Most of us would agree that children need schedules in order to function at their maximum potential. They need to sleep, eat, and have their activities running on a fluid and consistent schedule. Well, the same goes for adults, and as you may have guessed, the same goes for our locs.
While some of us may be turned off to the idea of a routine, because we may see it as rigid and uptight, as soon as we begin to flow with a routine that works for us we realize how much we benefit from such a structure. Not only will stress levels decrease, which will affect hair and skin besides for its obvious effects on one’s well-being, but locs will uniformly benefit.
How Exactly Does Routine Benefit Locs?
Establishing a schedule that works for you will help you organize your days, weeks and months, and will ensure you get everything you need done in the right time frame. Once you know exactly when you need to wake up, work out, do some yoga and meditation (if you’re ready for it,) make yourself a healthy breakfast, then you can start your day with all of it’s pressing responsibilities.
Now, where do the locs come in? Well, you tell us, or better yet, tell yourself. Locs need their TLC, but even more so, need proper maintenance and care in order for them to look and feel their best. Once you’ve established your daily, weekly, and monthly schedule, you should find a place where and when your deep cleansing clarifying days and hours are best for you and your locs. And let’s not forget the drying aspect of the washing routine. All this takes time, but it’s certainly time well spent.
Once you’ve set your washing and drying routine, you can set the place and time for your re-twists. If you know when you’re going to re-twist then you know when you have re-twisted and then you avoid overdoing it, or if you’re ‘under-doing’ it. If you have your schedule set, set it with some friendly gaps in between for surprises and times to pause and relax. Then you won't be stressed about the ‘when, if’s and how’ of your weekly schedule.
Did we mention less stress is best for your locs, scalp and skin?
Consider the repetition a necessary emphasis on the importance of calming yourself down and getting what you need done, done. Some of us can function without a problem without a routine, however, most of us thrive on a routine. Without a routine what we have accomplished and what we need to get done become too abstract, and then we can feel confused or unfulfilled.
It’s still January, that means you still have time to buy a calendar to carry around with you and completely fill in and mark off as you go. Even if it was already September, we would encourage you to go out and buy a calendar. Feel free to get creative and make your own calendar, what’s most important is that you have one, you fill it out and you cross off all of the things you’ve accomplished that day.
Committing to a schedule can ensure well twisted, groomed and healthy living locs. This may help reduce over-twisting and breakage by the roots, underwashing, which can lead to dandruff and dirt building up in the locs, or over washing, which can dry out the locs making them brittle and more prone to breakage and frizz.
