Routines: I have them. I am, without a doubt, a creature of habit. Case in point – I eat the same breakfast every single morning. I’m not exaggerating.
Do you see this? That would be my bowl of oatmeal. Quaker oats with brown sugar, cinnamon, and raisins. Every morning. I never switch the ingredients, I never switch to a different type of cereal. Or eggs. Or pancakes. I’m very consistent in that way. Most of the time, I like this particular habit of mine: being uniform can be a plus. On the other hand, being consistent can also be…boring, and perhaps a bit annoying. You see, I have to have my oatmeal…even when traveling. Believe it: I pack my suitcase with oatmeal, boxes of raisins, and a shaker of cinnamon. The shame. But hey: it makes me happy and comfortable, so I do it.
It doesn’t stop with the oatmeal though. I also find myself structuring my day to a very specific time schedule. I don’t have to leave for work until 9am, but I wake up at 6:20 with Justin. I shower from 6:38-6:45, and I eat my oatmeal at the very same time every morning: 8:20am. I check up on blogs/finish writing blog posts from 8:20-9:00am. I leave the house at the same time, and I hit the very same traffic lights every single day: I know the left turn light from our road onto the highway turns green at 9:26 and again at 9:30 (if I don’t make it through the first one). What is wrong with me?
Even though my routines might sound crazy, I do think there is something to be said for having them. Establishing SOME sort of structure in your life can give you a feeling of security: I really like that. However, I do find myself feeling off-kilter if my routines get interrupted. Sigh – give and take, right?
So tell me – do you have routines of your own that you’ve established?
I have a basic routine, but one thing I learned in my journalism classes in college was to vary your routine often. I like switching things up every once in awhile so I can find new angles and things going on. Before I moved to Georgia (and was working for a magazine) I would find new stories all the time just by switching up the route I drove each day!
I definitely agree with you! It is sometimes really hard to get out of a routine sometimes though…especially if it’s working for you. That’s the hard part for me…I’ll be like: it ain’t broke, so why fix it? 😉
I definitely have my morning routine, too – every morning (for the most part!) is exactly the same. It’s helpful because I know I’m not forgetting anything and that everything has been checked/set for the day for our dogs.
I definitely like it that way for the mornings. I do kind of switch it up during the day, however! I just like having consistency when it comes to getting myself up and at ’em…and then maybe some structure for certain days of the week when I have things I have to get done!
I agree, to a point. It’s really nice to have consistency, so that your life doesn’t spiral completley out of control and you can still get things done that you need to. But also, it’s fun to break routines sometimes and try something new. I have a routine in the morning, but it’s always thrown off by something. I guess what works for you!
Are you sure you’re not pregnant? 😉 Because I only started eating the same thing for breakfast every morning (a big bowl of Cheerios) when I’ve got a bun in the oven!
Haha – I’m sure! Don’t scare me like that… 😉 I’ve actually been doing this routine for years with my breakfast food…though it has taken different forms depending on the year. For a long time it was Special K with vanilla yogurt instead of milk…then it was cornflakes…now it’s oatmeal. I pick something and stick to it like glue!
Oh I couldn’t have the same breakfast every morning!! My mom has the same thing every morning (eggs). I’ll go on different kicks: smoothies one week, greek yogurt the next two, eggs the next week.
Haha I have started to travel with my own breakfast foods though because hotel breakfasts feel so heavy and gross to me.
Yes! Hotel breakfasts freak me the heck out and I usually won’t eat them. I even bring a measuring cup with me because I HATE how even if the hotels will put out oatmeal packets (yay), there is no way for you to actually measure 1/2 cup of water!!!
I definitely appreciate routines! While I don’t extremely set ones, I do find comfort in the routine of getting Red Mango froyo after dinner most nights 🙂
Now THAT is a routine I could get used to…
Red Mango froyo is the best!
definitely! i have certain routines for all kinds of things: eating, getting chores done around the house, getting ready for bed.
Are you sure your life isn’t a TV show, a la Truman Burbank in The Truman Show? 😉
I WISH I could get on a routine like that, maybe then I wouldn’t be rushing out the door every morning trying to get to work! I can’t eat the same thing for long periods of time, I kind of OD on them and then the mere sight makes me nauseous. Case in point: I ate a nature valley granola bar for two years as a mid afternoon snack between classes. Now the thought of eating one just sounds gross!
Haha – that is pretty much what I do as well! However, oatmeal has seemingly stood the test of time for me. I used to eat the apples and cinnamon kind, but it was too sweet after a while so I switched over!
I’m with you on this, I need to have the same breakfast every morning! Usually I vary it by season though – oatmeal in the winter, quinoa in the summer. I can’t stand it sweetened, except for fruit. Blueberries are my fave!
Switching it up by season is a great idea! I usually do this too, but I guess I missed the boat this summer when I should have moved on to something a bit…cooler in temperature.
I love this – I’m definitely a routine person too! I don’t have my exact morning routine figured out yet since I just started work last week, but I’m sure that soon I’ll be just about as regimented as you are!
I am most definitely a routine person! My argument is that it is good for me, I travel a LOT so I need something to make me feel normal wherever I am by following the same routine.