Are You More Productive With A Routine
You’ll hear a lot of people say they hate routine as it makes things too predictable, dull or boring. Some people love routine, they thrive on it. They like knowing what’s coming and when. They feel it’s easier to get things done because they know what they can plan to fit it into their day.
Really most of us live through routine whether we realize it or not. So much of what we do is routine. Getting up in the morning, showering, brushing teeth and eating breakfast etc. Regardless of age or if your going out to work or working from home there is a certain amount of routine.
While for some it may imply that from one day to the next life is the same, it really doesn’t have to be. Routine is especially useful in the workplace and gives the opportunity for teams to work together towards a common goal.
Spending More Time With People You Love
The same for families, if everyone has some sort of routine it’s easier to plan to do something together. Whether it’s having dinner together, having company, or just catching up, family time is important. When there’s no routine and everyone is all over the place it can be a real challenge to get together.
However, routines are a great way to get your work done. It’s so easy to become a procrastinator and keep putting things off which leads to wasted time. And having a routine is also a great means of getting more done in a day.
Planning And Working On Projects Has Them Run More Smoothly
When there’s a group of people involved in a project everyone has an understanding of what needs to get done. For example what routines each team member needs to perform, this leading projects tending to run smoother.
We also have routines in our society. In some ways, laws can be considered routines. You know that you aren’t supposed to run a red light and that can be thought of as a routine. When you come to a red light, you stop as best as you can. There may be instances when you accidentally go through one here or there. But, most people will stop for red lights. And this is good to reduce accidents.
Teach Kids Values And Work Ethics
You set up routines for your kids in the form of chores. You know that certain tasks need to get done each week. Many parents tie kids’ allowances on these chores. When the kids finish their chores, they receive their allowances. It teaches the kids a work ethic. They need to perform tasks, and when they complete those tasks, they receive money for them.
When you pay bills, you tend to have a routine for this. Some people like to get everything sorted on one day and pay all the bills on that day. Others will pay them whenever they receive them. Others, still, will set up their payments to be paid automatically by their bank or brokerage. There isn’t a right answer for how to do this.
Having Some Flexibility Is Also A Good Thing
Whatever works for you is the right answer. However, the method you choose will generally be routine. Some people especially as the get older still like to go out to the bank . Online banking and paying bills online isn’t the same for them. Physically going to the bank gets them out and they get to interact with others.
Contrast this to people who don’t have routines to manage their lives. They tend to handle tasks when the mood strikes them. These people are usually late with their bills and have cluttered, messy environments. Some of these people will say that this way of life works for them.
Being Organized Can Prevent Chaos But Live A Balanced Life
However, for most people this is chaos. It’s something that can easily be avoided by setting up routines for the tasks you need to complete. Finding a balance is the ideal situation. I know of people that are so rigid with their routines and nothing will change them.
They are so precisely scheduled that there’s no flexibility for ever doing something spur of the moment. They can end up missing out on a lot in life being this way. Even if a friend comes to town unexpectedly or they get an invite come up they will not have their schedule disrupted.
Of course, people are not robots. And most do break up their routines on occasion. Most people find that they can use weekends to do activities that they don’t get to do during the work week. Also, many families use vacations to help break up their routines. it’s good to be flexible at times and enjoy the change in routine.
