How does your routine make you weak?

• Remember the first time you began drinking coffee or tea to start the day? How wonderful it was. But doing it over and over again as part of your morning routine took the fun out of it. Isn’t that right? It wasn’t doing its job well, we thought. Yet, the problem is not the coffee; it’s our routine. Bet you’ll feel the same excitement you once felt if you break out of that routine for a few days.

• In general, the biggest problem comes when we know something is wrong for us, but we still do it “out of routine.” For example, smokers generally smoke after certain events. That’s part of their routine, and it comes very naturally to them. They don’t have to think about it.

• It may be your poor routine that keeps you awake at night. It’s your routine that has you checking your phone and scrolling through social media every time you wake up or go on a vacation. Think about what you miss out on when you endlessly scroll through social media? The repetitiveness of our routines might make our minds addictively numbing.

• Sadly, routines don’t allow us to think outside the box. In order to achieve that, we need a child’s wonder at the world.

• With today’s hustle culture and constant grind, we’ve set up routines that make life easier. Eventually, we forget that routines are there to make things easier and that completing them for their own sake is not always necessary.

• Because routines exist to protect us from so many tasks that our minds do, we often unknowingly create routines that are within our comfort zones. That’s why we tend to focus most of our attention on things that provide instant gratification, which we all know aren’t always the best for us.

• Understand that most of the things we do every day are NOT conscious choices ; they are out of our routine.

• Sometimes you can accomplish more creatively by breaking away from the to-do list and adjusting your routines as you go. Changing our routine sometimes allows us togain a new perspective and therefore see things differently.

• We need to be flexible with our routines. What would happen if you didn’t stick with your routine? Would you be okay, or would you panic? If you do not have an element of flexibility when things do not go your way, then maybe your routine is too rigid.

• In the end, what is more important to you? - The results or sticking to a routine? Getting results that don’t work for you might be a sign that your routine needs to change. Ultimately, you’re trying to achieve the right results. Right? So, time and again, check with yourself, “Why am I doing this?”. Maybe it had some purpose in the past, but perhaps it no longer does.

• Not every routine is bad. Having a routine may not be a bad thing. Routines are generally beneficial to our lives. They help us stay focused and in control and help us stay organized and productive.

• As we go through life, we must strike a balance between being calm with our routines while also giving ourselves enough space to try new things, get thrills, and enjoy life. We should change our ways frequently to avoid becoming accustomed to one. We must allow ourselves to breathe, adapt, and NOT get stuck in a monotonous rut.

If this topic interests you and you’re curious to learn more – check out this book through this Amazon affiliate link that I thoroughly enjoyed – The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business