General Question

iamnathanjohnson's avatar

Do you guys ever get into a routine and get sick of it?

Asked by iamnathanjohnson (174points) April 10th, 2008 from iPhone

How do you change it up? I don’t mind it occasionally, but lately I’m just getting sick of the whole… Wake up, take shower, get dressed, work, come home, eat, hang with friends for what seems like a second, then sleep and do it all over again. What do you do to change it up?

Observing members: 0 Composing members: 0

18 Answers

El_Cadejo's avatar

heh i wish i could help but im right there with you. I do the same thing day in day out. To my experience this is just how life is. Unless you have an actual dream or goal or something to motivate you and if so by all means pursue it.

peedub's avatar

On the more drastic side:
1. Change careers
2. Move to different country
3. Change living arrangements, like switch to having roommates or to living alone

Less drastic:
1. Rearrange your furniture
2. Start a club
3. Find new music (I’m a big fan of this one), or a new book
4. Walk out of your neighborhood more often (I don’t do this nearly enough)
5. Learn a new language.
6. Learn a skill, instrument, visual art technique
7. Make a concerted effort to meet new people
8. Try a new restaurant, or even better, a new type of food
9. Cook something new
or
10. This one may be weird for some, but I like to try doing everything slightly different than the usual way. For example, if I find that I’ve been shaving the same way for years I will force myself to start with a different side. This can be applied to all those routine things you do and it works for me.

TheHaight's avatar

peedub couldnt of said it any better, he should write a book. :)

But seriously, Its like that for me to, but what keeps me going is future plans, taking next weekend off and travel somewere. What’s got me going and excited for next week is that my boyfriend and I are going to see Kanye West next Friday. Whoohoo.

peedub's avatar

@TheHaight- thanks! I totally left out vacation. It’s strange how only even one weekend out of town can refresh a person.

El_Cadejo's avatar

deffintly peedub i go to weekend long music festivals in the summer and its amazing how great they are. Like a whole different world and all. Its nice to get away every once in a while. Keeps us all sane. ^_^

TheHaight's avatar

yep yep! Its totally refreshing. Think for me it all started with going to Disneyland every year with my family. Just planning something out can be so fun and get you pumped! Also being spontaneous and saying “you know what.. I got the day off, I’m going to go to the beach!”.

8lightminutesaway's avatar

I think the instant you have the oppurtunity, just do something you wouldn’t normally do and break your own rules. Like on your way home from work, stop somewhere and just have an adventure. go to the park. In the middle of the night, just get up, and go outside and look at the stars. Get up really early and go do something, like get coffee and meet new people. Dress differently, and spend all day wondering what people will say (that might be depressing if no one says anything though) Take the long way home or to work. Get a pet. Get involved in politics. Do your daily routines in a different room, or outside even. Move. Dance. Scream. Stretch. Get a new haircut. Get a new style. Call old friends you haven’t spoken to in forever. Buy something for yourself. Love. always refreshing.

Remember your childhood dreams and find a way to do them.

Everything peedub said was great, especially rearranging the furniture and changing the way you do things.

I guess I sorta took your question as how to make life more interesting but w/e. I could continue forever but i have an exam tomorrow..

skfinkel's avatar

That does happen sometimes, and it is usually a wakeup call to make some big change in your life. I liked peedub’s list. The best part is that once you pay enough attention to the fact that things are boring you, that itself is the first step in changing things. I would suggest to pay attention to your gut—what is really going on, what part of this isn’t working for you. Realize all your (fantastic) options. This is a problem in your life right now, but a great problem to solve. If you are healthy, you have many, many options. Be courageous. Good luck!

mcbealer's avatar

pepdub’s and 8lightminutesaway’s flutherings rock….
Another tidbit that’s opened up worlds is to find a cause that’s meaningful to you and volunteer.

syz's avatar

I agree with travel – I try to pick somewhere dramatically different from my normal locale, even if I don’t think I can afford it. With research, I usually find a way to do it. Last year I went to Belize and the year before that, Alaska.

BirdlegLeft's avatar

I’m going to flip things for a minute and have the group look at the other side of routine. I call it chaos. I am married and have two young boys(8 and 10). My time I’d mo longer my time, but their time. My wife are constantly wrangling with our schedules to fit everything into the day. And, it only gets worse the older children get. More interests, more things to do. Don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t have of any other way. But, I go to bed worn out every night. I may be one of the few here who actually craves a little routine.

mcbealer's avatar

If you’d like to do some reading on this there was a life coach who was just on the Today show. She is a life coach named Martha Beck. Her book is a bestseller and she’s also been featured on Oprah. It’s called, “Steer by Starlight: How to Get the Life You Want“http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/s.html/105–4302511-5872402

mcbealer's avatar

Sorry I couldn’t get the link right above. Please disregard the URL, it’s wrong.

gailcalled's avatar

Tonight, around midnight, if the sky is clear, look at the moon and Mars (the red star to its left). That’s a small start.

El_Cadejo's avatar

Fixed the link for you mcbealer.

peedub's avatar

Every once and a while I will get off on a random subway stop just to see what it looks like. Interesting how the landscape can change so much in a matter of minutes.

mcbealer's avatar

thanks uberbatman

skfinkel's avatar

I try and get something I’ve never bought before each time I go shopping for food.

Answer this question

Login

or

Join

to answer.

This question is in the General Section. Responses must be helpful and on-topic.

Your answer will be saved while you login or join.

Have a question? Ask Fluther!

What do you know more about?
or
Knowledge Networking @ Fluther