As St. Benedict’s feast day approaches, I’ve been reflecting on how often members I coach express the same desire: an intentional and sustainable life.
Many people aren’t looking to do more, but are looking for a better rhythm. They want to end the day knowing that they lived intentionally and accomplished what mattered. And we desire this intentionality without feeling completely burned out or overwhelmed.
In coaching, we spend time identifying how a person wants to feel, how they want to show up in their relationships and responsibilities, what their priorities are, and how God is inviting them to live. While most of us aren’t called to life in a monastery, I believe there is wisdom all of us can borrow from St. Benedict’s Rule of Life.
St. Benedict created a framework that helped his fellow monks live with purpose, balance, prayer, work, and community. In a similar way, creating your own “Rhythm of Life” can help you cultivate habits and routines that support your flourishing.
Here are a few steps to get started:
- Take stock of your current life. Before changing anything, spend a week paying attention to what you are already doing- get curious, without judgement.
- Ask yourself:
- When do I typically start the day and go to bed?
- What are aspects of my schedule are non-negotiable (work, appointments, family responsibilities, etc)?
- What do I love about my current routine?
- What feels draining?
- What would I like to change?
- Identify your priorities. What must have a time and place in your life? Think about what helps you feel grounded, connected and fully alive.
- This could include:
- Time for prayer
- Moving your body
- A nourishing breakfast
- Time with family/friends
- Rest
- Reading
- Hobbies or creative pursuits
- Time outdoors
- Create time blocks instead of rigid schedules. For many, setting specific times for every task creates unnecessary stress. When life happens, the entire pan can feel derailed. Instead, try working with time blocks.
- Example: rather than saying, “I must exercise at 6:00am,” try a morning block where movement, prayer and breakfast take place within that time.”
- Choose a week to begin. Look ahead at the calendar and select a week to begin experimenting. Mark any appointments, work commitments or other immoveable items. Then identify what time blocks can fit around them.
- Remember: you are not creating a perfect schedule, but a framework that supports your priorities.
- Reflect and adjust. At the end of that first week, check-in with yourself.
- How do I feel?
- What worked well?
- What felt difficult?
- Am I drained or energized?
- What adjustments would make this more sustainable?
A Rhythm of Life isn’t something you create once and never revisit. As seasons change, your rhythm will likely need to change, too.
Creating a rhythm of life isn’t meant to box you in. It’s meant to create more freedom. When your days and weeks are filled with the practices that are resourcing, life-giving and aligned with you who want to be, you build capacity to navigate the inevitable challenges of life. They can help sustain you in seasons of pain, struggle, or uncertainty.
While most of us are not called to live life as St. Benedict did in a religious community, we can certainly learn from his wisdom and implement specific practices. When we create intentional rhythms and routines that support our spiritual, mental and physical wellbeing, we create space to flourish and grow into who God is calling us to be.
Let us ask for St. Benedict’s intercession to help us cultivate a rhythm that brings greater peace, purpose, joy and flourishing to our everyday life. St. Benedict, pray for us!