How To Change Up Your Routine

You might be feeling stuck. Claustrophobic maybe? Have you mastered your routine so much that you’re actually kinda tired of it? I’ve been there. Actually, I’m right there with you. Right now, I’m tired of my routine. Over the past week, I’ve tried changing things up a bit. Here’s how you can change up your routine.

Try something different.

Go get ice cream after lunch on Tuesday. Take a dance class on Thursday. Something as simple as changing your route in the morning or trying a different trail for your daily walk, that counts as changing up your routine. Doing something different doesn’t have to be new. You can tweak something that’s already working and just put on a new podcast or playlist. The point is to change up the routine, you don’t have to start from scratch.

Take a break from your routine.

Chaos might scare you. Maybe you need an order to things, in order to get things done. I hear you. I do too. Sometimes though, I think taking a break from your routine is a good thing. Abandoning it, even if it’s just for a day, a weekend, hell, if you wanna do a week, go for it. Taking a break from your regularly scheduled programming will help you realize it’s okay not to always have a routine. As long as you remain present, you will be able to accomplish what you need to. Stop worrying about what comes next. Think about what you have to do right now.

Start a project.

Maybe you’ve been wanting to redo the kitchen or finally get into plants. There’s a home project on your list. Set some time aside to plan for it, whether that’s starting to budget or ordering plants online, you’re on a mission to start something new. The project can be art related. Maybe you want to get back into painting. Start a journal. The project can be simple. Revisit a puzzle. Anything to reward your mind with accomplishing a small task that brings you joy will help change up your routine for the better.

Add something fun.

Start learning a new language. Maybe color your hair! What brings you spontaneous joy? We have more time in the day than we realize. Adding something fun to your day will help remind you that life is lovely. A routine brings structure, but that doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to have fun.

What does fun mean to you? What can you do for a 30-minute break or an hour long time block that helps bring a smile to your hard-working face? Sprinkle these throughout the week. Use them as rewards if you have to. The only rule here is to make sure you’re having fun. Free-feeling fun. Not forced.

Take a day off.

You don’t need a vacation to reset yourself. But, if it is time for a vacation, by all means, take one. It’s important to schedule days off for yourself. Try doing it once a month. Your responsibilities can wait. You deserve a day to reset, rest, and focus on you. Don’t feel guilty for taking a day off.

We all need to feel more comfortable with pressing pause. Taking a day off isn’t going to mess up your routine. In fact, coming back refreshed will help you cross things off your list. Leave the list behind though, take the day off. Change up your routine by pressing pause. What needs to get done, will get done. Right now, you need to focus on you. Just for a day.