Why You Should Shake Up Your Morning Routine

I know you’ve probably repeatedly heard arguments for why you should develop a morning routine. I’ve posted a few articles on the topic myself. So you might be surprised by how I started my morning…

As usual my alarm went off at 5am… but that’s where my routine stopped.

Sometimes We Need to Shake Up the Morning

Instead of getting up and taking my dog for a walk, I stayed in bed for an extra hour. Instead of making my coffee and oatmeal, I read a little from my current book, Born to Run, by Bruce Springsteen. (By the way, if you want to learn about success, and how to be a “boss,” I highly recommend Born to Run.)  I skipped my 15-20 minute music practice. I did write in my journal, but didn’t practice my katas. Then I went to Starbucks and went to work on this blog post before heading to work. I completely ignored my regular routine.

One problem with morning routines is that you can get too attached to them. If one thing goes out of whack, you feel an urgency to fix the problem. One twitch in the schedule and frustration and anxiety can take over. This is where routines can cause as many problems as they do to help us in becoming more productive.

Any Habit That Creates Stress Can Be Tweaked

“But it’s my morning routine,” you might protest. “It’s a good and healthy habit. Why should I break it?”

Here’s why: Any habit that creates stress, pressure, or becomes old or stale, becomes less effective than it was first created to be.

I’ll always have a morning routine of one sort or another. But I’ll never be afraid to change things up. I might change the time that I get up depending upon the season. After walking every morning for a few months, perhaps I’ll switch to riding my bicycle. This year, I’m journaling and reading most mornings. Next year, I might start writing a novel. And some days, I might just skip my morning routine altogether.

Strict structure can be a good thing. Too much structure can make you a dull and less creative individual. If you seek true success and creativity, you need to occasionally break out of your routines. Switch them up. Try something different. This will keep you fresh and more productive in the long run.

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