Routines are important for psychological health. They can keep you grounded and rooted in your life. In fact, there are a number of health benefits to having a daily schedule. But it's true that too much routine can begin to steal the fun out of life. For this reason, it's important to break up your routine once in awhile and do something new or different.
A set schedule can help create stability in a person's life. With a routine, you know where you're going and when. If you already have a daily schedule, then you might already be aware of the following benefits to having a routine:
· Provides a person with familiarity
· Helps with staying organized
· Provides a sense of ownership and order to your life
· Helps makes sense of the world and of life
· Saves time on having to schedule every day
· Provides direction in life
· Empowers a person to stay active versus getting stuck
· Promotes decision making about what to do and when to do it
· Prevents getting stuck in life
· Helps build positive and healthy habits
· Increases a person's efficiency
· Negates the need for willpower
· Builds positive momentum
· Promotes skill building and self care
· Encourages feeling more secure and confident
· Minimizes stress
· Have accurate and realistic expectations for your day
However, it's true that a routine can get boring after awhile. Although having a schedule can be incredibly important for psychological health, it's also important to give yourself a break periodically. And there are many ways to do this while maintaining a routine. Here are some ideas for adding newness and excitement to your life while maintaining the stability of a schedule:
· Jog down a different street
· Take a road trip for the weekend
· Walk your dog through a new and different park
· Try a new restaurant
· Do some laughing by renting a favorite comedy
· Listen to a new radio station
· Try playing some music you've never heard before
· Learn a new language
· Fly a kite
· Stretch a few times throughout the day
· Take a nap in the afternoon
· Go rock climbing
· Eat foods you've never tried before
· Write a poem or be creative in another way
· Reward yourself when you accomplish something or reach a goal
· Take some time to forgive yourself or someone else
· Plan a vacation - even if it's a year or two away
· Enjoy a long bubble bath
· Get or give a massage
· Go to a sporting event
· Play cards with a group of friends
· Plant flowers in your garden and watch them grow
· Turn off your phone for the weekend
· Bake goodies and share them with friends
· Try on clothes in a favorite store
· Look for 4-leaf clovers
· Watch cartoons
· Go camping
· Go bowling
· Play with toys - even if you're an adult!
· Keep a journal
These are suggestions for breaking up the monotony of a routine when you need to. Having a schedule is important, especially if you're facing a mental illness or healing from addiction. However, we all need to have some fun too!
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