The Habit Blueprint

I’ve got to be real with you—I was always pretty good at sticking to routines, whether they were good or bad. But about two years ago, I started feeling off, like something wasn’t right. I didn’t think much of it or try to figure out why. After all, everyone around me was doing the same thing, so I thought, “What could be wrong?”

Here’s a snapshot of my old daily routine:

Morning:

• 7:30 AM: Wake up

• 7:30 - 8:30 AM: Get ready

• 8:30 - 9:00 AM: Rush to work

Evening:

• 7:00 PM: Get home

• 7:00 - 10:00 PM: Watch TV, clean, do laundry

• 10:00 PM: Dinner

• 1:00 AM: Sleep

  
  

And then repeat. Plus, going out twice every weekend until 5 AM, dealing with hangovers the next day, and boom—it’s Monday again.

My habits back then? Overeating, eating late, drinking 3-4 times a week, sleeping just 4-6 hours a night, and barely exercising. How did I feel? Well, at the time, I thought I was fine because I didn’t know any better! But I was always tired, never got enough sleep, had headaches, felt anxious, gained 10 kilos (!), and often felt like I had a fever. I even joked that I couldn’t go to the store without Panadol in my pocket—I’d go through a pack a month!

Eventually, I started making some changes. I added some new habits and let go of others. It took me two years to figure it out! IT'S A PROCESS, TRUST ME—it takes time. If I had tried to change everything all at once, it would’ve been overwhelming and hard to stick to. You have to try, test, tweak, and repeat.

Here’s what my routine looks like now:

Morning:

• 5:45 AM: Wake up

• 5:55 - 6:40 AM: Walk

• 6:30 - 7:15 AM: Breakfast and get ready

• 7:15 - 7:30 AM: Journal, practice gratitude

• 7:30 - 7:55 AM: Learn something new/read the news

• 8:00 AM: Leave for work

Evening:

• 8:30 PM: Devices off

• 8:30 - 9:00 PM: Study/learn/read the news

• 9:00 - 9:30 PM: Journal

• 9:30 - 10:00 PM: Read a book

• 10:00 PM: Lights out

On top of that, I prioritized getting 7-8 hours of sleep, eating healthy, cooking my meals, exercising daily (even if it’s just walking!), cutting out alcohol (for now), avoiding TV on weekdays, and focusing on reading and learning.

Is it hard? YES. Is it worth it? HELL YES.

Now, I wake up feeling refreshed and energetic. I don’t get headaches anymore or feel feverish (honestly, can’t remember the last time I took a painkiller!). I handle stress much better, don’t have brain fog, am way more productive, and just feel a lot more positive.

Of course, there’s a trade-off. I often say no to social outings during the week, and I’ve lost touch with some people. But I’ve also gotten closer to others. It’s just how life goes.

Full disclosure—I’m not saying this is better than what anyone else is doing or what you’re doing now! But it’s working for me, for now. I hope there’s something here that you might find useful.

Catch you later!