Debugging your daily routine will save you time and money. But I’m willing to bet you haven’t debugged your day in…oh, forever. You may not even know how to debug your daily routine or what debugging is. Debugging, simply put, is the act of finding, isolating, and fixing errors. Usually, it refers to the laborious task software engineers would take when things don’t work properly. For us, it’s a powerful productivity tool that brings immediate benefit to your time and money.

Why Your Daily Routine Needs Debugging

We all run on autopilot.

It’s normal. It’s natural. It’s human nature.

Our brains are wired to reinforce actions and decisions that bring about less friction and more reward.

Unfortunately, a life set on autopilot ends in a destination of short term gratification and long term pain.

Your day is the manifestation of a life full of decisions, experiences, consequences, and opportunities.

If we’re not careful, that collection of events schedules nearly every moment of our day. And if we’re not careful, we’ll go months or years without realizing how much time and money was wasted in the process of just going with the flow.

Here’s a news flash. The flow isn’t going where you are. And it will not be easy swimming against the current of life you’ve created over the years.

Without realizing it, our life, our system has bugs in it. Errors. Issues. Maybe even fatal flaws.

These glitches manifest as exhaustion. Burn out. Fatigue. A lack of mental clarity. Disease. Injury. Failed relationships or non-existent ones. Disengagement. A loss of identify. A lack of hopefulness for the future. And many, many more feelings that something just isn’t right.

Becoming more self-aware is the first step. Realizing that everyone needs to debug their daily routine from time to time will set you apart as one of the few people out there taking control of their life.

Mapping Your Current Routine

You’re in. You already realize and agree it’s time to debug the day. But where to start?

To know where we are going, and where we came from, we need to map our current routine.

That’s a fancy way of saying write it down.

Write what down?

Everything! Grab a journal. Any old thing will do, or you can find a fancy one like this XX if you’re the kind of person who jumps in head first.

On the page, record events and times. As things happen, write down what it does to you. How it makes you feel. For example…

Alarm went off at 6am. Super tired. Put it on snooze. Woke up at 6:15am. Had to rush all morning to get kids to school and me to work. Got to work at 8:15am. Missed part of a meeting. Hate when that happens. Really hungry. Wished I ate breakfast. Caught up with an old friend over lunch. Good times and hope to see them again soon. Nice phone call from a client at 2pm.

Mapping our current routine is not about making our lives look nice and perfect. If you do that, you’re just cheating yourself.

Debugging the day requires brutal honesty. What happened, when, and why. List out the causes and effects. Throughout the day check in with your journal and record how you’re feeling. Are you excited? Frustrated? Irritable? Starving? Sleepy?

At the end of the day, right before you fall asleep, try to summarize how you felt the day went. What where the good parts, the bad, and the in-betweens. What could have gone better? What actions were good for you and those around you?

Hidden Time and Money Leaks Most People Ignore

If you’re like me, you tend to overestimate the good things and underestimate the bad ones.

You might say you got to sleep at a decent hour, but the reality we all know is you didn’t.

You might say you’ve stayed pretty close to your budget, but the reality we all know is you haven’t added up all those little expenses in a while.

Every single day, time and money are flying by. Blink for a moment and you’re shocked where it all went.

This is a natural occurrence for a life lived on autopilot.

Without intentionality, we lose track of the time. We run late. We don’t anticipate how much traffic there was, or how long it takes to leave the parking garage, or that a bad hair day really does take an exorbitant amount of time to correct. Next thing we know, we’re late, or worse, we’re rushing and irritable.

Money is the same way. When we lose track of our time, money leaks are soon to follow. Leaving late might make us drive a little harder on the pedal. Rushing out of the house might mean we need to buy a restaurant lunch instead of packing our leftovers from home. A chaotic morning might mean we avoid chatting with the guy who was about to give us some awesome news and instead do a little retail therapy for a little dopamine hit.

We think these time and money losses are just the way life is.

It’s actually the way a chaotic life is. One that’s filled with bugs.

A debugged daily routine is clean, clear, intentional, and filled with moments of peace and purpose.

Energy Drains vs. Energy Multipliers in Your Day

Fixing the bugs can be simple but it’s not a solo act.

From start to finish, your day is filled with internal and external factors that drain your energy and multiply your energy.

Here’s a fun exercise. See how many of these questions you get correct by deciding if the activity is an energy drain or an energy multiplier.

