This is part of the series How To Develop A Daily Routine. Check out more from the series!

Creating a daily routine can be a incredibly helpful part of your life. But once you have a plan, sticking to that plan may be tougher than you think.

All of us have our tragic stories of beginning something new, and failing to maintain it, whether that is a diet, an exercise routine, a reading plan or anything else.

In order for your new routine to become, well, routine, you need to have a strategy for sticking to the plan for the long haul. Because it will be tough. Forming new habits takes some time, but you’ll be more likely to see long-term success the longer you stick to the routine.

With that in mind, here are a few things you should consider that can help you stick to your daily routine.

Be specific

This is one of the most important aspects of sticking to a daily routine. When our plans are too vague, they tend to slip through the cracks, we forget about them, or we lose interest.

For example, let’s say that you want to add more time for reading into your daily routine. That’s a great goal, but you won’t be as likely to see success unless you get more specific. What are you going to read? Are you reading for entertainment, or do you want to learn more about a particular subject? How long do you want to read each day? Thirty minutes? An hour? What are you going to do to avoid distractions during that time? Where do you plan to read? In your living room? At the library?

These are all things to consider when making your plans. Being more specific will help your chances of success skyrocket.

Get motivated

Sometimes, the things you want to incorporate into your daily routine are things that you may lack the motivation or desire to do. Understanding your reasons for the task at hand can help you stay on course.

Are you trying to build healthier eating into your lifestyle? Then looking at the bigger picture can help you keep the end goal in mind as you tackle the day to day steps. Also, do some research. Reading a book that helps you understand your goal can help you stay motivated.

Create a checklist

Until your routine becomes second nature, you might consider listing out the items you want to accomplish in your daily routine. Checking them off once they are completed can help you develop a memory for doing them daily, and that helps them become habits.

Each morning, I brew a cup of coffee in my Chemex before I spend time in my Bible. This has been a part of my daily routine for so long that it’s almost second nature for me to do this every day. But if my day is structured different, like my early morning meeting today, then my day seems jumbled until I get back on track.

Keep a daily log

It’s important to monitor your progress. This helps you to see how your doing, how effective your routine is, and if you are on track to reach your goals. It’s also a great way to see what isn’t working, and you can take a different approach that may be more effective.

A simple journal (I use this one) or calendar can be a tremendous help in tracking your progress.

Sticking to your routine once you have it planned out may be the hardest part of getting your routine established. But once you develop these processes into habits, your routine will start to flow more smoothly than you can imagine.

And that will help you be more effective throughout your day.

What do you do to help you stick to your daily routine? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.