Routine is underrated
I am not an expert, rather let me put it in this way that I suck at following a routine. I am more of a mode person or kind of “go with the flow” person. I end up working a lot when I am in the work mode, listen to music, or watch Netflix whenever I go into the chill mode. Maybe, this is the reason I can vouch for the fact that “Routine is underrated”.
You might have heard so many people talking about a hustler, a workaholic, an avid reader, or whatever but very few people boast about living and dying by a calendar. As a matter of fact, is following a routine is so tough than doing or being most of the other things.
Self-confessed one of the most random people as I am, I really know how tough it is to follow a routine but it is also one of the most rewarding things to do.
I followed a routine for a few weeks and here are the things that I experienced.
- If you are in a high-pressure work environment, following a routine will ensure that you are not burnt out.
- Since you have a limited time window to do tasks, you will be mindful and enjoy the tasks that you love and be at peace about the task that you hate knowing it is limited for a specific time window.
- If you suffer from anxiety( as I do), following a routine is a boon for you. It will give structure to your life and keep your brain occupied and keep random feelings at bay. On top of it, if you start prioritizing the tasks well you will for sure have a feeling of self-accomplishment and satisfaction which really helps.
- I love this point. While you start following a routine, you also start respecting other's time. The randomness goes, you will never ask your juniors to do the task at odd hours and you also know (beforehand) things that you need(most of the time) and will inform the other person well in advance. This saves the other person from anxiety and burn out too :)
- You get time. Yes the biggest problem around for most of us. You get time to work, workout, read, write, or whatever you love to do. So if there is a thing you want to learn, love to do then you aren’t short of time.
This is one of the most difficult skills to acquire, once you master that others come easy. Why? Because you understand the value of time for you and others(not overextending meetings). You also understand and learn to commit, without it, you anyways can’t follow a routine.
And when time and commitment are on your side, is acquiring others skills difficult?? Not so much until you looking to emulate Elon Musk :)
I tried following a routine, making sure my calendar is my holy book. I succeeded in doing that for a few weeks and I loved it. Solved a ton of problems for me. After that, I fell off the cliff and went back to randomness but the experience was so rewarding that I am hard committing myself going back to that life again.
PS: I have seen workaholic random managers but I have always seen great leaders living and dying by calendars. What do you want to become??