Name: Daily Routines for a Productive Life | Insight English Podcast | 🎧 8 Minute English | Beginner
Uploaded: 2026-01-25T15:39:24.000Z
Duration: 8 min 41 s
Description: Thousands of YouTube videos with English-Chinese subtitles! Now you can learn to understand native speakers, expand your vocabulary, and improve your pronunciation...

Welcome back to the Insight English podcast.

In today's episode, we're going to dive into daily routines.

Why they're important and how they can impact your life.

So, Jack, what's your morning routine like?

I definitely stick to a pretty fixed routine.

Every morning I wake up at 6am, do some stretching, and then make myself a cup of coffee.

That gives me a good start to plan my day and get into a productive mindset.

I wake up around seven, start with a short walk in the fresh air and then make myself a smoothie.

I like to add some quiet time too, where I just sit and think before starting my work.

I think routines can have a huge impact on how we feel throughout the day.

There's an interesting story I heard recently about someone who drastically changed their life with just small daily habits.

So this guy Tom used to be completely overwhelmed with his daily life.

He was always rushing, missing deadlines, and feeling exhausted.

One day he read about the importance of routines and decided to give it a try.

He started by waking up just 30 minutes earlier.

He used that time to meditate and do a bit of light exercise.

That sounds like a small change, but I bet it made a big difference, right?

Once he got into that habit, Tom also began writing down three important tasks every evening for the next day.

It took him just five minutes, but it helped him wake up knowing what to focus on.

Over a few weeks, Tom noticed his stress levels dropping and he felt more in control.

He even found time to work on a personal project he'd always wanted to do.

It shows that even the smallest steps can have a lasting impact.

A small change done every day can completely change your trajectory.

I try to keep my language practice as part of my morning routine.

After my walk, I spend about 15 minutes listening to a podcast in another language and I sometimes write a couple of sentences to practice.

I like to do my language practice in the evenings.

At the end of a busy day, I listen to a podcast, then speak aloud for a few minutes to keep my fluency up.

Speaking aloud is such a good idea, and I think it's helpful for our listeners too.

Practice doesn't have to be long, but doing a little every day makes a big difference over Time.

Just like our routines, it's those small, consistent habits.

Speaking of routines, I think one of the hardest parts is actually getting started.

Do you have any tips for someone who's struggling to build a routine?

First, I'd suggest starting really small.

Instead of trying to wake up at 5am if you're used to waking up at 8, start by setting the alarm just 10 to 15 minutes earlier for a week.

And make sure the habit is enjoyable, at least at the beginning.

It could be something simple like making a cup of tea and sitting quietly or reading something inspiring.

I think people often try to change too much all at once.

But when you start small, it's easier to stick with it and you build confidence in your ability to keep going.

What's one habit you've added to your routine?

I started by writing just one or two sentences a day.

Now I actually look forward to my journaling time every evening.

I think self reflection is such a powerful habit.

I've been trying something similar with gratitude journaling.

Just noting down three things I'm grateful for every day.

It helps me end the day on a positive note.

Now let's move on to some vocabulary related to routines.

It means feeling like you have too many things to handle, often leading to stress.

Remember when I said Tom used to feel overwhelmed?

It means he felt like everything was too much for him to deal with.

It means the path that something takes over time.

Jack mentioned that small habits can change your trajectory, meaning they can change the path your life is heading in.

It means being thankful for the good things in your life.

My gratitude journaling is all about focusing on those things, which really helps me stay positive.

Practicing new vocabulary in context is also a fantastic routine to add to your day.

Now let's answer a couple of questions about routines.

First question, what are some key benefits of having a daily routine?

Routines provide structure and help reduce decision fatigue, meaning you don't have to waste time deciding what to do next.

They also increase productivity by helping you focus on important tasks.

Plus, routines can reduce stress, giving you a sense of control in your daily life.