1. Staying up late doom scrolling.
2. Practicing breathing exercises.
3. Giving your body what it needs to be healthy.
4. Giving your body what it wants to feel happy.
5. Waking up at the last minute and having to rush, rush, rush.
6. Making a to-do list the night before, and looking at early the next morning.
7. Prioritizing your health and quality relationships.
8. Hoping for the best and wingin’ it.
9. Making a plan and sticking to it for a set amount of time.
10. Trying natural supplements like tea or coffee to help you focus.
11. Downing high-sugar, high-caffeine energy drinks to counteract poor sleep.
12. Spending time with low quality people because you’re lonely.
13. Finding time to be with people you love and who encourage you to grow.

How’d you do? I bet you got them all correct.

Do you know how I know that? Because this stuff isn’t rocket science.

We know the right answers. We know what’s good for us. We know what zaps our energy and what puts wind in our sails. The problem has never been knowing. The problem is doing.

Mindset Shifts That Make Routine Changes Stick

I’ve delved into the difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset previously.

A growth mindset is exactly what you need to change your routine long term.

Once you arrive at the point where you accept your decisions have created habits that have resulted in places, people, or practices that are not helping you, you’re ready to take change seriously.

Recognize change is difficult.

Waking up earlier, for example, is not just a today will be different than yesterday thing.

You may have spent 20 years teaching and training your body that pressing snooze for a few more minutes in bed is OK.

You have have told your brain for decades that being late is just who you are.

You may have rewarded your body with digital endorphins for most of your life that staying up late is far better than a good night’s rest.

Did you know, routines that include pleasure (endorphins, dopamine) are similar to your brain creating a pathway as one would walk thru tall grass? Each time the path is walked, the grass lays a little flatter. Over time, there’s hardly any grass at all.

That’s how our brain works. Each routine, each habit, each reward creates a path and then reinforces it over time. The more regularly we use that path, the more inclined we are to continue using it. A nice, worn path is much better for walking than trudging thru the tall grasses.

Phone scrolling in bed? Pathway.

Sweet treat because we deserve it? Pathway.

Retail therapy when stressed? Pathway.

Avoiding conflict and hoping tough conversations never need to happen? Pathway.

Taking the long way home to avoid family demands? Pathway.

Switching jobs when responsibilities increase? Pathway.

Believing you’re too old to change, too old to learn, too old to grow, too old, too stuck, too late? Pathway.

But guess what else makes pathways?

That’s right. Good decisions. Good habits.

What we prioritize, we cultivate.

You have the ability to change the paths you use.

It only takes one foot in front of the other.

One choice.

One day.

One moment.

Yes, the grass is tall.

Yes, it’s hard to see if the path is worth it.

But you can start a new path.

And after a while, you’ll wonder why you waited so long.

Because the more you walk the new path, that old path starts to get wild again.

Eventually, you may not even remember the paths you used to take and the idea of forging forward and doing something new and exciting is no longer as scary as it once was.

Because despite your age or the habits you once had, you now know you can become something new. Something different.

You can fix the bugs in your daily routine.

Optimizing Morning and Evening Anchors for Leverage

You came here to learn how debugging your daily routine can save you time and money.

I’m not going to sugar coat it for you.

If you want a successful day, you’ve got to have a successful start and a successful finish.

Morning and evening are both massive anchors.

Like a large ship fixed in place with an anchor embedded on the sea floor, what we determine to do morning and evening will keep us where we want to be all day.

Let’s start with morning. Are you a morning person?

Guess what? Doesn’t matter.

Whether you like to seize the day or not talk to people until the Sun is up, establishing ourselves in the morning is key.

The Morning Anchor that Delivers Results

A morning routine should be intentional and include the following critical elements:

1. Pre-determined wakeup schedule. If you’re responsible for any time-based activity (like getting kids fed and off to school, or getting yourself prepped and off to work) your wakeup schedule should give you adequate time to perform necessary activities without rushing, chaos, or stress.
2. Stress is a silent killer. Avoid it at all costs by planning ahead and knowing what the morning will require of you. Waking up early enough provides buffer to take care of responsibilities without putting you in fight or flight mode.
3. Just as airplanes tell adults to put on their oxygen masks first, so we must take care of our own health first too. We are no good to other people if we’re frustrated, anger, exhausted, or distracted. Yet, if we build “me time” into our morning before our responsibilities to others are needed, we can bring our entire selves to help others. This could include exercise, reading, or simply time alone making great food at a snail’s pace.
4. The morning sets the pace for the day. It’s got to be focused and intentional. Wandering and wasting time condenses the time available later for other things. A wasted morning will lead to a wasted mid-day and a panicked night.

Intentionality in the morning typically means you and those who depend on you are prepared, healthy, and happy. People like that are less forgetful, more engaged in the workplace, and tend to make better choices throughout the day.

