Everyday Canvas

Routine or Not

Prompt: Routine
"If you follow the classical pattern, you are understanding the routine, the tradition, the shadow -- you are not understanding yourself.”
Bruce Lee
Is there anything that you'd want to add to or subtract from your routine or your life in general?

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I used to dislike routine anything when I was much younger, but nowadays I'm finding that at least some routine gives my life a sense of structure and stability. For example, every morning after the usual bathroom process, I make my bed, water the plants, take care of the cat's needs, and then, get my breakfast. Thus, my mornings are well organized and before I am fully awake, I know what to do and that gives me a small sense of satisfaction of accomplishment.

One benefit of routines is that they eliminate having to make constant decisions about mundane tasks and thus they free up mental energy for more important things. By the same token, they provide a sense of predictability and comfort and they help reduce stress and anxiety.

Then, they also let us to make incremental progress and ultimately achieve mastery in various areas of our lives. By repeating the certain actions or behaviors, we help reinforce our nervous system in making those actions easier over time. This can be particularly useful when we are pursuing long-term goals or developing new skills.

While routines do add consistency to our lives and have several benefits, they can also become double-edged swords that can stifle progress and innovation and restrict personal growth, especially if they are too rigid or inflexible. When we rely too much on any one routine, we risk falling into a state of complacency and stifle the opportunities for personal and professional growth. Not to mention, the routines giving us that blah feeling of a sense of sameness and monotony.

As progress often thrives in an environment of novelty and uncertainty, we may consider to break from the constraints of routine and open ourselves to new experiences, perspectives, and ideas. I believe, therefore, by reassessing and adjusting a routine, introducing small changes to it, and looking for new experiences may even out the negatives of it and encourage progress. This way, we may save a helpful routine from becoming a nuisance in our lives.

As to adding and subtracting from my daily routine, I think I'll add a morning walk to it once the heat outside lessens. In the meantime, I may do some stretching exercises inside, just before breakfast. The rest of my day usually goes around whatever I need or choose to do, anyway.



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