routine

Routine is a sequence of actions regularly followed, often with the aim of efficiency and predictability. Routines can be daily, such as waking, hygiene, meals, work, and sleep, or weekly, such as exercise or chores. They may be personally devised for convenience or imposed by institutions such as schools or workplaces. Routines can be rigid or flexible; some include time commitments, while others are task-oriented but not strictly scheduled.

They are closely related to habits, but differ in conscious planning. Habits are automatic actions triggered by cues; routines are planned series of steps that guide behavior, sometimes evolving as circumstances change. The habit loop concept identifies cue, routine, and reward as components of habit formation.

Benefits of routines include reduced decision fatigue, improved time management, consistency in health-related behaviors, and safety in work or care settings. Routines can also aid learning and performance by providing structure. Potential downsides include reduced adaptability, resistance to change, and diminished spontaneity; overly rigid routines may hamper creativity or response to unusual events.

In practice, routines appear in many domains: daily life, education, and work. They can be supported by checklists, calendars, and automation. The concept is also studied in psychology and behavioral science as a factor influencing self-regulation, habit formation, and productivity. See also habit, schedule, workflow.