Personally, I love routines. Running first thing in the morning. Drinking coffee before work. Eating in a specific way, at specific times. Filming WIP videos and writing WIP articles at specific times, in specific ways.
I also love a certain amount of spontaneity. Booking a cruise in a few day's notice. Deciding to have a movie break, right now, even if it's 2 pm and you still have work to do. Getting an idea, out of the blue, to leave work early today and go downtown for a glass of champagne, and then executing it.
So I'm a huge fan of both routines and spontaneity, as long as they are in balance - min 95 % routines, max 5 % spontaneity. But here's the twist:
What if you make routines out of spontaneous acts?
And here I don't mean that you make spontaneity into a routine you exercise all the time - heavens, no! I mean that you do something specific out of the blue, realize how much fun that specific activity was, and turn that specific thing into a routine, increasing the fun and enjoyment you get from life while still holding on to the basic routines that keep things rolling in your everyday life.
I think this totally rocks! It's such a happy surprise to find a new routine out of a spontaneous idea. For example, can you imagine how thrilled I was when my beyond awesome partner suggested, sipping that spontaneous glass of champagne last Monday, that we make the event a weekly routine? I was on board instantly. Once a week doesn't ruin your other projects and habits and routines and duties, yet it gives you the opportunity to enjoy your life to the fullest, getting the best of both worlds.
Until it goes overboard and you start living your entire life spontaneously, that is. (Although who says it's a bad idea?)
RK
