Chris Pearlberg

I’ve recently entered into a 30 day writing challenge with a good friend of mine. We are both writing a blog entry once a day for a month. While I could lie and say that this is Day 1, the challenge actually started on Wednesday….and now I have to do three entries today.

Being behind in this challenge is a perfect segue into the topic I will write about today: the Routine. Many people attest to the value of having a daily routine, whether it be going to the gym every other day, drinking their coffee at the same time in the morning, or enjoying an hour of Netflix at night. A routine is a structure that allows us to have a a foundation in which to process the unstructured parts of life. Human beings seem to gravitate towards routine- this sense of familiarity and consistency provides a sense of comfort and predictability. On the same note, some people may see simple rituals as making their bed or doing their laundry at the same time every week as constrictive and meaningless.

If we are experiencing this hang up, what is a good work around? I find that doing something (anything!) for the sake of the routine itself provides peace of mind and the sense of accomplishment. Even if in the moment we feel as though the task is meaningless, the simple action of DOING it gives us on step in the right direction, a sense of order to attack the other things that will be out of our control.

Recently, I have been experimenting with committing as many things I can to a routine. It is a work in progress, but who knows what the beneficial outcome may be. Try it for yourself and see! Now onto the other two entries I am behind on…