Yes, when I say organised I mean keeping track of things, writing down, planning, knowing what needs to be done, when and how… You get the gist. Up until a few years ago, I did things as most people do. If I had a birthday, a special date, something to do or a place to be I just made a mental note. I can’t say it worked perfectly, but for the most part, it did. I got things done. However, as you get older, build a family, change jobs, get a promotion or life simply happening, your responsibilities start to pile up. It’s quite easy to lose track of things and forget to do your car’s MOT (motor check), miss your doctor’s appointment or forget to call your parents on their wedding anniversary (hey, I’m not saying this was me…;) ). The same thing can happen in your hair journey. That is why you need an organised plan for your curly hair routine if you want to achieve your hair goals faster.
Things have definitely changed for me, I had to get organised. Now I write down every anniversary, birthday, appointment, school meeting, reminder, shop sale or promotion, bank payments… you name it! I write things down! I set everything on my phone calendar or reminder (or both), I make lists, I set alarms… and then I don’t have to worry about them anymore. they pop up on my phone screen a few days or hours before they’re due and I don’t need to worry anymore. Sweet, isn’t it? I feel I got things under control.
I know it’s hard to think about your hair as something that needs to be planned and organised but trust me, you’ll get a lot more benefits if you do. When I started my hair journey 4 years ago I didn’t think about making a plan. Sure, I created my hair routine but it was not set on paper. After all, why should I? It’s nothing much, I’d been taking care of my personal hygiene ever since I was a child so I could handle my own hair.
Does this sound familiar to you?
The only difference is that back in the day, in my pre-curly hair life, I didn’t know what I was doing to my hair, in fact, my hair care practices were minimal and not the most healthy. However, my existing hair routine, when compared to my previous ‘hair life’, encompasses more steps and a few more products. (shampoo and conditioner were basically my only products. Yeah… no moisturiser, no leave-in, no vegetable oil… 😐 🙁 )
Let me ask you this…
Do you have wash days when you’re not clear if it’s time for your protein treatment, clarifying session or mud wash? Do you need to do some mental exercise to work out when was your last hair trim or when your next one will be?
What if you wash your hair every 4 or 5 days and not on a weekend? What happens when seasons change and you need to adapt your hair routine… can you still be on top of the game?
I bet you can manage, just as I did. But you can do a lot better and get much better results if you plan and organise your hair routine and not agonise to get a grip on things.
Although I’ve found a hair routine that works for me, ever since I cut my transitioning hair, a little over a year ago, I have been experimenting with new products and I felt the need to record my new adventures. That is why I created the Ultimate One-Year Natural Hair Journal, it has the perfect layout to help me track and achieve my hair goals faster, create a register of techniques that work and build a hair regimen with this information.
Here are some reasons why you should plan and organise your hair routine.
#1| Stress
Trying to remember what, when and how you need to do something can be stressful. You feel like your missing something or that you’re failing your hair because you don’t have control over what is happening. You end up worrying you may be doing too little or not enough to reach your goals. This could be exactly what is happening in your natural hair routine!
If for nothing else, most new journeys come with a sizeable amount of stress due to its unknown nature, however, having a hair routine planned and organised sets you free to enjoy more of that new journey and maybe dive in into improving your hairstyling skills.
Having a plan and being organised takes the overwhelm out of the task – in this case getting you to have beautiful curly hair that is strong and healthy. I don’t care what people say, but when you have a outlined plan that sets the steps that will get you from A to B, suddenly things don’t seem so daunting.
Sure, you still have a long way to go. However, you can choose to make that journey knowing the steps you need to take to your final destination, feeling like you got things under control and the steps are doable or, you can simply just wing it. You know… just deal with things as they come along and stress over what to do next, what’s to come and what you’re missing out. Reacting… rather than taking charge. It’s your choice! I think you know wich one will be more enjoyable. 😉
#2| Being Specific
When you organise and plan your hair routine you’re more specific about the things you need to be doing, when and how you need be doing them (or at least you should be). If done the right way, you’re not just writing down on a calendar ‘Wash Day’ or ‘Deep Conditioning’. You’re actually making note that on your wash day you’ll do a pre-poo with X, followed by a sulphate free shampoo (brand Y, ingredients Z) or a mud wash with an oil rinse.
Doing this removes the stress of guessing what’s next, it keeps you motivated because you feel more confident and you have a plan which will consequently help you to stay on course and achieve your hair goals. Did you know that according to statistics just by being specific about your goals you are ten times more likely to achieve them? Eye opener?!.. Well, you better not waste any more time and start planning your journey, right?! Need a tool to help you get there, check this one.
#3| Consistency
One thing successful people have in common is consistency. They are consistent in the steps they take to achieve their ultimate goal. Every step is specifically tailored or chosen because it will get them closer, faster or better to their goals. Athletes like Serena Williams or Cristiano Ronaldo understand the importance of consistency and commit to the steps in their plan.
When you don’t organise your hair routine you are more likely to fall back, forget or be intermittent in your hair care practices which will delay, or potentially hinder, your goals. When you have a plan, a map of what you need to be doing you are more likely to follow that plan.
#4| Adjustment
Of course, having an organised plan and being consistent doesn’t mean that if your plan needs revising you stick to the original plan no matter what. No! You adjust, adapt and change it to your new circumstances, but these new measures will always have your final goal in mind and most importantly, you are still being consistent with your plan, but making it better.
The real beauty here is that when you have an organised plan for your hair routine, that is specific, that is written down and journaled (not some sticky notes in your brain) and you are being consistent, you’re much more likely to start noticing what practices and products are working or not. Therefore, it is easier to adapt and make adjustments that will improve or correct your hair regimen and keep you on course to your ultimate hair goal.
