Feeling off track and want to get back ON track? I’ve got you covered.
I’m writing this blog post as we end 2024. I’ve noticed that in the past few years, whenever it hits the holiday seasons, I get way off track. This also occurs whenever I’ve gone on vacations as well.
I used to feel bad for getting off track and put tremendous pressure on myself to get back into things the way I was before. However, I felt like I was detrimenting myself along the way.
But of course, the more vacations I went on, and the more times I got off track, the more I learned what worked to get back on track.
And that’s what I’ve compiled for you in this blog post! In this blog post, I go through 5 steps to help you get back on track, after getting off track. You’ll learn of simple things you can do to not only feel like you’re back on track but mean it.
Let’s dive in.
Step 1: Physical Space Reset
The best first step to getting back on track is to have a clean and declutter-free space.
This can look like unpacking your luggage immediately, doing all the laundry, or throwing away trash. If you were simply off track with everything (you didn’t go on a holiday), this might look like decluttering, reorganizing your spaces, or taking extra time to clean.
Nevertheless, having a neater physical space is HEAPS better than having a messy space. It’ll be hard to feel and get back on track if your surrounding spaces are messy.
That’s why, before you do anything else, prioritize cleaning up your spaces and having a physical space reset. You will feel SO much better, I promise you. There’s something about having neater-looking spaces that already makes you feel like you’ve got your life together.
RELATED: 7 Time-Saving Tips for Better Productivity
Step 2: Start off with your morning & night routine
If there is something you can easily get back into, they are your morning and night routines.
Your morning routine is for you to start your day on the right note. Your night routine is for you to end your day on the right note.
Most of the time, you can control how you start your day and end your day. Everything that occurs in between (e.g. what happens at work, school, events, etc), we have less control over.
When we want to get back on track, we want to feel some sort of control. When we get back on track, we are taking some control. The best way to gain some control is through your morning and night routines.
Whatever your morning or night routine may be, you can keep doing what you’re doing. However, if you feel like you need to simplify it for the first few days or weeks, that’s completely fine. As long as you have some sort of consistency and healthy habits included that will help you start and end the day on the right foot.
Step 3: Choose 3 to 5 non-negotiable habits to stick with
Another way to feel like you are back on track, is going back to the habits that have been instilled in you.
You see, most times, the reasons why we feel off track are mainly because we haven’t been consistent with our habits and routines.
That’s why, a way to feel like you are on track again is to get back on those habits and routines.
If you can easily get back into all your habits and routines like you never left them, that’s great. However, if it feels a bit overwhelming, that’s where choosing 3 to 5 non-negotiable habits will become your best friend.
The best part is that they don’t have to be new habits, they can be the habits that you already do.
What will happen is that when you track these habits, tick them off, and note to yourself that you’re doing them, you start to feel better in the process. Whether we like it or not, we love the dopamine hit of “ticking off” a habit. So, by picking at least 3 to 5, they are more sustainable. Even though they may be less than what you would usually do, you would still get that same dopamine hit and feel better in the process.
RELATED: Essential List of Non-Negotiable Daily Habits to Implement
Step 4: Plan Your Next Day
If you want to feel like you’ve got things together, planning is the next important step.
You know how we hear that sometimes people procrastinate taking action because they are too busy making a plan? That’s because planning feels like you are taking action.
So, we’re going to use this to our advantage (for now).
What you’ll do next is just plan your next day. You don’t have to go further than that. You just need to plan your schedule and/or to-do list for the next day.
You’ll feel better knowing you have a plan and that you’ve taken action to get back on track… just don’t forget to actually ACTION that to-do list and schedule 😉
Step 5: Take it one day/hour/10 minutes at a time
Ultimately, when it comes to getting back on track, it’s important to take it one step at a time.
You’re not expected to go back to 10x action immediately. You’re not expected to have everything down pact.
All you need to focus on is the day at hand. Focus on what you need to get done that day, and then repeat for the days ahead. Eventually, you’ll be able to add more habits, and routines, and get back more into things as you go.
If that still feels overwhelming, you can take it 1 hour at a time, or even 10 minutes at a time… whatever pace you need! Take the time you need because you are in no hurry.
Take a SMALL STEP
If you decided to read this blog post because you wanted to get back on track (because you felt off track), following the steps in this blog post is the way to go.
To Wrap Up
Here’s the thing – having a physical space reset, morning and night routines, non-negotiable habits, and making a plan may seem like little tiny steps. However, tiny steps are what you need to get back on track. The more tiny steps you take, the better you feel. Eventually, you’ll feel like doing more. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the many things you’ve got to get back into, focus one day/one hour/10 minutes at a time.
I talk about small steps in my book, Small Steps to Progression which you can download for FREE in the Free Resources Library. In the meantime, don’t forget to take it easy on yourself (I give myself this reminder many times as well).
-Lauren
P.S I suggest you read these blog posts next:
- Little Guide to Getting Out of a Funk
- Mental Health Day Checklist: Feel Better With These 7 Things
- How to Use Self-Care to Bounce Back from a Bad Day
Share This Blog Post Here:
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hi, this is Lauren! I’m a law grad from Melbourne, Australia. On laurenbarri.com, I create content on all things personal development, productivity, self-care, and habits! I am super passionate about these topics because of how they helped me in all areas of my life, and I want to share it with others!
CONNECT with ME!! 🗯
Instagram:
@laurenlbarri (blog Instagram)
If you got value from this blog in any way, it would mean the world if you could show your support on my Buy Me a Coffee platform! (otherwise I am just really happy that you’re here 😊)
