Another article about remote working, I know what you’re thinking – we’ve covered this off already. Well, in many respects, yes. The fight between remote, in-office and hybrid rattles on and simultaneously individuals, managers and organisations are trying to find a compromise that keeps everyone happy and sustains productivity. There is no magic bullet, I will start by saying that. There is, however, one very simple yet one very fundamental issue which I think is being overlooked – routines.

We grow up with routines. They are instilled in us from birth – feeding times and sleep times, which swiftly progress to classroom timetables and set bedtimes. Then, in the teenage years, we celebrate the freedom of being able to “go to sleep when we like”. We are seemingly free of a routine – or at least part of it. Then, if it’s university or college life, the timetable continues, and if it’s employment then there’s a structure to one’s day. Or at least, there used to be. The pandemic hit, lockdowns were enforced and people tried to maintain a routine they were so used to. They would use their commuter time to get up, go running or focus on mindful meditation. But, as time progressed, this motivation to stick to a routine slipped away. It slipped away and people have since been lulled into a sense that a routine is a nuisance. A nuisance which they are now free from.

The problem is, in my opinion, they are wrong. People are wrong about routines because, far from being restrictive, routines are actually one of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal – both as individuals and as organisations. They bring order to chaos. They have a wonderful ability to motivate and to drive performance, and ultimately to unlock sustained productivity.

Let’s start with individuals and break it down a little more. When people follow a routine, they create a mental framework within which they operate more efficiently. There’s less of a cognitive load, because decisions have already been made. Take, for example, the following situations: what time to wake up, when to check emails, when to take breaks. If there’s routine, there’s no thinking about it. Now, thinking about when to wake up may seem insignificant but combined with a series of other decisions, it all adds up quickly. This frees up mental energy for higher-order thinking and creativity. The mind doesn’t waste time negotiating the basics of daily living, and this leaves more bandwidth for meaningful, strategic or innovative work.

But the impact of routine goes beyond efficiency. Routines, believe it or not, actually provide a sense of psychological safety – a predictable rhythm that helps reduce stress and anxiety. This stability can be especially important when dealing with uncertainty, as we have all experienced over the past few years. We know that the mental health crisis isn’t going away – far from it. Knowing what to expect from your day gives a sense of control, which, in turn, boosts confidence and focus.

So, clearly there are significant benefits for individuals, but what about organisations, team leaders and managers? Well, the good news is that in organisations, routines are equally as vital, if not more so. Routines can quickly help to create consistency in behaviours, expectations and output. A company or organisation that builds in routines, whether it be through regular team check-ins, structured workflows, or daily stand-ups, is one that sets a cultural tone: we are organised, we are focused, and we value time. And you would be hard pushed to find someone who didn’t value these traits and qualities in the organisation they are working for.

It is important to highlight that routines do not mean rigidity. Quite the opposite, in fact. Routines create a foundation upon which flexibility can be built. Once the basics are set, people can adapt within that framework. We know everyone operates in different ways, so what works for one person may not work for another. For example, a hybrid team might have the routine of starting the day with a quick video call, even if each person is working from a different location or on different tasks. That touchpoint anchors the day and ensures alignment, without stifling autonomy.

When it comes to productivity, the benefits are evident. People who follow routines are more likely to get into a state of flow. A state of flow is a “zone” where work feels natural, focused and absorbing. You’ve possibly experienced it and know what I’m talking about. Flow, a concept popularised by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, is directly linked to higher performance and deeper satisfaction with work. Without structure, people tend to drift, react rather than plan, and struggle to prioritise. The result? Time gets lost to distractions and inefficiencies. A 2021 study by RescueTime found that workers lose an average of 2.5 hours per day to distractions, with context switching and lack of clear structure being key culprits. This underlines how routines don’t just support productivity, but they are essential to preserving time, energy, and attention in increasingly fragmented work environments.

Organisations that encourage routine and also build in review mechanisms to ensure those routines remain effective, tend to see better outcomes. High-performance teams often share structured rituals: retrospectives, performance reviews, planning cycles. These aren’t by any means arbitrary; they exist because they work. They create cadence, drive momentum, and encourage continuous improvement.

So perhaps it’s time we stop viewing routines as relics of an outdated way of working, or as constraints to creative thinking. Instead, let’s reframe them as enablers of clarity, resilience and high performance, especially in a world where so much feels fluid and unpredictable. The future of work may well be hybrid and flexible, but that doesn’t mean it has to be chaotic. With routines – thoughtfully designed and consistently followed – we can bring back the best parts of structure, without losing the freedom we’ve come to value. After all, freedom without structure is just noise. Routines help turn that noise into harmony.