This is a 2-part series and in Part 1 we delve into mindset. You’ll get a glimpse of the five challenges I face every time I wanna keep a new routine. Read my stories to check in with yourself, because you’ll get clarity on how to tweak your game.
CLICK HERE for The Play Experiment Mindset: More Energy Means More Joy (Part 1).
I’ve spent decades struggling to keep routines, and I’ve finally come up with something I call The Play Experiment. It all started when I identified as having ADHD. That’s when I realized I could let go of always trying to do things the hard way.
I know from my creative practice that whenever I feel stuck, the answer is to let myself play.
This method helps sprinkle more fun into your daily routines. Because using menus and cards lets you be more playful and spontaneous.
AND KNOW:
Regardless of whether you have ADHD or not, you might still identify as struggling with the same challenges I face.
Incorporating cards into your routine could be just the key you need to develop a sustainable routine. This playful method might be the missing piece to creating a routine that truly works for you.
The METHOD - How To Turn Your Routine Into A Game:
Step 1. Commit to your SLOT.
Step 2. Do a brain dump for your TIME-OUTS.
Step 3. Curate a MENU for your TIME-OUTS.
Step 4. Write CARDS for your TIME-OUTS.
Step 5: Schedule your SLOTS
Step 6: Set up your triggers
Step 7. Track your progress
Step 8. Tweak your game
Okay, let’s begin.
It’s time to gather your supplies:
• Pencil and/or pen
• Markers and/or highlighters
• Eraser
• Lined notebook
• Index cards
• Clips (optional)
• Envelope (optional)
You can use a regular spiral-bound notebook. Or you can get yourself a pretty journal. Whatever works for you.
Just keep in mind this is not about keeping pristine records. It’s about keeping all your notes in one place.
And consider using clips or envelopes. Because you’ll wanna have a way to keep all your cards together in one place, too.
Index cards come in lots of sizes from small to giant. And you can even find them in colors. So you may wanna buy a variety to play with.
For example, if you wanna make your own card deck so you can shuffle and draw cards, then smaller index cards will work better. On the other hand, if you think you may wanna add notes to the backside of the cards, then giant index cards will be best.
If you’re not sure yet, that’s perfectly fine. Regular-size white index cards will do. You can always upgrade your index cards later.
Next up, get familiar with the components of the game.
The Play Experiment has the following four main components:
• SLOT= The total break time designated for your desired routine
• TIME-OUTS = Any activities you’ve written down as contenders for your desired routine
• MENU = A curated list of favorite TIME-OUTS
• CARDS = Your chosen TIME-OUTS in card format
And now the step-by-step instructions begin.
Step 1. Commit to your SLOT
Your SLOT is the total time you can dedicate to taking the breaks required for your desired routine.
You can divvy up your SLOT when needed. For example, your SLOT may be for 30 minutes a day. But on some days you divide it into 10 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the afternoon.
DO THIS: Decide how many minutes you can commit to for your breaks.
You’ll get around to scheduling your SLOT in Step 5.
Step 2. Do a brain dump for your TIME-OUTS
Your TIME-OUTS are the activities you wanna do during your break. They are specific to the routine you wanna keep.
DO THIS: Grab your notebook and do a brain dump of all the things you’ve been wanting to do.
Maybe you wanna start a new habit or quit an old one. Maybe you wanna move your body more. Or slow down and rest more. Maybe you wanna eat healthier or learn a new skill. Just write it all down in your notebook. In no particular order. This is a brain dump.
Make sure to leave extra blank pages to have space to keep adding ideas as you get them.
Next, notice if you couldn’t group some of your TIME-OUTS. Grab some highlighters and mark the TIME-OUTS you feel belong together.
For example, you may have TIME-OUTS that could go into several of the following categories:
• Wellness
• Creativity
• Learning
• Journaling
• Play
• Mindfulness
• Nature
• Family
• Friends
• Community
Step 3. Curate a MENU for your TIME-OUTS
Your MENU is the list you curate with your favorite TIME-OUTS from your brain dump.
DO THIS: Turn to a new page in your notebook and write MENU at the top. Make sure to leave the backside of your MENU page blank for now. In Step 6, I’ll explain why.
Look over your brain dump (see Step 2) and choose 10-20 TIME-OUTS. Write them down in no particular order.
