Are Your Routines Holding You Back?

I used to be a person who hated routine. I would resist getting stuck in a routine wherever possible.

Some people like (and need) consistency. They like to know they will be going to the gym on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and having brunch in the same coffee shop every second Sunday.

On some level, we all have a certain amount of routine and repetition in our lives. Without it, our lives would become chaotic.

Over the years, my relationship with routine has definitely changed. Now I embrace my routines and habits. I now understand that consistency is a key requirement for blogging and writing, not to mention a necessity in other areas of our lives.

Establishing routines and habits can help our productivity and time management.

Routine can help you carry out a task without giving it too much thought (one example would be checking your emails first thing in the morning).

The question is: Are your routines helping you or hindering you?

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Here are some questions to ask yourself to determine if your routines and habits are holding you back.

Are your routines affecting your productivity?

Let’s go back to the example of checking your email every morning. Does that really help you be productive?

You go into the office knowing you have a task that needs your immediate attention, and suddenly you are hit by a wall of emails and most likely problems or demands.

Your main priority is suddenly pushed to the back burner.

Take a look at some of your routines and see if they are hindering your performance. Even something as seemingly harmless as your trip to the kitchen to grab a coffee in the morning could be affecting your work. I’m not saying you shouldn’t grab that coffee, but maybe you should consider the timing.

Small changes could bring positive results.

Related post – How to Have More Self-Discipline

Are your routines keeping you from being flexible?

I have been guilty of this one. At one point, I had gotten into a routine for how my workday should look and feel, so much so that even a small variation threw me off.

When I was invited to lunch to discuss a Hen’s party, my first thought was I can’t possibly make lunch. I realized I was struggling with the idea because it would break up my Friday routine.

I was being totally inflexible. After all, it’s just a quick lunch, not a trip out of the country.

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Are your routines stopping you from meeting new people?

You might have your favorite restaurant, your preferred cafe, or your regular bar. You might even go there with the same people over and over again.

Let’s face it; this pattern doesn’t exactly allow you to meet new people.

The same can be said if you constantly spend time with the same people at work.

You need to break your pattern and start trying some new venues. Try a new place each time you go out. Check out a completely different and unfamiliar suburb. Catch up with some old friends you haven’t seen in a while, instead of the ones you see all of the time.

Give your social routine a shake-up.

Need help with your habits? An excellent book by James Clear can help change your habits and your life. Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones is the best book on habits. There is a reason this book has sold over 25 million copies!

Are your routines boring you senseless?

This is why I rebelled against routine for so long – I found it a bit boring.

Sometimes we perform a routine simply because, well, it’s a routine. It has become an ingrained habit.

But is it something we really want or need to be doing? Something we enjoy or just a task we have gotten sucked into doing regularly?

Think about some of your routines. Could they be replaced with more interesting, fun, or inspiring activities?

Are your routines about relaxation?

All too often our routines are about doing stuff and getting things done.

Do you have a routine for relaxation and taking time out?

If you don’t, now is the perfect time to figure out how to factor some relaxation into your week.

Are your routines and habits holding you back?

Take a moment to examine if any of your routines are holding you back. Do an audit of your habits. Decide which routines and habits are working for you and which ones need an overhaul.

Make sure you grab a copy of Atomic Habits by James Clear.

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