“Sticking to a habit makes me depressed. Why?”

If routines make you feel down, you’re not alone.

Daily habits are supposed to boost your productivity, but they can also make life feel monotonous.
Do you ever feel bored when you try to stick to a habit?

Many people have this problem. And no, it doesn’t mean you’re lazy.

In my article Why sticking to a routine gives you anxiety , I explained that some people have trouble with routines for a surprising reason. (Seriously, check it out, you might realize it’s something you’ve never even considered before.)

But here, I want to give you something even more practical: the golden formula to keep moving toward your goals without letting anxiety kill your productivity.

The secret? Blending two worlds – chaos and order.

There’s a Right Way to Introduce Habits, and a Wrong Way

Let’s say you wake up one morning full of motivation.
You tell yourself:

“I want to boost my productivity! Where do I even start?”

So, you start googling. You read articles, watch a few videos, maybe even grab a notebook to plan it all out. Before you know it, you’ve built the “perfect daily routine.”

And your habit list looks something like this:

• Make your bed
• Drink 2l of water
• Floss your teeth
• Meditate
• Wake up early
• Sleep 8 hours
• Eat 3 healthy meals
• Limit screen time
• Work out
• Think about your goals and dreams
• Practice yoga
• Read 100 pages
• Try something new
• Spend quality time with family

Looks good on paper, right?
But in reality… it’s completely overwhelming.

Why don’t you try this instead:

# 1 Set no more than 5 productivity habits per day

If you don’t want to feel overwhelmed, here’s the trick: keep it simple.

Pick only the actions that really matter – the ones that actually move you forward. Your list doesn’t need to look like a military schedule. Here’s an example of a realistic habit list:

1. Make your bed
2. Drink 2l of water
3. Groom yourself early in the morning
4. Do a 30-minute workout
5. Work on a secret project

See how much lighter this feels? Half of these habits take under five minutes, yet if you repeat them daily, they can completely shift your life.

The key is consistency, not volume.

To help you stick with it, you can use a habit tracker app. Something like Productive or HabitNow works great. They’re simple to use, and you can even schedule habits for certain days (like “deep clean every first Saturday of the month”).

And here’s the thing: you can always do more if you feel like it.

But to actually stick to a routine long-term – start small. Focus on the essentials.

# 2 If possible, do most things in the first half of the day

The earlier you get things done, the less you’ll stress about them.

Think about the list I gave you – if you do your workout in the morning or during lunch, and spend a bit of time on your secret project before the day even really starts, you’ve already covered the big stuff.

By the time you’re home from work, there’s nothing left on your list except… relaxing.

You can actually enjoy chilling on the sofa with Netflix, guilt-free, because your day was already productive!

And the best part? You didn’t have to obsess or pressure yourself all day long, it just flowed.

#3 Have something fun to look forward to

Outside of your small routine, make sure there’s something in your day that you genuinely enjoy, no guilt attached.

Don’t let friends, partners and parents judge your hobbies as stupid, weird, immature etc.

• if you love lying on the couch, then lie on the couch
• if you love video games, play them shamelessly
• if binge-watching silly series makes you happy…you get the idea

The only thing I wouldn’t recommend is doom scrolling. That one’s a trap. (See my article on how screen time ruins your life and makes it feel dull.)

Here’s the trick: if routines make you anxious, then having that freedom to choose your fun actually helps you stick to your schedule. It keeps life balanced – you stay productive without feeling trapped.

#4 Keep weekends free from “productivity pressure”

If you don’t have days off, when you don’t use words like “habits” and “productivity”, you are going to get sick of doing the right thing.

That’s why it’s smart to commit to most of your habits only on workdays.

Give yourself the weekends off.

Let them be as stress-free as possible, time to recharge and actually live.

Your weekend “habit list” could look super simple, like:

1. Make your bed
2. Drink 2l of water
3. Groom yourself

Easy isn’t it?

Think of it like dieting.

If you’re on a strict plan, counting every calorie, eating only protein and veggies, while everyone else is enjoying pancakes with maple syrup and crispy bacon… how long do you think you’ll last before frustration makes you quit altogether?

It’s important to succeed in life, but it’s also important to ENJOY life.

Don’t feel guilty for being “less productive” on weekends. That’s what they’re for.

If you follow these 4 steps, you’ll finally have a routine that feels balanced – productive and enjoyable!

Want to feel even more motivated?

Check How to stay motivated

How to never give up when you struggle

Why you shouldn’t reveal your plans

How to NEVER give up when things get hard

TheThinkAbout is a website based on psychology in practice and experience.

Like the articles? Subscribe to never miss anything. 

Your contribution matters! If you find this website helpful, please support our work. Thank you for visiting!