Calm in the Chaos - Tips for a Better Life
Think the Routines in Your Life Are Boring? Think Again.
Sometimes in the past, when I would think about my life, I would think: ugh, it's so routine. But there can be beauty, comfort, and simplicity in routine. Yes, sometimes we want and need to break out of our daily routines -- and spice things up a bit -- but we can be grateful for our routines too.
by Jamie Spannhake
August 01, 2019
rou·tine: /ro͞oˈtēn/
noun: a sequence of actions regularly followed; a fixed program.
adjective: performed as part of a regular procedure rather than for a special reason.
Sometimes in the past, when I would think about my life, I would think: ugh, it's so routine. Get up, fix breakfast, drink coffee, drive my daughter to school, go to work, work and work, pick my daughter up from school, take her to extracurricular activities, work some more, cook dinner, clean kitchen, shower and bedtime stuff, sleep. Wake up tomorrow and do it all over again. Soooo routine.
But there can be beauty, comfort, and simplicity in routine. Yes, sometimes we want and need to break out of our daily routines -- and spice things up a bit -- but we can be grateful for our routines too. This became evident to me almost two years ago when I divorced and moved. Suddenly nothing was routine. Not even the little things like where to keep my keys and the dog leashes, or the quickest route to drive to my office. Every little thing required effort and thought. There was nothing on automatic. And it was exhausting. This reminded me to be grateful for the routines in my life because they make my life easier so I can manage and handle the inevitable changes in life.
I was reminded again this past week when we welcomed an elementary aged foster child into our home for a few weeks. In the questions that she asks me every day, I see that she is yearning for routine. Her life is sometimes unpredictable, and things can change in ways over which she has no control. Before sleep at night, she wants to know what time she will need to wake up. Each morning, she wants to know what time she will be picked up from camp. On Monday, she asks what we will be doing on Friday. Yes, routine can be boring, but it is also comforting.
I am going to enjoy the routines in my life by focusing on how they make my life better. I invite you to do the same.
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