the power of routines

I’m all about routines. Alarm clocks, calendars, meal prep… put it in my planner and I thrive.

Get me in a situation where I’m forced to offroad and I go absolutely haywire.

This is not to say I’m not adventurous or spontaneous…because I am…or at least, I can be. It’s just that that spontaneity has to be penciled into my planner!

They say people with routines are happier, and more successful than those who don’t follow one.

Ben Franklin woke up at 4am every day.

Lebron James factors in rehydration, muscle stimulation and a 3 hour nap into his everyday routine.

Even the Kardashians have a strict regimen they stick to.

Routines show committment. They show diligence and dedication. They provide structure, purpose and reward to each day. And in my opinion, sticking to a routine shows immense maturity.

And I, for one, am the biggest and baddest creature of habit. Nothing gets done before I have my morning coffee, followed by a long, strenuous workout. Switching between running and cycling days and leg/booty and ab/arms is the extent of variation I can endure. I eat just about the same thing every day and go to bed around the same time each night.

And it’s under these circumstances that I thrive. I feel the most balanced, happy and in control.

But I’ve been noticing recently that a lot of my friends….they’re not like this. They’re more of the roll with the punches type. And it got me thinking: why am I like this?

Aside from the obvious: my mom and dad are absolute hounds for habit. I think my dad’s had the same routine since I came out of the womb. But I’m curious to know why even the idea of deviating from my routine sends me straight into a mental tornado?!?!?!

Like — my first thought when someone invites me out to dinner is how I’m going to factor a meal that I haven’t cooked (and therefore have no control over) into my health regimen. Or how going means I won’t be able to snuggle up to a bowl of popcorn to watch Euphoria, which I was really looking forward to. Or if we are going to be able to go early enough that I can still maintain my time-restricted eating window without being considered a senior citizen by the rest of my friends.

Other people’s reactions when invited somewhere: yeah, sure!

So yes — I like to be in control.

As children, routine gives us a feeling of safety. As adults, it gives us a feeling of purpose. And having a sense of purpose is something I assume we all strive to have in our everyday actions.

Having a routine allows you to live in autopilot. You can ensure you’re maximizing your time, doing the things that you actually want and need to; you aren’t bothered or halted by time-wasted. And speaking as the girl who did her math homework after school on Fridays instead of Sunday afternoons, it’s almost always worth it.

One of my dad’s most treasured lessons is about stepping outside your comfort zone…that it’s outside your comfort zone where the magic happens. But sometimes, I feel like there’s a lot of magic happening within the confines of our comfort zones too. We’re accomplishing important things because we are making them a priority, and ultimately reaping the benefits of that.

Take myself, for example (since I’m sure you’re all at the edges of your seats).

I spent the first 6 months of quarantine at home with my family. And in that time, I developed an entirely new and different and healthier routine.

I woke up at 9am every morning, had coffee, worked out, worked, walked, read, watched, laughed, ate lots of eggs, fish, veggies and sriracha, and was always in bed by 10:30pm. It sounds pretty boring but, I lost 20 pounds, wrote a lot, and really grew into myself — i was really happy.

And then I went back to NYC, and maintining my routine became…more difficult.

Aside from not having all my workout resources, I welcomed back (COVID-friendly) socializing into my life (I’m 23 so I should be excited about that, right?). And with that, a world of temptations.

And it’s hard to find balance…between what’s comforting and what’s confining.

Of course my routine keeps me on track, but am I too on track that I’m not stepping off every once in a while to enjoy?

Is my routine keeping me from really enjoying life?

Right now, in the world we now live in, we’ve all been knocked-off-the-horse, so to say. We’ve all lost control. And now, we’re just trying to adapt…trying to stay afloat.

But how do you adapt to a world, and a life, that changes every day?

Well — you hop off the metaphorical treadmill and take a hike. You stop your old routine, no matter how healthy and satisfying it seems, and you adapt by forming a new one.

Sometimes, when you’re so stuck in your ways,

you don’t get creative ideas anymore

you lose balance between work, relationships, and play

you forget the values and goals of your routines.

I’m not sure about anyone else, but I know for damn sure that my quarantine routine was just about as stale as the Premium saltines that’ve been hiding in the back of all of our pantries since 2004.

Routines are great -a solid foundation to hold you up and nourish your creativity, health and overall outlook on life. For me, daily routines help sustain me and keep me feeling productive; but every so often, it’s nice to throw in a curveball, to introduce a new spice into the mix, to jog my mind with a creative disruption. A metaphorical stepping outside my comfort zone…

For some of you, namely those who consider yourselves the go-where-the-wind-takes-me type, this article likely feels unrelatable. But for those who are like me, who thrive off living every day like it’s Groundhog Day, you’re hopefully picking up what I’m putting down. Having a routine right now is HARD.

Life in 2020 is literally one big roll-with-the-punches, and every day feels like another suckerpunch to the gut.

So I just wanted to say that it’s okay to not have a plan. It’s okay to deviate from your routine, and change things up, and do something different each day. I’m pretty sure we can all agree that 2020 is just about figuring it out. And we’re all just doing our best.

So maybe I’m the only crazy control freak who needed a reminder of that, or maybe there are other people reading this who are just like me — afraid to deviate from something that’s been dependable and rewarding and made what’s been the craziest year of all our lives a little bit easier and more predictable. But regardless of who you are and what you’re like, whether you still live by your planner or haven’t looked at a calendar since March 12th- I think we can all take something from this: we’re all just seeking comfort within the discomfort, and as long as we fill our days with things that fulfill us — our minds, bodies and souls — we’re doing alright.