The Evening Anchor that Rewards You

If you thought morning decision making was hard, evening decisions are what really throw people off course. What we do after work, after dinner, and all the way up until our eyes close quietly set the stage for what tomorrow will bring. It’s hard to see how the dots connect in the moment, but here’s what really happens.

In the evening, two primary and conflicting powers are at war. The first is recovering from the current day. The second is preparing for the next day.

Think about it. What do you like to do after a tough day at work? What do you do when you’re finally able to change into comfy clothes? What do you do when you are no longer under the scrutiny of others and can relax, recharge, and rest?

That’s right. We choose to do things that cause time to slip thru our fingers like sand.

We doom scroll. We binge eat. We get sucked into shows and entertainment. We lollygag and dilly-dally. We work on passion projects.

Those things aren’t necessary horrible in of themselves…except maybe doom scrolling…but they take precious time and, if not intentionally limited, can take away from precious time needed to prepare for a successful tomorrow.

An evening routine should include the following critical elements if you truly want to fix the bugs in your day.

1. Have a planned meal time that works for you and those who rely on you. Meals are not just about the food. Studies have shown sitting down for a meal and connecting with people, especially those you love, strengthen relationships, overall wellbeing, and future success. Eliminate distractions and have a real dinner (not a snack on the sofa).
2. Decide what is allowed after dinner. If you have young children like me, you might need to decide not to allow video games after dinner. Electronic use in the evenings has a direct effect on falling asleep. Video games and social media do not cause states of restfulness, peace, and tranquility. It’s the opposite. Electronic use after dinner can lead to worry, anxiety, aggression, or simply high-energy fun. If you or your family struggles getting to bed, take a hard look at what electronic use you allow.
3. Establish a red line for bed time. This is a time that is non-negotiable for not just you but everyone in the household. Monday thru Thursday that red line might be 8pm. Maybe for your family, 7pm or 9pm works better. The key is making it consistent. Consistency drives success (remember the pathway concept!).
4. Put the house to bed. This is a concept my wife showed me long ago that transformed our tomorrows. Each evening after dinner, we try to put the house to bed. We do the dishes, clean up, check schedules, get backpacks ready, tidy up couches, and fold any pesky laundry. You’ll be amazing how much less stress you feel the next morning when you walk around with chores already done from the night before.
5. Review tomorrow’s calendar and make sure you’re ready for what that day will bring. Nothing says panic like an unknown meeting, event, or deadline. Save yourself the stress and review commitments.
6. Put the phone down, do deep breaths, and decide what you will do when your alarm goes off.

Following this evening protocol has always helped me be more prepared, rejuvenated, and excited the next morning.

Decision Fatigue and the Power of Default Choices

If you’ve explored productivity content and listened to motivational podcasts, you’re already familiar with the term decision fatigue.

But for those new to this and really wanting to transform their daily routine, just know that decision fatigue is the exhaustion you feel when you’ve had a tough day.

You may not know it, but we make decisions all day long. Most of them feel automatic. Many feel minor and easy. Some might be tough and challenging.

We decide whether or not to get out of bed. What to wear. What to have for breakfast. We decide between this thing and that. Which way to drive to work. Clothing. Vehicle speed. Where to rest our arm on the bus. If we’ll say hi to that co-worker. Which email to prioritize. What words to say in the meeting. Tea or coffee or soda. How long to microwave those leftovers. To walk or jog or plop right down and never move.

The decisions are truly endless. And after a long day, our brains are tired.

When we are tired, or hungry, or angry, our decision making pays the biggest price. We opt for easy. We opt for fun. We opt for pleasure.

None of which are usually what our body and our daily routine really need.

One of the best ways to fix decision fatigue is thru the power of default choices.

Default choices are non-negotiables. You don’t have to think about it at all. But you do have to decide in advance what those default choices are going to be.

If you have committed to waking up early, there is no wondering what to do when the alarm goes off. You do it regardless how you feel in that moment.

If you decide to always run the dishwasher before bed, you don’t need to bargain with yourself if it’s loaded full enough. You just run it.

Default choices make the brain happy, letting it rest and focus its energy on more important issues or bigger struggles.

You can do this financially too. If you have to decide where your money goes each time the pay check shows up, chances are you’ll make a few bad decisions. Simply automate some transfers to accomplish your goals. This way, you know you’re saving, or investing, or paying something off each month or every other week without even thinking about it. The automation of decisions works for you in powerful ways!

Don’t debate with yourself about things you’ve already committed to. Just do it. Walk the path. Over time, you won’t even wonder why it was ever such a big deal.

And also know this. The more ownership you take over your own default choices, the better.

Decide today what you don’t have to decide tomorrow.

