May 07 2008
Routine or Rut?
Do you eat the same thing for breakfast every day? Work out at the same time every day? Have standing plans for Sunday afternoons? If so, do you consider your patterns to be a healthy routine or a rut?
I’ve been thinking about this quite a bit lately. One of my New Year’s resolutions this year was to do a better job at keeping our apartment clean. My mom suggested that I visit the Fly Lady website for motivation and organizational tips. (I highly recommend it, by the way!) One of the first things that the Fly Lady system asks you to do is develop routines for your morning, after work (or afternoon for SAHMs), and bedtime. I created my routines and implemented them faithfully for about 6 weeks. I was doing a great job! Then I had crisis after crisis at work, and I got derailed from my system. I’ve been doing an OK job at cleaning, but my progress has definitely stalled.
I’ve noticed the same thing with the Six Week Body Makeover. The program advises you to try different food combinations for meals and snacks, and when you find that something works well for you, to repeat it and stick with it rather than keep coming up with new meals.
I’ve also seen daily routines recommended by other programs and resources. This leads me to the conclusion that daily routines are a valuable personal development tool. I’ve decided to test this thesis with another 21-day makeover. Starting tomorrow, I’m going to use morning, after work, and bedtime routines. (I do have some post-work engagements coming up–tomorrow night, for instance–but on those days, I’ll just do both the after work and bedtime routines whenever I get home.) My goal is to determine whether the routines improve my productivity and time management.
Morning Routine:
Exercise (will vary–walk, run, or body sculpting)
Make breakfast and pack lunch
Unload dishwasher and wipe down kitchen counters
Shower and get ready for work
After Work/Afternoon Routine:
Meditate (at least 10 minutes)
Write tomorrow’s blog post
Work on a creative writing project for at least 30 minutes
Laundry
Straighten living room
Make dinner
Bedtime Routine:
Decide what to wear tomorrow (on workdays)
Straighten bathroom
Wash face
Brush & floss
What are your thoughts on daily routines? Do you have any? What are they?
Table of contents for 21-Day Makeover: Daily Routine
- Routine or Rut?
- Daily Routines
I love routine - I wish I was better at waking up at the same time every day, but I’m working on it. The less things I have to think about, the better.
I always tell people about the value of routines. But, I can’t do straight routines. I go a little mad.
So I usually do my routines in a different order each day or week depending on how “trapped” I feel. I have the same daily things, but I mix them up in the day.
It’s amazing how just doing exercise before chores, or paper before calls can make you feel less contained.
And every few months I redo them completely - maybe I find I don’t need to do something daily, just weekly or I find a new method of doing something that I think might work or I read about a new schedule of someone’s.
I have my routines on the computer. Then I print them out and put them into page protectors so I can check them off with a white board marker. That way they are easy to change. If I am just changing the order I don’t even need to change the page. (saves paper)
Just thought you might like this alternative to plain jane routines.
I’m definitely a routine girl. There’s something comforting about having some order/expectations in the chaos that can be life.
But, I do love to branch out and do something different - try a new restuarant, take a new route to go somewhere, atttend a cultural event, etc. I feel excited and adventurous when I try something new.
So I guess it’s good to have a balance between the two?
I call it routine. Greg calls it “stuck in a rut.” Sometimes I think it’s a little of both. My problem is getting the motivation to have a workout routine. I know that once I get into it, I’ll keep up with it. So, yes, I think routines are important. It helps you to focus.
I have a BIG mental block against routine. I just can’t ever seem to follow a schedule.
Last night, I created a chore chart. It’s very doable, but will we do it? I’m definitely a “one bad day ends the whole system” kind of girl. I drive myself nuts with that.
I think some of it is hating to fully commit to anything. I may have such and such planned for after work tonight, but what if one of my friend’s calls for happy hour? I’m that girl who hates to miss anything, so I would go for the happy hour over the planned evening every time.
I’ll start with this chore chart routine and see how that goes. If it goes well, maybe I’ll add something.
Good question…I guess I have both. Routines are the things I like that I do on a regular basis and ruts are the things that I do not like that I do on a regular basis (no it’s not easy to change either one).
~k
I think it’s great to have routines! (As long as they’re there to HELP you, and don’t get over-consumed with following them. But most people don’t have THAT particular problem.)
I used to be a flybyseatofpants’er (ahh youth) but now am wholly routinized during the week or it seems I get nowhere and nothing is ever done to completion.
on the weekends? no routine is my routine.
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