Shall we agree that a routine is desirable?
I’m on the fence about that. I’ve often defined vacation as any break from the routine. I think that kinda indicates a routine is less than desirable.
But whether it’s daily, weekly, or monthly, the routine assures we’re hitting all the marks in our business plan, yearly goals, and priorities for success. It’s something we have to do, and yet it’s something we should want to do. And therein lies the conundrum. Routine often gets a bad rap, but I would argue it’s dual nature.
Does your routine feel like a ball ‘n’ chain, or your saving grace? Is it reassuring or a real drag?
Often, it may depend on your mood for the moment. On a day when it seems hard to pull thoughts together or focus, a routine can be the glue that holds it together for you. The routine confirms you and keeps you productive. Conversely, when you’re in a creative groove… fresh ideas popping right and left, a routine may seem terribly binding. In that instance, keeping to a rote schedule may seem confining.
Obviously, there are also the friends and foes of routine that constantly alter the course.
Enemies of a VO Routine:
family ‘n’ friend incursions (God bless ’em!)
external neighborhood noises
surprise phone calls
demanding clients
unexpected or unscheduled emergencies
Enablers of a VO Routine:
keeping a daily calendar/appt scheduleenvisioning your day
commitment to repeating priority tasks regularly
standardizing procedures
keeping recording protocols
family and friends (yes, here too!)
Although both lists are incomplete, you get the idea. The plan here is to create, or evolve a familiar routine — definite points in your work process — and stick to them… be they confining or confirming. All of this assumes you want to be productive on a regular basis… no matter your mood.
Thoughts?
CourVO
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