One of the biggest problems facing retirees is that they don’t know what to do with all that free time. Many end up returning to the workforce, working jobs as Walmart Greeters just because they need someone to structure their day. We’ve heard that too much freedom is paralyzing. Without a specific plan of action, we feel helpless and overwhelmed.
Routines give us structure, and this is good for creativity too. Whether it’s writing for 30 minutes every morning or meeting with friends once a week to brainstorm business ideas, these rituals tell our brains and bodies to get into a specific mode at a certain moment. It’s like your subconscious saying “okay left-brain, you turn off for a little while and let right-brain do it’s thing.” Routines get us into a rhythm and allow us to shift from thinking to doing. Routines help us make shit happen.
One of the biggest advantages of having routines is what comes out of breaking them. Think about the excitement you have when you get a new project after working on a previous one for months on end. Bursts of creativity happen when you break the cycle. When you get used to sleeping at 11 every night, staying up until 4 can lead to a new spectrum of ideas. Same goes for sleeping and waking early if you’re usually a night owl.
But having no routine is really the worst routine of all. It’s the hardest one to break. Without a rhythm, music becomes random noise. Contrast and repetition are just as important for creativity.
If you’re on the no-plan plan, the first step is being conscious of your routines. What are some rituals in your life? Which ones help you be more productive or creative? Which ones are hard to break? Show me yours and I’ll show you mine.