goals and you’re ready to do the same again tomorrow.

Let’s see how you can use The Find, Modify, and Act Improvement Loop to transition from Daily Life 1 to Daily Life 2.

The Find, Modify, Act Improvement Loop

You have a routine, just not a very good one, and that’s where you’ll begin.

It’s tempting to overload your day with the habits you know you need. But throwing in journaling, meditation sessions, and different types of exercise won’t work right away. You need solid foundations before you worry about the kitchen tiles and living room wallpaper.

When it comes to improvement, be methodological. Saying you’ll head to the gym after work is what you’ve been doing. Instead, solidify it by bringing it out of your head and into the world.

I’m sure you know it’s easier to give advice rather than to take it. It’s like watching a movie. We know what the main character should do, but they go and do something else anyway. You can achieve that same vantage point on your own life by keeping a list of your daily habits.

List out every small habit in your current routine. That includes the time spent scrolling and watching TV. Think of this list as a real-time mirror of your daily life. You’ll be able to look in the mirror, notice imperfections, and then correct them.

Once you’ve created the list, you’ll become more aware of your actions. You’ll consciously find areas for optimization. As you find areas to optimize, modify your routine both in the list and in your life. You can call this The Find, Modify, Act Improvement Loop, and it’s the key to consistency.

If you just act today, you might not do the same tomorrow. By simultaneously modifying the list and carrying out the actions, you solidify the desired behavior. Remember, the list is a real-time reflection of your daily life. On the days when your motivation is low though, your daily life becomes a reflection of the list. This is why The Find, Modify, Act Improvement Loop is essential.

Consistency is a requirement for success. Being consistent and improving is easy when motivation is high, but it all can fade when motivation is low. You can’t afford to let consistency fluctuate with your motivation levels.

The Find, Modify, Act Improvement Loop remedies this. It enables you to improve when motivation is high and it forces you to be consistent when motivation is low. When you feel good, you optimize and grow. When motivation drops and you don’t feel like doing anything, the list compels you to act anyway.

The habit list and The Find, Modify, Act Improvement Loop acts as a life raft. You can build on it when the water is calm and it stops you from drowning when the storm hits (like bad times or low motivation). Even if you do fall off, you can climb back on if you’re quick enough. Just don’t fall then stand by as the storm carries your life raft away.