In this crazy life, sometimes the only way of making it through the week is by letting routine take over – you know that sequence of actions you regularly follow to give the world structure and to simplify your hectic schedule. However, although switching on auto-pilot and doing your daily routines can make life easier, sometimes it’s important to mix things up, even if it’s working for you.
Why we hear you ask? Well for one changing your routine encourages your brain be creative and make new connections, exercising your brain. Moreover it can inject some much needed energy into your life. Indeed although routines can be helpful, they can make life monotonous and boring after a while. With this in mind, here are 4 IDEAL ways to break your routine and keep things fresh.
SWITCH UP THE SMALL THINGS
While you are not reinventing the wheel, switching up the small things and making a constant effort to add variety to your life will break up your routine no end. Why not eat breakfast outside or have breakfast in bed? Try to take a different route to work – a change of scenery is always welcome and this is a great way to meet new people, see new sights or get coffee from different shops. Also, think about adding a couple of interesting activities into your diary. You could book something to look forward to after work – a hair appointment, a massage or perhaps a theatre play? If you decide on the latter, you can find great theatre deals and maybe even consider surprising your whole family.
TAKE A RANDOM DAY OFF
Probably the most powerful way of turning off auto-pilot is by taking a whole day off. That’s right book a day off work simply for yourself and indulge in a little ‘me time’. If that’s not possible take advantage of your weekend and cancel all your obligations for that day and focus on activities that you enjoy doing. In other words, give yourself permission to do as little or as much as you like. Listen to music while gazing at the clouds, read a whole novel or go shopping. This is the self-care that you need in your life. Even if you can’t take a whole day off every week, you can still find some time for activities that help you unwind. Taking time to detach from the online world is a good idea, too.
LOOK AT THINGS FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
There is a lot of negativity in this world. It can either come from yourself or from people around you and it’s not a healthy way to live. Shut off negativity and try and focus on positive the aspects of your life for a few hours. Looking at things from a different perspective may even make your boring old routine seem fun and open up your eyes to an entire new world full of opportunities.
TAKE A BREAK FROM SOCIAL MEDIA
Last but not least, it is important to state the obvious. Social media can be draining and time-consuming. We routinely check social media without even knowing it, whether that’s in the morning, when we get home from work or last thing at night. So instead of spending hours on end scrolling through endless posts that can eventually take a toll on your mind, you could use that time for something a bit more practical. You’ll find a lot of interesting activities that you can practice instead of comparing your life to others.