Life is full of patterns.
I start feeling anxious after about a week of not going for a run. I run for a few days, feel better than take a week off. I feel anxious again, so I run. Rinse and repeat.
I have a lot of trouble with some routines though. Particularly establishing healthy morning and evenings routines. As I write this at nearly 3am, I’m reinforcing my negative evening routine….working late on a computer with bright pixels that make it hard to fall asleep.
I’m not sure why mundane things are difficult for me. It’s been a problem for a few years now. I can come up with a great new business idea that adds a grand to my revenue each month, but for the life of me it takes me weeks to just think about doing my laundry. Or finish unpacking. Or organize things.
I’m just not good with dreary routines. Doing the dishes. Doing the laundry. Going to bed on time.
I’ve been working alot lately, and that is normal. But I’ve also found myself surprisingly bored the last few weeks. The truth is that right now…I have little drama. And little drama means little excitement. And that means little adrenaline.
I think I may be a bit of an adrenaline addict. It’s something that came up last week with my counselor. Learning to be ok with the slower parts of life…it’s difficult for me. I also want to be go, go, going. And slowing down is hard. I’m getting better at it, but I still have a ways to go.
And I’m still torn on weather I should slow down, or just go with how I feel….and that’s that I want to go, go, go. Maybe it’s just how I was born, why fight it?
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Maybe you just need to adjust your routine a little bit which can change your excitement. I have my own routines, and own goals to the day/week, that for me, make me feel like I used my time wisely and efficiently. That adds to my excitement because I know I have a chore/goal to do and accomplishing it makes me happy. It could as simple as laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping, working out, reading, etc. Just need to find the little things that make you excited.
Craig
http://www.budgetpulse.com
Something that comes to mind reading your post is that you might be afraid of what will happen if you slow down. You'll have to actually spend time with yourself, maybe be honest about something you'd rather avoid, maybe admit that you're not happy, etc. etc. That's something that can and maybe should be worked out with your counselor. More practically speaking, I recommend making a list of things to do – and include the basics, like laundry and going to sleep early. Create a bedtime routine that starts with a break from the computer – read a book or magazine, do some easy yoga, or have a warm glass of milk. And don't forget to turn off the computer so that it would be a real hassle to check your email one more time
I tend to work like crazy for months at a time, then I do nothing for a few weeks. Once I have time to sit back and think, I usually realize what is important to me and what is not. Hang in there my friend!
Man, that adrenaline thing is addictive! I find that I have to write every mundane thing on my to do list – "unpack one box," "spend 15 minutes cleaning the kitchen," or nothing gets done.
Good luck to you!
I'm like you: I need some adrenaline every now and then. Just went to the skate park a couple weeks ago. Looking forward to snowboarding now. And I'm planning to do some indoor skydiving near Christmas. Fun!
i really understand what you are saying. I am a bit older than you, and I still struggle with everyday tasks such as laundry, dishes, household organizing, keeping up with the mail…. What i've learned is that having a routine is a net positive. It does not make you boring or regular (not that there is anything wrong with that), but rather it gives you the peace of mind to really focus on those areas of your life that are most important to you. So schedule some time each week to do laundry, clean, and unpack. Make some night time work rules (no email after 11pm?) and stick to them. Get some piece of mind with the basic things, and you will be better able to focus on the real challenges in your life.