To Hell With a Morning Routine.
Just do the things you want to do.
I’m going to start this article by telling you all that I am a guy who loves routine.
I love being as efficient as I can possibly be. I love predictability. I even wrote an article praising a 9–5. But I came to the realization that this is precisely what was handicapping me.
I mentioned in another article how I was obsessed with self-help books and lifestyle advice for a short period of time. There was also a huge trend happening on YouTube where influencers would talk about their habits and routines. Eventually, I found a book written by Mason Curry called Daily Rituals: How Artists Work.
This book outlined many famous artists and their daily routines, which for better or for worse, also influenced me in my quest to find the most productive or “creative” routine.
So, taking from this collective consisting of YouTube gurus and Mason Curry’s book, I tried to cultivate my very own “Routine” in hopes I would earn some other worldly level of creativity and productive-ness.
I tried everything from waking up early to waking up late, to making the same type of coffee every day and eating the same thing for breakfast. I even created a schedule for myself, and I would only work on certain projects during certain times.
When I reflect on this period of life, there were moments of profundity, but it never actualized into something tangible.
I have also realized that setting up a schedule gave me excuses to not work on things that I said I was going to work on, or even avoid certain things in my life.
“Oh I’m sorry I can’t help you out, I’m scheduled to do this from 6:30–7:15.”
I mean, what kind of person does that? If anything, it added a level of stress to my life that actually hampered my creativity, the one thing it was supposed to help.
Reflecting on this period has also taught me something else;
If you have something to do, just do it.
Yes, it really is that simple. You don’t need to set-up complex systems of specially timed coffee or have to wake up at a certain time every single day (though that is helpful in terms of bodily regulation) in order to accomplish things. You have to do them.
This article for example. I am writing it at a time I never, ever would have written it before. And I likely would have given some dumb excuse like, “My brain isn’t at it’s best in the evening…”
As my grandmother used to say,
“Excuses, excuses! If something needs attending to, you attend to it! You’ll miss me when I’m gone, Matthew!”
Turns out she was right on both accounts.
Now, I’m not saying having a routine is bad. Some good ones are waking up at around the same time every day. Another good one is meal-prepping. But if you create these routines and you live life revolving around them, your life will not only grow stale, it will be uninspired. You will find you lack the creativity you once sought.
There needs to be a balance between just doing the things you need to do, and the littlest of micro-routines you can create.
When you feel inspiration, you need to act on it, even if it takes a form that you didn’t expect.
Thanks for checking this article out. If you want more musings on life, philosophy or creativity, give me a follow! I’d love to connect.
