Turning routine a bright spot...

Routine occupies a huge part of our lives and is, for the most part, necessary. I was thinking about it while preparing the morning coffee. Still many folks end up loathing it and I always look for ways of making routine more palatable and even exciting. It’s undeniable that routine gets a bad rap because most of us associate it with monotony, obligation, or the erosion of spontaneity. But routine itself isn’t the enemy, it’s in fact the way we relate to it. 

The truth is that some of the most creative, fulfilled, and resilient people rely on routines not as cages, but as launchpads. With that in mind, I wanted to explore ways to make routine feel less like a treadmill and more like a pleasant rhythm. Perhaps we should begin by turning routine into ritual that we have to do with intention. An approach that I follow systematically is trying to improve the ways in which I execute all of my routines. The action might be the same, like making coffee, going for a walk, cleaning up the kitchen and it’s up to us to embellish it.

Our routines say: “I must” but a ritual would say: “This matters.” We can shift the emotional burden of a routine by adding small sensory elements, like a special mug, a favorite music or a thought of gratitude. Then we can add a tiny bit of novelty to what we have to do. We probably don’t need constant change, but just small injections of difference. 

Things like standing on one leg when I brush my teeth, taking a different route on our daily walk, changing the order of our morning steps, choosing to listen to different music, podcasts or just silence. Also trying a new breakfast menu once a week. These tiny variations can keep us alert without destabilizing what’s needed to do. We can also break a rigid approach by replacing linear routines that go 1, 2, 3, 4 and repeat. 

Replacing predictability with creating modular routines, like choosing different morning options, rotating set of evening wind‑downs or adopting a flexible work-start ritual. This preserves predictability while giving us some control over what’s necessary. We can also turn routine from obligation into meaning. A routine becomes draining when it feels like maintenance and it becomes more energizing when it feels like alignment. We would accomplish this by asking ourselves, what value does this routine support? How will this make me grow and make me reach what’s important to me? 

If we can connect a routine to identity, like “I’m someone who takes care of my body,” or “I’m someone who creates calm in my home” it no longer feels like drudgery. Another trick is to pair routines with pleasure, for instance, by only listening to our favorite music while doing chores, having a special playlist for the commute or listening to podcasts or audiobooks while exercising. Finally, notice and appreciate the results of our routine work as it’s filled with tiny satisfactions we often overlook. 

Things like a clean countertop, the first sip of good morning coffee or the pleasure of perfectly clearing the driveway from snow. I’ve heard people say that routine is the “scaffolding for spontaneity”, that it creates freedom and give us more space for creativity, exploration, excellent work and play. Routine should be seen as a floor, not a ceiling!