Maybe having a routine and sticking to it isn’t a bad thing. Maybe spontaneity isn’t always as prized as it is rumoured to be. Routine actually gets shit done. It is discipline, even when you don’t feel like doing what you need to do. It is being responsible for your life and actions.
A few months back, I was satisfied with my routine, but my satisfaction was a mere passing acknowledgement. By 10:30 p.m. I stopped all use of my electronic devices and have a final moment of meditation till 11 when I finally go to sleep. My alarm wakes me up by 5 a.m. and I breeze through my devotion and meditation for about 30 minutes and go for a run or another scheduled exercise for another half hour. I write in my journal after cleaning up which ends the main portion of my morning routine. I finally go online to get my morning digest from Medium or listen to a podcast.
That routine worked. It got me through the day and helped me get some actual work done even under stiff conditions because I had disciplined myself to keep to a schedule and do the work assigned to that period. It left me with no time to aimlessly be on the internet.
Then I decided to try something new—a little spontaneity.
Go to bed and rise when I like. Do as much work as I can in a day and let the rest spill over. Do the work I choose to do in the moment and not plan ahead.
Evaluating after a couple of weeks of these, I realised that I’ve done so much less compared to my strict routine days. I exercise when I want and even picked up some habit I’d rather not have along the way.
Routine is knowing when to do what you need to do. It is cultivating a habit towards excellence, and sprinkled with the right amount of spontaneity, it is the perfect recipe for a creative and productive day and life.
