As a coach to inspiring humans who want to be their best selves consistently, one of my focus areas is routines. Developing those daily rituals that provide us with the energy required to show up as our best self – going to bed in good time, exercising daily, going for a walk in nature, making time for deep work, having some form of mindfulness and so on.

While such routines are wonderful and help us feel grounded, sometimes we can get stuck in a routine – same thing every day (even if they are good routines). And then we stop being our best self! So do we throw them all away in favour of spontaneity?

I think we need a bit of both.

Two quotes to keep in mind

“If your routine off the field becomes consistent, then your play on the field will become consistent.”

– Bobby Wagner; American football linebacker

“As long as habit and routine dictate the pattern of living, new dimensions of the soul will not emerge.”

– Henry Van Dyke; American author, educator & diplomat

How to make the most of routines and spontaneity

I’m not sure I have a better answer other than – breaking the routine once in a while and not feeling bad about it. While also not seeing our daily rituals as the enemy. We all need a bit of newness and a bit of routine in our lives, don’t we?