If you didn't read yesterday's entry, it will be to your advantage to read "Routines Part One" before reading today's account if you want to get the flow right. As I was out on my morning run, I got to thinking that there was more to be said about routines that had been left out.
I had said that routines can be a blessing or a curse. They can also take on a life of their own if we aren't careful. Some routines become so habituated that we can do them without realizing. How many times have I heard someone say, "Did I take my pill yet?" or "Did I put on my deodorant already?" Sometimes our mind is somewhere far away when we do something that is so routine we never give it a thought.
No big deal generally, I'm sure. I said that routines can be good for us, such as getting a good night's sleep every night. Yet, when that routine becomes the end all, it has lost its rightful place in our life. How many times I have missed the 4th of July fireworks because bedtime is 10:00 pm and they don't even start until then.
This is where they become the monster that has taken over our life. We need to think outside of the routine, that serves a purpose most of the time, and put it in its rightful place. Is it worth missing out on that wonderful concert last night because it will keep you up past your routine bedtime? I know from experience that usually it is not. The pleasant memory of that night's music will far outlive the benefits of that good night's sleep.
They say that routines can actually rob us of mental acuity over the years. We should vary our routes when out on our run or walk each day so that we generate new synapses in our brain. We should use our non dominate hand to do mundane tasks to stimulate the brain. We should read a variety of material and look for adventure along the way.
Routines may keep us healthy and secure most of the time, but variety is still the spice of life. We need to control them not they control us. I just need to remind myself and my spouse of that fact.
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