From the moment we get out of bed, we are constantly making decisions throughout the day.

Try to remember your morning routine. Did you struggle to decide which dress to wear? What should I eat? How much sugar should you add to your coffee? These kinds of insignificant choices drain our brain resources. We shouldn’t waste time on them because they are just unneeded.

We all have limited willpower and every decision we make is using up our willpower.

It can be incredibly stressful when we have to make too many decisions every day. A schedule enables us to concentrate on the more enjoyable and vital aspects of life rather than wasting our willpower on the unimportant things.

Instead of training yourself to make decisions faster, get rid of unnecessary decisions by building a routine.

Having a routine means doing the same set of things over and over without consciously thinking about it. No decision-making is required. That’s the beauty of a routine—it saves us mental energy.

Now that we have fewer decisions to make, we are less likely to get tired. This can actually be explained, and Kahneman does this very well in his book, Thinking, Fast and Slow.

Kahneman suggests that we have 2 modes of thinking:

System 1 is the faster mode; and System 2 is the slower mode. System 1 is faster because it is “automatic” and “intuitive”. It builds habits and speeds up reactions for us.

Which is to say, having a routine allows us to think less when we’ve trained our brain to think with system 1, helping us to save time and energy.

So if you want to get through your day more efficiently, you should work on forming a routine.

To start forming a routine, begin with something small, so small that you can’t say no.

James Clear, an author and businessman, introduced a strategy manual for creating routines that is very helpful for all of us. When it comes to creating a habit, he advises starting simple. Here are some things you can get started doing:

1. Pick a small thing to fit into your daily life.

Starting something new can be hard, especially if you are the kind who struggles with staying motivated and sticking to something.

Starting with something very easy can be helpful because our motivation is not stable over time, and your goal here is to set yourself up for success in the long run.

Pick something that doesn’t require motivation and make it easy for yourself at first.

For example, I’ve always wanted to drink more water. So in order to make my first step easy, I’ll just put a big mug of water on my work desk so I’ll always be reminded to drink it even when I’m working.

2. Increase its difficulty gradually.

You might be worrying about not being able to make progress with a small start. But the truth is, you will get better at doing the same action over time.

Small improvements can add up, and you will be ready for something bigger eventually — just think of it as a training for your willpower and motivation.

3. Break your daily goal into reasonable sessions.

In order for the first two steps to work, you can try breaking down a task to make it easier. Achieving goals, even small ones in the beginning, encourages you to keep going with your routine.

Again take my example of drinking more water, I increase the difficulty level by measuring the times I refill my mug. The first week, I only need to refill my mug once a day; then the second week, I’ll add it to two times a day etc.

4. Keep track of your daily progress and have an overview of it.

Sticking to a routine is difficult, which is why it’s a great idea to remind yourself of how far you’ve come in order to motivate yourself.

I have downloaded an app about water consumption every day, it’s basically a log about how much water I drink every day and it’s really helpful for me to keep track of my progress.

If there’s no apps available for you to keep track of your progress, you can just make use of journal spreadsheet to know how you do all the way.

Trust that if you keep making a little progress every single day, you will find it easier and easier to stay on track.

5. Stick to your pace and be patient about the results.

You should move along at a comfortable pace and not rush it because creating a habit takes some time for you to get acclimated to. You are more likely to give up if you push yourself too hard too quickly. Success depends on giving oneself adequate time to gradually progress.

It can be challenging to establish a routine, but it is possible. Set a goal, begin today, and climb the ladder. You’ll eventually be able to divert your attention from the unimportant and concentrate on the vital things, which will also help you save so much time.