A new routine

Each day seems to bring with it more questions, more doubt, less understanding. We are living through a difficult time where the illusion of control has been ripped from under us like a magician pulling the cloth from under a setting of fine china. The plates and glasses are still standing but the landscape will never be the same. We may not have control over the universe but we can control our reaction to it.

Depending on your own personal experience and viewpoint, routine is either a structured step towards freedom or a banal burden bereft of joy. The truth lies somewhere in the middle.

In this time we should strive to develop some structure, some sense of routine. We may be telecommuting, working in our home space, dealing with kids and loved ones at home all at once. Hopefully, work will go on so how can we create a new structure in our new environment?

Routine is how we build habit. Routine is how we assure that we prioritize what’s important. We can focus on “big rocks” and build our day around them. A routine reflects our values.

We must also be conscious or our routine controlling us. While structure is important, so is some structured flexibility. An obsessive need to always be perfect with our schedule can lead to feelings of failure when things beyond our control intervene in our day. This defeats the purpose of routine.

So how can we get better at finding that balance? It can be as simple as writing it down. Lay out your day. Prioritize the “big rocks” and eliminate the unnecessary tasks. Use a journal or calendar or scheduling app. Above all else, don’t look at structure as a burden. Because it really is a freeing exercise.

Instead of adding another app or another layer, invest in the art of “less but better”. We might be in this new reality for a lot longer than we would like. Spend this time taking care of necessities first and addressing what is important in our day. Be aware, be cautious, but don’t panic. We are all in this together and we will make it through. It may not be easy and it will change who we are as individuals and as a society. Use this opportunity for change to be the best version of you.