Routines: Why They Matter As We Grow Older
routines is an adult's greatest asset
As a child, routine felt limiting—almost like a cage. It was a predictable rhythm in a world I yearned to explore. Days felt long, weeks dragged, and months? I couldn’t wait for certain seasons to end. Even then, as a small-town kid, I knew the world was bigger than my immediate reality. I craved the unknown—the thrill of novelty.
Yet, as I’ve grown older, the very predictability I once shunned has become my most powerful tool: a bedrock for resilience, growth, and achievement.
This is the story of how routines—once a childhood chore—became an adult’s greatest asset.
The Unquestioned Foundation of Early Habits
From early on, our parents instil in us essential life habits that quickly evolve into routines. We learn to brush our teeth, bathe, and tie our shoes. These aren’t debated—they’re simply done. As adults, these basics become non-negotiable. Neglecting them can throw off our entire day.
That’s the fundamental power of routine: habits we no longer question, but consistently execute.
Building Routines in Adulthood
Early in my career, I struggled with sleep. University life had conditioned me to stay up late, but as a young professional, I quickly learned that poor sleep meant poor performance. So, I set a goal to sleep by 11 p.m. or midnight—and stuck to it.
When I became an entrepreneur, routines became even more important. Entrepreneurship demands self-discipline, and that starts with how you measure your day.
When I first moved to Lagos, I lived with family for the first two years before getting my own space. I had to establish boundaries early on:
To hold myself accountable.
To make it clear when I was unavailable due to work.
To reinforce both, I paid for a hot desk at a co-working space nearby as soon as I could afford it.
Eventually, I moved into a live–work space. My team would come in daily, so I had to be up, dressed, and ready before they arrived. This setup forced me into a daily routine. Even after we switched to a hybrid structure, I didn’t abandon those habits because I had seen how much better I performed when I kept them.
The Annual Challenge: Conquering Self Through Consistent Action
Beyond the daily rhythms that ground me, I have also discovered the immense power of setting a single, ambitious routine-based goal each year. This practice is not just about achieving an outcome; it is about pushing my limits and deepening my self-discipline in profound ways.
2016 - Mentorship of a Lifetime: I came first place at a business challenge and by virtue of that win, I received the privilege of being mentored by Sir Richard Branson. Publicly, he's renowned for challenging the norm and pushing personal and human limits. Beyond fascination, I wanted to deeply imbibe that mindset into my personal life. As a direct result, from 2017 onward, I've challenged myself with one big goal annually—each one designed to help me grow in discipline and self-mastery.
2017 - Regaining Independence and Learning a New Language: I moved into my own space—giving me back control of my time. I joined a local Christian congregation which was formed to seek out and evangelise to French speaking migrants from neighbouring Francophone countries. I also employed a private French tutor whilst at it to help me improve my command of French.
2018 – Embracing the Habit of Reading: I realised my childhood love for novels had faded, long buried by engineering textbooks. I rekindled my love for reading. I committed to one book per month, and by December, I had read twelve books! This rediscovery gave me such joy of learning and realising how much intellectual nourishment I had been missing out on.
2019 – Doubling Down on Reading: I aimed for two books a month. I even started a WhatsApp book club. We set structured reading schedules and shared insights every Sunday. This made me realise how much unproductive downtime I had—waiting at receptions, stuck in traffic, or even boiling water for tea. I started filling these gaps with audiobooks or reading, and it was incredibly fulfilling. This awareness of my daily downtime transformed wasted moments into opportunities for intellectual engagement and personal enrichment.
2020 – Reviving Coding Skills: With the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, I learned two new programming languages and built over 30 mini to full applications. This singular act, by the way, led to me building Dukka and its very first mobile app version—ugly but functional—demonstrating that consistent effort can revive dormant skills and open entirely new doors.
2021 – Conquering Fear of Water: Despite loving the beach, I feared large bodies of water. I hired a swim coach and trained twice a week, conquering not just a physical fear but also reinforcing the belief that with sustained effort, any deeply ingrained limitation can be overcome.
2022 – Embracing Opportunities: I said "yes" more often to work and business opportunities, trusting my intuition without overthinking. While the specifics could fill a book, I can confirm it paid off every time—sometimes immediately, sometimes later—reinforcing the power of decisive action and trusting my gut.
2023 – The Gratitude Journal: I wrote about this experience in detail here—feel free to explore it further. I started a gratitude journal. That journal helped me navigate a peculiar year, where many things seemed to go in a different direction in various aspects of life. In hindsight, these weekly breakdowns were necessary breakthroughs, teaching me the true meaning of resilience and how to find gratitude amidst adversity.
2024 – Joined The 5 AM Club. Prior to 2024, getting me up before 6:40 AM was impossible. After reading The 5 AM Club by Robin Sharma, I was inspired. Research revealed that extremely successful people maintained strict routines, especially around sleep and waking times. This became my 2024 challenge, proving that even deeply ingrained habits can be reshaped for greater potential and discipline.
2025 – A Decade of Entrepreneurship: This year marked 10 years of grind and grit. It has been a period of deep introspection, filtering, realignment at my core, and intentional decisions and investments—setting the stage for the next decade of growth. It demonstrates the enduring value of consistent self-assessment and strategic planning forged through years of disciplined effort.
Key takeaways
What have we learned thus far?
Routines = habits we no longer question, but consistently execute.
You can learn and relearn a once-pleasurable habit that makes you a better human.
Self awareness of daily downtimes can transform wasted moments into opportunities for intellectual engagement and personal enrichment.
Sustained effort can revive dormant skills and open entirely new doors.
When properly trained, your gut/intuition will guide you.
Even deeply etched limitations can be overcome.
Amidst adversity, you can find things to be grateful for.
Deeply ingrained habits can be reshaped for greater potential and discipline.
Deep introspection helps you set the tone for the next phase of your life and goals setting.
Consistent self-assessment and strategic planning are forged through years of disciplined effort.
Routines: Your Anchor in an Unpredictable World
None of these milestones would have been possible without the routines I’ve built. Routines anchor us in a world that is wildly unpredictable. They are the daily commitments that keep us grounded, moving, and growing—even when everything else feels uncertain.
As quickly unpredictable as life can become, the one thing you can always control is your routines. They are not chains, but the very scaffolding upon which you can build the extraordinary life you envision.
What small, consistent routine will you commit to today to begin shaping your tomorrow?
Thank you for this!