Shake up Your Routine—But Not Too Often!

Routine. I like it. It provides structure, comfort, and makes me productive. It makes me feel like I am moving forward, each day, the way I should AND the toward goals and aspirations that I’ve identified. What could be more healthy?

Hmmm. Did you know, however, that routine can be your downfall as well? Whether you are thinking about your physical activity, your worklife or your social life, too much routine can lead to burn out and apathy. If you do the same thing, the same way, without change, over time you will find that you DO not get the same effect. I see this in the studio, working with my clients, which is why I am always managing their time to keep our work together fresh and moving forward.

But the same principle applies to my own exercise practice. I try to push myself, regularly, to new limits. BUT, and this is important, I also give myself time to get ‘comfortable’ with that new level. That is as important as setting new goals. There is something called allostasis-defined as ‘an organism’s capacity to take on stressors, quickly adapt to them, and return to a normal state.’ You need to allow that to happen because, if you do not, your body will pay the price of that excess stress through injury and pain.

Not surprisingly, you can apply this same principle to other areas of your life beyond physical activity. We have all seen that our work lives can become unfulfilling if there is not enough ‘learning and growing’. We also know that a workplace or role that is in constant chaos can be overly stressful. Finding that balance – where there are new tasks but, also, time to become competent—is essential.

Relationships of all sorts can suffer, too, from too much ‘sameness’ or too much ‘craziness’. This is another area of our lives where we want, and need, both familiarity and spontaneity. Therefore, striving for a good mix of predictability and fun is a goal to pursue in our relationships as well.

I find that consciously trying to ‘grow and change’ in all the important aspects of my life—but not too rapidly—is part of achieving wellness. I recommend you try to do the same.