When routine becomes the foundation for change

This morning, I had one of those mornings when the ideas were flowing.

They started in the shower, followed me on the dog walk and kept bouncing around in my head. I was noticing patterns, thinking about change and wondering why we sometimes resist doing things differently, even when we know there might be a better way.

Then I sat down to write, and…nothing!

It was as though a big shutter had come down. All that creativity, locked away. Perhaps it was the thought of putting my ideas out there, making myself a little vulnerable and wondering what people might think.

So, then I started thinking about why I couldn't think, and that's when I realised there was something worth exploring.

Perhaps routine isn't the enemy of creativity. Perhaps it's what gives us the space to be creative in the first place.

The comfort of a familiar routine

My morning dog walk is a good example.

When we first started walking this route, I deliberately changed direction and took different streets so the dogs wouldn't know where we were going. A little variety, a bit of exploration.

Fast-forward to today, and our walk is a finely tuned operation.  The dogs know exactly where we're going to cross the road. We know where to slow down, where to pick up the pace and which house has a dog that occasionally barks at the window.  And, of course, there's the promise of breakfast at the end.

It's become habitual, familiar, comfortable.  But that doesn't mean it's bad or that we're stuck in a rut. It simply means we no longer have to think about every little decision.

That frees up a surprising amount of headspace.

Small habits, small improvements

I've always been interested in finding ways to do things a little better.

Not necessarily making huge changes or reinventing everything. Just noticing what works, what doesn't and what could be tweaked.

James Clear's idea of habit stacking particularly appeals to me: building a new habit onto something you already do. It's a simple concept, but there's something quite powerful about it. Rather than trying to change everything at once, you make a small adjustment to an existing routine.  Those small adjustments can add up.

I see the same thing in my working life: a process that takes a little too long; a task that involves unnecessary steps; a way of organising information that made sense when it was first set up but could work better now.

You don't always need a complete overhaul. Sometimes you just need to stop, look at what you're doing and ask yourself: Is there a better way?

Sometimes change happens without us noticing

For the past couple of weeks, I've had a stye that's prevented me from wearing my contact lenses. 

I love my contact lenses. I don't love my glasses. They're heavy on my face, they're distance glasses rather than ideal for working at a computer, and I've spent quite a lot of time telling anyone who would listen how much I dislike wearing them.  However, this morning, I put them on without giving it a second thought.

Somewhere along the way, something changed. I'd got used to them. The resistance had faded, and what had felt like an inconvenience had become part of my routine.  I hadn't consciously decided to embrace my glasses. I'd simply adapted.

It made me think about how often we resist a change because it's unfamiliar, rather than because it's actually wrong for us.  Sometimes we need time to adjust before we can see the benefits.

A little change of perspective

Here's the final twist.  As I sat typing, feeling that familiar creative block returning, I took my glasses off.  Suddenly, I couldn't focus on the words in front of me in quite the same way and, strangely enough, my thoughts started flowing again.

Perhaps it was the break in my routine. Perhaps it was simply a change of focus. Whatever the reason, that small adjustment helped me get going again.

It was a useful reminder that we don't always need to push harder when something isn't working.  Sometimes we need to change our approach.

A different perspective. A small tweak. A moment away from the screen. Or simply giving ourselves permission to do things differently.

So, where does that leave us?

I'm still a fan of routines. They help us get through the everyday tasks without having to make hundreds of tiny decisions. They create consistency and give us something familiar to return to.  But I don't think routine and change have to be opposites.  In fact, a good routine can provide the foundation for improvement. Once something becomes second nature, we have the space to notice what could be better - and when something stops working, we can adapt.

Whether it's a morning dog walk, a personal habit or a process at work, the trick is to find that balance between being comfortable with what we do and remaining curious about how we might do it differently.

What small change have you made recently that has made your working day a little easier?

I'd love to hear about it.