Don’t Form a Routine!
Are our routines and habits as helpful as we think?
Despite my title, I’m quite a routine-based person. I like organization and schedules, and I find that my habitual morning practices help me to find a sort of balance in my life. Or at least I’ve convinced myself of such.
I try to naturally wake-up at the same time every morning, I then shower, drink my coffee, study, and eat breakfast. But after that, I don’t have a routine. I leave the rest of the day’s activities to be decided by my mood, the weather, the people around me, and my resources.
There are countless blogs, articles, and books which suggest routines are good for you. They provide stability and predictability, which for many people can help them to organize and take control of their lives.
By having such an environment, we’re able to feel safe and reassured that everything is taken care of, which in turn, allows us to be creative and spontaneous because we feel secure. It’s a bit of a dichotomy, but I do believe there is some sense to it. For a lot of people, myself included, it can also help to feel productive.
When I was working in an office, a routine allowed me to prioritize my goals and work through them systematically. When we achieve an activity, our brain releases the pleasure molecule known as Dopamine. This little neurochemical acts as our body’s reward system and when we accomplish a task, we get a little dose.
However, I don’t think our entire day should be dictated by a routine. I’m not the biggest fan of habituating our activities because I think they turn from what used to be our little pleasures, into expectations that no longer grant happiness but will take away from it when those activities are incomplete.
In the Summer of 2018, I went for a run every single day. Without fail. I was undoubtedly at my highest fitness level and every run would make me feel so elated and so proud of myself. It was fantastic. But, it soon turned into a nasty little habit and I no longer received a dose of Dopamine from my run. I would wake-up and dread this new chore but if I didn’t go for a run, I would be disappointed in myself. Every step I took was painful and after the run, my joy came from it being over and for checking a box, rather than enjoying the run and the scenery around me. Because of repetition, my little pleasurable moment was no longer treasured.
Humans are reward-driven individuals and we’re constantly seeking our next Dopamine hit. So when our days become mundane routines, things get a little bit messy. It might start off great, but after a week, or maybe two, we no longer receive the satisfaction of these tasks, and slowly they become tedious and unbearable.
So, if you find yourself veering off course, that’s okay! Who says that the routine we establish has to be the same forever? Maybe it’s good to re-evaluate your routine and mix it up every two weeks.
By doing this, we’re able to keep things fresh and elevate our moods not only because we’re doing some new things in different orders, but also because we still have the satisfaction of having a routine. Now, I understand that not everyone can mix-up their routines. Having specific job hours can make this particularly difficult. But, there is a way to keep your Dopamine levels alive and thriving…
Seeking Surprises
Working from 9 am-5 pm every day can sometimes be exhausting. Repetitive work activities have proven to demotivate individuals not only in the workplace but also in the other realms of their lives. It’s an infection that people become accustomed to, and maybe it’s something you have to do, but we should still try to get satisfaction from our lives.
We need just the right amount of uncertainty to keep us on our toes and keep that Dopamine rolling in. So, instead of having a shower that night, have a bath. Have pancakes for dinner or fresh movie popcorn for lunch. Go for a walk in a park or forest and pick a pretty flower. The point is, we don’t want our lives to plateau and become a blur of seemingly endless similar days, so try to something, anything, to keep that from happening.
I’m no expert on routines or habits, but if you resonated even just a little bit with what you’ve read, then this is my advice to you. Surprise your routine with a new action, it doesn’t have to happen every day, but when you feel that familiar plummet into a never-ending cycle of work, try to excite the system and release a little bit of that delicious Dopamine.
What would you do to spice up your routine?
Thanks for reading x
References:
Kringelbach, M. L., & Berridge, K. C. (2010). The Functional Neuroanatomy of Pleasure and Happiness. Discovery Medicine.
Lasky, L. (2018). Creating and Maintaining Routines — Why Is This So Hard? Retrieved from Firefly Therapy Austin: https://www.fireflytherapyaustin.com/post/creating-and-maintaining-routines-why-is-this-so-hard
