Rut and Routine - A Good Thing?

Can being in a rut and routine be a good thing?

Yes and No. Routines are a double-edged sword; they can enhance your productivity, but they can also deprive you of your enthusiasm. There are “dangers” of getting stuck in a rut:

• Going through the same routine, day after day, can be monotonous. It often leads to getting caught in a rut. Getting stuck in the rut sometimes puts blinders on you and makes your vision narrowed and focused. Often you only see the task at hand and it doesn’t allow you to see around you for different ideas and maybe become more creative.
• When your rut and routine is interrupted – it can send you into a tailspin; disrupt your whole day, whole week! When you are accustomed to your routine, disruption can cause chaos and anxiety. Now what are you going to do? How will you catch up?
• Sometimes you may find that you create a routine as a way to avoid certain tasks. Your daily “to do” list is so massive that Superwoman or Superman (as the case may be), couldn’t possibly complete it.

Routines are not necessarily unpleasant things, but doing the same thing day in and day out can dry up your creativity! What do you do to break your rut and routine?

• Slash your schedule and force yourself to spend time with the work that you’re avoiding, instead of being “busy” filling your available time.
• Clear your routine of everything you can that is not completely necessary. Freeing up time can actually bring back some inspiration.
• Be flexible in your routine – instead of mapping out 8 am to 9 am – exercise time, simply block off an hour a day for exercise. If today it needs to be ½ in the morning and ½ in the evening instead of a full hour, then let that work…

Today I plan on spending at least an hour with my newest landscape project - definitely out of my daily routine plan. To get out of your rut, you need to temporarily change your routine. If you can, take a day off from work. In the long run, taking a day off every now and then to get out of slump will make you happier and more productive. Your employers might not see it that way, but often they miss moral and productivity boosters anyway! Do something you don’t normally have time for or something you’ve never tried.

I find that simply walking away from the computer and doing something (anything!) else can really get me out of a rut. What’s your best routine breaker?

Toodles - Blog Happy!

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