Your goal is to narrow down your brain dump to the activities that feel most exciting to you at this moment in time.
One more thing, put stars next to activities that require more focus because they are new. As in, you’re still learning how to do them.
Don’t get stuck here! You can always come back and re-evaluate your choices.
This is what your MENU page looks like:
• Write one line for each TIME-OUT
• Include the total time you estimate it will take to complete
• Include stars next to items that require more focus
If you’re unsure how long your MENU should be, no worries. You’ll see examples in Step 4.
Step 4. Write CARDS for your TIME-OUTS
Your CARDS are the TIME-OUTS you choose to play with. In other words, they are your chosen TIME-OUTS from your MENU in card format.
Using CARDS could be just the key you need to develop a sustainable routine:
• Your CARDS serve as visual reminders
• Your CARDS are on paper which means you DO NOT need to turn on a device
• Your CARDS let you tweak your game according to your energy level (see Step 8)
Check out the following three examples:
EXAMPLE 1.
When all your TIME-OUTS are the same activity:
Imagine you wanna start a journaling routine. So your MENU consists of lots of journaling prompts.
• Your SLOT is for 30 minutes total
• Your MENU has 28 TIME-OUTS
• You’ve written 7 CARDS, each CARD is a different journaling prompt
How it works: Shuffle your CARDS. Draw one CARD and follow the prompt. Write in your journal for your 30-minute SLOT. The next day, you shuffle and draw a new CARD.
EXAMPLE 2.
When all your TIME-OUTS are in the same category:
Imagine you wanna move your body more. So your MENU consists of lots of activities like going for a walk, dancing, yoga, etc.
• Your SLOT is for 30 minutes total
• Your MENU has 20 TIME-OUTS
• You’ve written 10 CARDS, each CARD is a way to move your body for for 10, 15, or 20 minutes
How it works: Shuffle your CARDS. Draw as many CARDS as you need to add up to your 30-minute SLOT. Follow the prompts and get moving. The next day, you shuffle and draw new CARDS.
EXAMPLE 3.
When all your TIME-OUTS are different activities:
Imagine you wanna be more consistent with nurturing your creativity. So your MENU consists of lots of creative play prompts.
You’ve curated a list with 3 different kinds of activities that include collage-making, doodling, and stamping.
• Your SLOT is for 30 minutes total
• Your MENU has 20 TIME-OUTS
• You’ve written 9-12 CARDS, each CARD is a different creative play prompt
How it works: Shuffle your CARDS. Draw one CARD and follow the prompt. Immerse yourself in creative play for your 30-minute SLOT. The next day, you shuffle and draw a new CARD.
DO THIS: Look over your MENU and choose 10 TIME-OUTS to turn into CARDS. Remember to include the total time you estimated.
Give it a go and don’t worry if you decide to change your CARDS later. That’s the whole point - you wanna experiment and see what happens!
And keep this in mind:
Whenever your CARDS need a refresh, go back to your MENU and write new ones. And if it’s your MENU that needs a refresh, then go back to your brain dump and add more TIME-OUTS to your MENU.
Step 5: Schedule your SLOTS
Now it’s time to get real.
DO THIS: Look at your existing schedule and decide on which days you can add your SLOT. And if you can’t take your break all in one go, you can divvy up your SLOT into several breaks on any given day.
Step 6: Set up your triggers
You may not think about triggers when it comes to creating routines. You may think of triggers as simply those moments when someone pushes your buttons. But really, we’re talking about the same thing.
You wanna trigger yourself to help you remember and jump in.
Your environment plays a crucial role in sticking to your routines. The bad news is that it’s not always easy to keep routines when your environment is full of distractions. And by distractions, I mean anything that increases your chances of not staying on track with what you wanna do. Distractions are usually visual but don’t forget about noises and smells.
The good news is that you can create triggers that support you.
DO THIS: Read through the following TIPS and choose a few to implement. Grab your notebook and take notes on different ways you can trigger yourself. And set yourself up for success by preparing the night before.
Like this:
• Place your CARDS in your best place the night before
• Set an alarm on your phone to sound when your break begins (and ends) the night before
• Have all your items ready the night before - like supplies, clothes, or shoes
TIPS:
• Find your best place:
Start by keeping our CARDS where you’ll see them. Take note, you’ll stop seeing them there after a while. No lie. So be prepared to change locations when you need to.
