You can easily see it in small children. Kiddos do best when they know that lunch is at noon, followed by half an hour of play time, and then a nap. They thrive when they understand that bedtime consists of brushing their teeth, putting on their PJs, reading a story, singing a song, and then cuddles for a set period of time. Of course, I'm talking about routine. Skip a nap, skip a story, cut short cuddle-time, and all hell breaks loose.
For some reason, us grown-folks don't act like we get the importance of routine on such an elemental level as children. At least not on the regular. The fact is, though, that when our (implicit or otherwise) routines get out of whack, we're all out of sorts as well. As adults, though, we're more willing to let routines slide without pitching an epic temper tantrum.
We should change that.
I'm not making a case for scaling temper tantrums up from pint-sized to grown-up-sized. That sounds awful. Rather, I think that us grown folks should be more attuned to the value of our routines; to acknowledge that our routines provide us with structure that we crave and need; and to admit that disrupting our routines is often antithetical to self-care. There are many benefits to adhering to routines: building good habits, increasing efficiency, building momentum, and lessening the need for willpower, among others. Plus, they just plain ol' make us feel safe and secure. There's a lot to say for that.
I would love to hear more about the habits/routines that work for you. Share them in the comments below!
For some reason, us grown-folks don't act like we get the importance of routine on such an elemental level as children. At least not on the regular. The fact is, though, that when our (implicit or otherwise) routines get out of whack, we're all out of sorts as well. As adults, though, we're more willing to let routines slide without pitching an epic temper tantrum.
We should change that.
I'm not making a case for scaling temper tantrums up from pint-sized to grown-up-sized. That sounds awful. Rather, I think that us grown folks should be more attuned to the value of our routines; to acknowledge that our routines provide us with structure that we crave and need; and to admit that disrupting our routines is often antithetical to self-care. There are many benefits to adhering to routines: building good habits, increasing efficiency, building momentum, and lessening the need for willpower, among others. Plus, they just plain ol' make us feel safe and secure. There's a lot to say for that.
I would love to hear more about the habits/routines that work for you. Share them in the comments below!
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