How Building a Personal Project Changed My Daily Routine

Intentional Living

Most days start and end the same way: a checklist in your head as you step into the elevator—pick up milk, buy bread, grab diapers if you have kids, walk the dog, fit in a jog, or just get to the office. These small, necessary rituals—showering, trimming stray hairs, shaving, brushing your teeth—form the backbone of daily life.

But if we only stick to these routines, life can feel like an endless loop of chores. The days blur together, and it’s easy to lose sight of what actually lifts us up. That’s why I believe it’s crucial to intentionally add something more—something that invests in your growth, even if it’s just a little, every single day.

Investing in Yourself, One Routine at a Time

For me, this meant developing a nutrition app. I’ve been working on it for years, and it’s become a source of pride—not just because I built it, but because it’s genuinely useful in my own life. Food transparency is important to me, but it’s surprisingly hard to know exactly what you’re eating. That’s why I created an app to track every meal, giving me a complete history of what I consume.

This project isn’t just a hobby; it’s an investment in my well-being and a portfolio of something meaningful. I use the app myself, and it’s deeply satisfying to see how it supports my health and habits. Over time, it’s become more than a personal tool—it’s something I can share, even monetize, opening up new opportunities I wouldn’t have had if I’d never started.

I’m convinced that everyone should have a small project like this. In the past, people had more time for passions—reading, tinkering, creating for the joy of it. Today, it’s easy to get swept up in the “rat race,” chasing after the next diploma or job title. But if you only follow the path laid out by others, you risk burning out or realizing you’ve lived a life that was never truly yours.

Escaping the Rat Race

The pressure is real. Society tells us we need the best degrees, the most impressive jobs—maybe at a big consulting firm or a company with a name everyone recognizes. We’re supposed to climb the ladder, collect diplomas, and land a high-ranking position, even if we don’t care for the work or the colleagues. Then, the script continues: start a family, have children, and keep ticking boxes.

But whose life is that, really? If you’re just following the rules set by others, you might spend ten or twenty years chasing someone else’s version of success. The cost? Your own dreams, your own sense of fulfillment.

That’s why I encourage you to claim your life for yourself. Life is too short to live by someone else’s standards or to let society dictate your path. Find routines and projects that genuinely matter to you—whether it’s building something, learning a new skill, or simply carving out time for what brings you joy. These investments, however small, add up over time. They help you build a life that feels like your own, not one imposed from the outside.