Even if you think your day-to-day life is constantly changing, you have routines: your go-to grocery store or coffee shop, the route you take to and from work, the place you go to grab lunch, the way you load the dishwasher.
I’m a big proponent of routines, especially as a tool for managing ADHD.
My routines and rituals are not only about getting things done. They are also an essential component of my self-care and nervous system regulation.
An established routine is a system; it removes the energy drain of decisions, second-guessing, or inner negotiation about what to do and when.
Routines and rituals have helped me sustain a daily workout streak for over 12 years, write and publish a daily blog with over 3,000 blog posts for 8+ years, and develop a daily meditation practice that’s now over 10 years.
A good routine like an anchor that steadies a ship in turbulent waters.
When I hit on rituals and routines that work for me, I do my best to stick to them.
That said, as much as I advocate for routines, it’s also important to disrupt your routines.
The Benefits of Disrupting Your Routine
Even the best routines can start to get stale. Sometimes established routines stop working. The familiar coffee shop becomes too familiar. You take the same route so often you travel it in a fog.
Read: How Shaking Up Your Routine Can Promote Consistency
When we always do the same thing in the same way, we start to lose perspective. We don’t expose ourselves to new stimuli. We get trapped in the bubble of our experience.
After all, ADHD brains also need variety.
Occasionally breaking your routine can infuse your regular activities with a new sense of wonder and inspiration. It can give you fresh perspective, new insight, and new ideas.
A break can help make your daily tasks feel less suffocating and boring.
Suggested Ways to Bring Adventure to Your Routines
Here are some ways you can experiment with a break in your routine without completely upending your work.
- Experiment with new routes on your daily commute. Walk or drive down a new street.
- Visit a coffee shop in a different part of town, rather than your usual one.
- Take a class at a different fitness studio than the one you usually frequent.
- Explore a neighborhood or town adjacent to yours that you may not be as familiar with.
- Make plans with a friend for lunch or dinner at a place you’ve never been before.
- If you tend to work from coffee shops or libraries, pick a different place to work from.
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