diff --git a/frontend/src/components/Routine/WeeklyGrid.jsx b/frontend/src/components/Routine/WeeklyGrid.jsx
index 4fc8c361..bece3fc8 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/Routine/WeeklyGrid.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/Routine/WeeklyGrid.jsx
@@ -80,10 +80,22 @@ function DroppableCell({ day, time, tasks, onDeleteTask }) {
 }
 
 /* ---------------- Weekly Grid ---------------- */
-export default function WeeklyGrid({ scheduledTasks, onSaveDay, onDeleteTask, innerRef }) {
+export default function WeeklyGrid({ scheduledTasks, onSaveDay, onDeleteTask, innerRef, highlight }) {
   return (
-    <div className="card card-primary !pl-2.5 !pr-2.5 !py-3 animate-in" ref={innerRef}>
-      <h2 className="text-lg font-semibold text-main mb-4 px-6.5 pt-3">Weekly Schedule</h2>
+    <div
+      className={`card card-primary !pl-2.5 !pr-2.5 !py-3 animate-in transition-shadow duration-500 ${
+        highlight ? "ring-2 ring-cyan-400 shadow-[0_0_0_6px_rgba(34,211,238,0.15)]" : ""
+      }`}
+      ref={innerRef}
+    >
+      <h2 className="text-lg font-semibold text-main mb-1 px-6.5 pt-3">Weekly Schedule</h2>
+      {highlight ? (
+        <p className="text-xs text-cyan-600 dark:text-cyan-400 px-6.5 mb-3 animate-pulse">
+          Drag a task from your library onto the grid to start building a routine
+        </p>
+      ) : (
+        <div className="mb-3" />
+      )}
 
       <div
         className="grid w-full overflow-x-auto sm:overflow-visible"
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/RoutineBuilder.jsx b/frontend/src/pages/RoutineBuilder.jsx
index 5e092a9b..4349b701 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/RoutineBuilder.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/RoutineBuilder.jsx
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ export default function RoutineBuilder() {
   const [isImageExporting, setIsImageExporting] = useState(false);
   const [isTemplateModalOpen, setIsTemplateModalOpen] = useState(false);
   const [selectedTemplateDay, setSelectedTemplateDay] = useState("Monday");
+  const [highlightGrid, setHighlightGrid] = useState(false);
   const gridRef = useRef(null);
  
 
@@ -80,6 +81,27 @@ export default function RoutineBuilder() {
 
   const handleOpenModal = useScrollThenOpen(openModal, 0);
 
+  // Triggered by the "Saved Routines" empty state CTA.
+  // A routine is built by scheduling existing tasks onto the grid, so this
+  // should never open the Task form — that form already has its own CTA in
+  // the Task Library's empty state. Instead:
+  //  - if the library already has tasks, scroll up and pulse the grid so the
+  //    user sees where to drag tasks from
+  //  - if the library is empty too, open the Task form, since the user needs
+  //    at least one task before they can schedule anything
+  const pulseGrid = useScrollThenOpen(() => {
+    setHighlightGrid(true);
+    setTimeout(() => setHighlightGrid(false), 1600);
+  }, 0);
+
+  const handleStartRoutine = useCallback(() => {
+    if (tasks?.length > 0) {
+      pulseGrid();
+    } else {
+      handleOpenModal();
+    }
+  }, [tasks, pulseGrid, handleOpenModal]);
+
   const handleSubmit = async (data) => {
     try {
       await addTask({ ...data, status: "Due" });
@@ -294,6 +316,7 @@ export default function RoutineBuilder() {
               onSaveDay={openSaveRoutineModal}
               onDeleteTask={removeScheduledTask}
               innerRef={gridRef}
+              highlight={highlightGrid}
             />
           </section>
         </div>
@@ -308,13 +331,14 @@ export default function RoutineBuilder() {
             <p className="text-sm text-muted">Loading routines…</p>
           ) : savedRoutines.length === 0 ? (
             /*
-             * EmptyState is deep in the page — clicking "Create Your First
-             * Routine" here triggers handleOpenModal, which scrolls to the
-             * top first, then opens the modal once the scroll settles.
+             * EmptyState is deep in the page. Clicking "Create Your First
+             * Routine" should guide the user toward the actual routine flow
+             * (drag a task onto the weekly grid), not open the Task form —
+             * that form belongs to the Task Library's own empty state.
              */
             <EmptyState
               type="routines"
-              onAction={handleOpenModal}
+              onAction={handleStartRoutine}
             />
           ) : (
             <div className="grid grid-cols-1 md:grid-cols-2 lg:grid-cols-3 gap-4">
@@ -434,4 +458,4 @@ export default function RoutineBuilder() {
       </div>
     </DndContext>
   );
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}