Tracking What Matters: Simple Metrics for Time and Money

As an engineer, I frequently test and review if what I did fixed the problem or not.

We need to track what matters. Otherwise, we’re just guessing and hoping.

Let’s start with tracking time.

If you go back to your original daily debugging map, you’ll notice how much time was spent on various activities. Or, perhaps even worse, how little time was spent on your biggest priorities.

Make a simple chart with three columns like the below. List all your daily activities and then record how much time is being allocated to them. Afterwards, consider if you’re moving in a direction that you believe is beneficial to you. If you’re not, it’s time to make some more changes.

Activity	Time Spent Before Debugging	Time Spent After Debugging
Getting ready for work	35 minutes	45 minutes
Intentional walking	0 minutes	25 minutes
Putting house to bed	10 minutes	15 minutes

When it comes to money, it can feel more ambiguous. So let’s keep it clear and simple.

Create a budget (lots of templates online) and record everything you spend money on. Once you have a large list of expenses, categorize them into groups like Transportation, Recreation, Groceries, Dining Out, Entertainment, Insurance, Electronics, etc.

I’ve tracked our family budget and expenses for over a decade and the patterns, priorities, and hidden costs of a stressful life are glaring.

Each month, update the budget and compare which categories are staying consistent and which are fluctuating. Try to determine why the fluctuation is happening. If dining out skyrockets, it might be because you aren’t prioritizing having time at home to prepare food. If entertainment goes thru the roof, your stress might be high. Review your sleep habits, exercise, and time spend on calm activities.

Common Routine Pitfalls (and How to Fix Them)

I already know what you’re saying.

I can’t do that.

I’ve tried.

It didn’t work.

I’m not a morning person.

I’m never going to change.

Here’s a tip. If you want lasting change, you need to maintain a growth mindset over a fixed mindset.

You really can do what you set your mind to.

People who fail debugging their daily routine do so because they don’t start small. They dive in head first, set their alarm for 3:30am after pulling an all-nighter taking care of a baby and when they end up crawling out of bed at 7am they decide early mornings just aren’t for them.

That’s never going to work.

Instead, make small, incremental changes. Turn back the alarm 10 minutes. Crawl into bed 15 minutes earlier. Put down that just one more bite of night time cake. Grab an apple instead of soda. Do a few breathing exercises instead of reading the news.

Incremental changes are easy for everyone. Small steps fix common pitfalls.

After a few weeks, you will become the person that people ask how it was ever possible.

Building Sustainable Habits That Compound Over Time

Sustainable habits are those that you can keep up long term. It might be waking up at 5:30am every day. In the beginning, it helps you pack a lunch. Ten years later, it’s resulted in thousands of dollars saved from buying restaurant lunches. It’s also saved your arteries and heart from health issues.

Sustainable habits compound because they amplify one another. For example, putting the house to bed each night means your early morning wakeup is calm and relaxing. Being more calm in the morning helps you think clearly and accomplish your most important tasks during the day. Accomplishing important tasks helps you feel good about your life. Feeling good leads to better decision making and higher quality sleep. Better sleep means improved health, relationships, and money management.

The goal here is to not go crazy on Day 1. Instead, make small adjustments to fix bugs in your daily routine. Establish a clear wake up time. Make some rules for post-dinner electronics. Prioritize quality sleep over doom scrolling. Fit movement activity into mid-day of at least 10 minutes.

These micro habits will pay compounding dividends for your time and money.

The Unexpected Benefits: More Than Just Saved Time and Money

We like time and we sure like money.

But debugging our daily routine changes who we are at the foundational level. A purpose-driven day is exciting. We accomplish things that seemed impossible. People wonder where the old us went and who the new us is.

By fixing the bugs in our system little by little, our overall quality of life takes an impressive turn. Now, we realize anything is truly possible. We’ve earned back our day. We have more time to engage in activities that energize us rather than chasing our own tail from dawn until dusk. Our money becomes a tool to be directed toward our goals rather than a pathway to dopamine.

Our intentionality leads to increased creativity, improved relationships, and even new hobbies in middle-age.

These improvements are not reserved for only Type A people. Anyone can make small changes that pay off big time.

Your Next Iteration: Turning Debugging into a Habit

Debugging our daily routine is iterative, not a one-time thing. As you try to implement various changes, you’ll find some work well and others don’t. That’s all part of the process!

Debugging is a regular thing. If you keep trying, you’re bound to get most of it right.

And six months later, you’ll wonder how you did it.

If this content spoke to you, would you take a big step and let me know in the comments? Stepping out of your comfort zone cultivates an environment of improvement. You might also save a bunch of other people from wasting their time and money in the process.