生活規範是外在的成聖方法之一。亞道夫.鄧奎利神父指出，生活規範幫助我們善用時間，不會躊躇，認清本份的所在，並預定盡本份的時間和地點。

生活規範能幫助人使生活「超性化」。它使人克制自己的所好或情緒，為愛天主而有規律地生活。生活規範助人寓工作於祈禱，因而使工作更有成果。

有些要理書籍，提議每日當作的熱心操守，奠定我們日常生活的規律。

有關每日當作的熱心操守（神操），從基督信理的要理課本Catechism of Christian Doctrine及教宗聖庇約十世在其箸作的要理書籍Catechism of Pope Saint Pius X中，列舉了以下一些建議：

早晨

早晨一覺醒來，劃十字聖號，唸著：「天主，我把心靈交在祢手。」，也不瑟縮在床上。更衣時，想著天主的臨在、祂是我們的終極。之後，跪在聖像前唸早課。

早課包括「每日奉獻」、天主經、聖母經、信經和信、望，愛德誦。

日間

教宗聖庇約十世建議，如果情況許可，應該: 一，每天參與或輔彌撒、二，抽空朝拜聖體、三，誦唸玫瑰經。

每日默想裨益神修，也是聖人們必做的神業。我們應勤讀聖書如聖經福音書、聖人行實等。靈性的神操，滋長我們的信德和熱心，裝備我們對抗世俗的精神。

把工作奉獻給天主，以光榮天主、承行祂的聖意的心態去工作。

飯前飯後要祈禱，飲食作息要有所節制。「節制」就是為愛天主而犧牲自己所喜歡的東西，和忍受逆意的事情。

日間應不時作些短禱，如「我主耶穌，矜憐我！」、「耶穌、瑪利亞，我愛你！」有苦痛時可唸「主，承行祢意！」、「我以此作補贖。」

受誘惑時更要祈禱。犯了罪要趕快謙卑地懇求天主的寬恕，誠心懺悔。

晚上

在一日的結朿應跪下唸晚課、作簡短的省察，並求天主寬恕當日的罪過。

睡前應劃十字聖號，提醒自己當晚就可能死去，把自己的心靈交在天主手中。

Having a rule of life is one of the exterior means of perfection. Father Adolphe Tanquerey pointed out that a rule of life helps us to make good use of time and to “supernaturalize” all our actions.

With a good rule of life, a person does not have to waste time in hesitation regarding what is the best thing to do. A rule of life helps a person to foresee his own duties and to determine beforehand the suitable time and place for their fulfillment.

A rule of life helps to supernaturalize our actions by inviting us daily to conquer our own tastes and whims and to put order into our lives for the love of God. Having a well-regulated life is an important means to combine prayer with action. This combination is essential for the fruitfulness of our works.

Some Catechism books have a session about recommended pious exercises for each day. This session serves as the basic for every rule of life. Let us look at some of these daily exercises in the Catechism of Pope Saint Pius X and the Catechism of Christian Doctrine.

Morning exercises

Upon waking up, we should begin our day by making the sign of the cross and offering our heart to God with a prayer like: “My God, I give You my heart and my soul.” If it is our proper time for getting up, we should rise diligently without dawdling or delay.

While getting up and dressing, we should think that God is present, and that this could be the last day of our life.

Once dressed, we should put ourselves in the presence of God, kneel in front of a pious picture if possible, and say Morning Prayer.

Morning Prayer can include a Morning Offering, Our Father, Hail Mary, the Creed, and the Acts of Faith, Hope, and Charity.

Exercises during the day

Pope Pius X pointed out that if possible, a Christian should each day: first, assist at Holy Mass with devotion; second, pay a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, even if it is a very short one; and third, say the rosary.

Daily meditation is very useful for spiritual life. This is the practice of the saints. We should also frequently read good books, such as the Holy Gospels, the Lives of the Saints, and other spiritual works, which nourish our faith and piety and arm us against the false maxims of the world.

Before we work, we should offer it to God, and during work, we should strive to do it for the glory of God and to accomplish His will.

We should pray before and after meals and exercise moderation in eating, drinking, sleeping, and amusements. To mortify oneself is to sacrifice for the love of God what is pleasing to oneself and to accept what is unpleasant to the senses or to self-love.

During the day we can very often pray to God using short prayers called aspirations. For example: My Jesus, mercy; Jesus, Mary, I love you. In times of suffering, it is good to say aspirations like: Lord, Thy will be done; I take this for my sins.

We should pray in times of temptation, and if we have the misfortune of falling into sin, we should humbly beg God’s pardon by a sincere Act of Contrition.

Evening exercise

We should finish our day by kneeling down saying night prayers, making a short examination of conscience, and asking pardon for the sins committed during the day.

Before going to sleep we should sign ourselves with the Sign of the Cross and keep in mind that we may die that very night, and we should give our heart to God.