A good idea is to put your CARDS where you’re already in the habit of looking. In other words, jump on an existing habit to make it easier.
Let’s say you have a SLOT in the mornings for 10 minutes to move your body after breakfast. If you already have the habit of taking vitamins after breakfast, you can place your CARDS next to your vitamins to remind you to choose a CARD and get moving.
Think about how you can trigger yourself first thing in the morning.
• Use music: In addition to visual reminders, consider using music. For example, you can start your movement practice with the same song every time. And after a few days, you’ll associate that song with your routine. Hearing that song helps you get going before your brain has a chance to come up with a bunch of excuses. Yay!
And if your environment is noisy, try using headphones. It can make a world of difference. Trust me.
• Use scent: Associating a scent with your routine is also helpful. Some people love lighting a scented candle as a ritual before meditating or journaling. Give this a try and turn it into a tiny ritual to center yourself.
Step 7. Track your progress
I think tracking habits is a fantastic idea, but I’ve never seen one of those habit-tracking charts that doesn’t make me cringe. So I’ve come up with my own way of tracking.
Let's say you wanna start a habit of walking every day for 20 minutes.
You grab your calendar and write WALK at the top of every day. Or maybe you schedule it in your planner every day from 12.30 - 1:00. Now if you have a habit-tracking chart, it's gonna have a space for every day of the week. And here's where the trouble begins.
Ya see you can schedule all you want, but the truth is shit happens.
You twist your ankle, your boss gives you more work, your neighbor needs a favor, you forgot to buy a present for a friend's birthday, your car needs repair, etc. You get the idea.
We always overestimate what we think we’ll be able to get done. AND shit happens.
And this means you'll have more blank spaces than checked spaces on your stupid habit-tracking chart. You won't celebrate the walks you did take because you'll feel bad about not walking every day. And you'll feel like a loser and maybe not even bother to continue.
And this is exactly why I need to tell you that The Play Experiment has a golden rule:
Three times a week is a habit. *
This golden rule has changed everything for me. I encourage you to accept it wholeheartedly. Smile.
DO THIS: Turn your notebook upside down so you can use the back pages of your notebook to track your progress.
You’ll list your CARDS here. And your goal is to have three checkmarks next to each activity by the end of the week.
Three checkmarks make you a total champ. WHOOPEE!
Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying you shouldn’t schedule your TIME-OUTS for every day of the week, if that’s your intention. Go ahead and get all your SLOTS on your schedule as planned (see Step 5).
But once you’ve got your three checkmarks, you’re golden.
This is what your progress tracking page looks like:
• Write one line for each CARD
• Add three columns on the right side of your page with space enough to place a checkmark inside each column
• If you’ve decided to gamify your routine by keeping score, then you can total your points at the bottom of this page (See Step 8, Problem 3)
Step 8. Tweak your game
Now when it comes to tweaking your game, I want you to remember that you’re always looking for the EASIER WAY to play. You’re looking to boost your energy. Because more energy means more joy. Yay!
Your game, your rules.
If you haven’t read Part 1 where we delve into mindset, NOW is the time because you’ll get clarity on how to tweak your game.
CLICK HERE for The Play Experiment Mindset: More Energy Means More Joy (Part 1).
Part 1 gives you a glimpse of the five challenges I face every time I wanna keep a new routine. Pay attention to what comes up for you. Do you have similar stories? Do you have different problems?
Most of the challenges we face with routines stem from feeling stuck in low energy. There’s a connection between low energy and low joy. When we’re low on energy we get easily distracted, we make poor choices, and we go around in circles. If we stay stuck in low energy, we get anxious and depressed.
DO THIS: Set yourself up for success by anticipating feeling scattered, bored, tired, overwhelmed, or all of the above. Read through the following suggestions for each problem.
Anticipate your limitations so you can tweak your game:
Problem 1. Busy feels safe.
When you’re feeling scattered or restless, TRY THIS:
Do an activity you’ve marked with a star because it requires more focus. (See Step 3 if you haven’t yet included stars in your MENU.)
When you have to follow instructions, it helps you focus your energy. For example, if you have lots of yoga videos on your MENU, now is a good time to watch one with a sequence you’re unfamiliar with.
