Prompted: Letting Routine Define Us
Prompted: Letting Routine Define Us
Our routines decide our actions, and our actions define our life.
Many are averse to routines and rigidity, but former Navy Seal Jocko Willink says it best, “Discipline is freedom”.
Routines ground us in reality and define our default behavior. They’re never perfect, but always worth investigating. So let’s jump in.
And as always, thanks for reading!
Kevin
Letting Routine Define Us
Our challenges don't define us; our actions do.
Micheal J. Fox
Most of our day is defined by routine.
We wake up around the same time every day, and after a little while, we head to work. Once we get home, we have some dinner, and a little while later, we’re back in bed to get ready for the next day.
Outside of sleep and work, we only have a few hours to work with. Routine defines these periods.
When we wake up, our legs carry us to the bathroom, and next thing you know, we’re brushing our teeth. After dinner, we scroll through social media or watch tv without conscious thought.
Routine is powerful, and it can work for us or against us. The more worthwhile routines we can cultivate, the better our life will become.
If we believe that our routines decide our actions and our actions define our life, then we can define our life through our routines. When our routines are aligned with the actions that will help us become the person we’d like to be, we know we’re on the right path.
One-by-one, we should look at our routines and decide if they’re serving us or not. If a routine or habit is serving us, then we can leave it in place. If it’s not, we should throw it out and try something new.
Old routines we can’t stay consistent with weigh us down and cause stress. If something doesn’t catch on after a few weeks or months of consistent effort, it’s better to scrap it and try something new that will catch on easier.
If we move through an audit like this, we can slowly instill routines that move grounded in worthwhile pursuits. If we replace or adjust the routines we’re struggling with; each day will feel controlled and productive.
That said, new habits take a long time to become routine.
We’ll have to experiment and be honest to find what works. And when all of our routines are consistent, something in our life will change, and we’ll have to start iterating again.
Our actions define who we are, and our routines define our actions. As we grow and change, priorities will shift, and our routines will evolve, but each iteration will help us instinctively spend time pursuing what’s important.
Prompts
What are all the routines or habits I have from the time I wake up to when I go to sleep?
Which routines and habits are serving me? And which ones do I need to replace?
How will I know to evaluate if a routine is working for me or if it needs to be adjusted?
Deep Dive
A new blog post covering all the ins and outs of starting a journal practice and staying consistent.
On the Structured Pursuit of Depth
A simple but powerful framework to identify what’s important and adjust our lifestyle to include more meaningful routines.
Thanks for reading! I’ll see you next Sunday.
Kevin