Why Your 'Perfect Plan' is Sabotaging You

Let’s get one thing straight: you are not a square peg, and life sure as hell isn’t a neat little round hole. So why do we keep trying to jam ourselves into 'perfect plans' that don’t fit?

Here’s the thing — that fancy workout schedule you saw on Instagram? The meal prep spreadsheet your friend swears by? That 5am morning routine “all successful women do”? None of that is magic. It’s just their routine. Not yours.

And forcing yourself into someone else’s plan is about as sustainable as wearing stilettos to hike the Great Ocean Walk. Cute idea, completely impractical.

Step 1: Meet Yourself Where You’re At

Your season of life matters. Looking after grandkids? Have a demanding job? Hot flushes and zero chill at 3am? (Hi, menopause.) What worked for you five years ago may not work now — and that’s not failure, it’s reality.
Sustainable routines aren’t about grinding harder. They’re about building smarter, starting with one thing so laughably simple you could do it today. And yes, walking laps around the kitchen while your coffee brews absolutely counts.

Step 2: Know Your Why

If your why is 'I want to look great in my jeans,' fabulous. If it’s 'I want energy to chase my grandkids' or 'I need to feel less frazzled,' also fabulous.
There are no bad whys — but if your why is shallow, it won’t keep you going when life gets messy. Dig deeper. Your jeans might be the starting point, but the ripple effect is confidence, health, freedom, and proving to yourself that you can do hard things.

Step 3: Ditch the Grind, Embrace the Evolution

Here’s the secret: your routine will change. What works this year may flop next year. And that’s not a problem — it’s a sign you’re evolving.
Maybe workouts used to fit at 10am, but now evenings are your jam. Maybe you hate it at first. That’s fine. Test it. Tweak it. Give it a chance to settle in. Routines become 'sustainable' because we practise them, not because they feel perfect from day one.

Step 4: Micro Wins = Massive Momentum

Small wins stack. One Duolingo lesson before social media. Five minutes of an educational podcast on the treadmill. Not checking emails until after your first coffee.
Tiny things that remind you: this is for me. Those micro-moments build momentum, and momentum is what carries you through on the days motivation packs its bags and leaves.

Step 5: Make It Yours

At the end of the day, the best routine is the one you’ll actually stick with. Forget perfect. Forget what your neighbour, your favourite influencer, or your younger self used to do.
Start where you are, choose one small action that matters to you, and build from there.

Because thriving isn’t about grinding. It’s about designing a routine that feels like home — and giving yourself permission to keep changing the furniture as life shifts around you.

XO Jane