This will help you feel more grounded in the moment.
And if you can’t take your break all in one go, you can divvy up your SLOT into several breaks on any given day. Three 10-minute breaks may feel more doable than one 30-minute break, for example.
Problem 2. Easy doesn’t count.
When you’re overthinking your routine, TRY THIS:
You may find that writing separate CARDS only complicates your life right now. See if you can’t write a ONE-CARD SHORTLIST. You can use those giant index cards for this if you want.
For example, I keep one big CARD in the kitchen that lists 5 supplements I wanna remember to take: Vitamins, Matcha, Magnesium, Spirulina, and Protein Powder.
I don’t always remember to take them all, but having 5 separate CARDS would only complicate things. It’s easier to see the shortlist at one glance on one card every time I walk into the kitchen.
Problem 3. Boring won’t stick.
When you’re feeling bored with your routine, TRY THIS:
Go back to your MENUS in your notebook and write more CARDS so that you have enough to make a CARD DECK. And if your MENU needs refreshing, go back to your brain dump and add more TIME-OUTS to your MENU.
The idea is for you to have enough cards to shuffle and draw at random. This lets you be more playful and spontaneous.
In addition to making your CARD DECK, you can gamify your routine by keeping score.
Add points to your CARDS and reward yourself with a prize at the end of the week. You can use your progress tracking page to keep score.
And don’t forget to write your reward list! It can be as simple as making yourself a fancy coffee drink with ice cream. Curling up with a good book and some tea. Or buying stationary or art supplies. Whatever it is, make it a real treat.
Problem 4. Decision fatigue is real.
When you’re feeling exhausted, TRY THIS:
Always have a Plan B that requires zero brainpower to execute.
Go back to your MENUS in your notebook. Remember how you left the backside of your MENU page blank? Well, on the backside of your MENU, you’re gonna write a shorter version that has no more than three TIME-OUTS on it. Then choose only one to write your CARD.
This is your ZERO-BANDWIDTH CARD.
Grab a marker or highlighter and draw along the edges of your ZERO-BANDWIDTH CARD so that it stands out from the rest. And whenever you’re having one of those days, grab it and execute your Plan B. Smile.
Problem 5. Planning is tricky.
When you’re feeling overwhelmed with your routine, TRY THIS:
There are a few ways to simplify your game on any given day.
• Simplify by using your ZERO-BANDWIDTH CARD (see Problem 4 above). Grab this CARD and execute your Plan B.
• Simplify by using a CARD DECK (see Problem 3 above). Believe it or not, mixing things up helps you take action. In other words, when you’re feeling overwhelmed with what you planned on doing, don’t spend another minute thinking about it. Instead, be spontaneous and jump into action! Shuffle and draw a random CARD from your deck.
• Simplify by repeating what’s already working. Get in the habit of marking with a highlighter your favorite combos of CARDS.
For example, let’s say you wanna move your body more and you decided to draw CARDS every day. You’ve got a 30-minute SLOT and you need 2-3 CARDS to fill it.
After a few days, you discover a combo of CARDS you like a lot. It’s 10 minutes of dancing followed by 20 minutes of yoga. Sweet.
This is your TRIED-AND-TRUE COMBO.
If you ever find yourself feeling overwhelmed, just revisit your TRIED-AND-TRUE COMBO. Repeating your TRIED-AND-TRUE COMBO for a week may not be what you'd planned, but you’re still moving your body and that makes you a total champ. Smile.
Conclusion.
Grab your notebook, some index cards, and a trusty pen, and get ready to sprinkle more fun into your daily routines.
Regardless of whether you have ADHD or not, you might still identify as struggling with the same challenges I face. Incorporating cards into your routine could be just the key you need to develop a sustainable routine.
This playful method might be the missing piece to creating a routine that truly works for you.
Here are the steps: First, commit to a designated time SLOT. Next, curate a fun MENU of activities to choose from so that you can write your CARDS.
Next up, schedule your SLOTS, set up your triggers, and keep track of your progress. And finally, anticipate your limitations so you can tweak your game.
* THREE TIMES A WEEK IS A HABIT:
I learned this rule from Laura Vanderkam in a CreativeLive course she teaches called What The Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast. Yay!