Stick to the Routine

Holla,

One of the biggest things that bothered me while I was still gainfully employed was the day-to-day routine. I would wake up around the same time each morning, shower, get dressed, and head out the door to grind away. At my last job, I had specific tasks for each day of the week. Reporting one day, confirmations the next, and constant verification of numbers throughout the week. I would head home each night, hit the gym, and enjoy a couple of hours of relaxation with the roommates to bring the day to an end.

Within the larger-scale routine, I had countless smaller patterns. I had specific work outfits that I would wear each day, I would always get a Diet Coke just after 10 am, I ate virtually the same lunch every day, as well as many others. After a time, I had routinized every part of my life during the work week, making my life a blurred series of tasks and contributing to me feeling like the walking dead.

When I left the corporate environment, I envisioned my life being a series of distinct events. I may try rock climbing one day and writing a book the next. Maybe I would travel around the country on a train, chronicling my events in the next great American novel (If you would like to contribute to this endeavor, I'm still on board).

The problem with this plan is that, after a while, money starts to become a concern. I spent a summer in Chicago, doing virtually nothing. I had a great time, however I earned approximately $0 for my efforts. When I moved to San Diego in October, I told myself that it was time to start getting paid. I needed to start going to sleep earlier, exercising on regular basis, and, most importantly, get a job.

The first step that I took to accomplish these tasks was to create a list. One of the most important life-lessons that my father taught me: Make Lists. I have continued to make lists throughout the winter and into the spring. My list for today looks like this:

9:00 am - Wake up, run
10:00 am - Search Craigslist, apply to three positions
11:00 am - Write article
12:00 pm - Get Diet Coke, eat lunch
1:00 pm - Shower, clean room
2:00 pm - Write blog
3:00 pm - Gym
4:00 pm - Grocery Store
5:00 pm - Write article, emails, etc.
6:00 pm - Make tacos
7:00 pm - Softball

That's all that I have for today. My lists have been similar to this for several months now. If I don't accomplish the tasks that I've laid out for the day, I'm upset with myself. My OCD will start to rear its ugly head.

What I've noticed is that, even outside of the corporate environment, I've created a routine for myself. I'm back into the blur that was my life before entering the Line. My sub-routines are even starting to take shape. I have a specific sequence that I perform my tasks during the day, I eat a very similar lunch every day, and Diet Coke is still a steady part of the equation.

In an effort to add some color to the day to day, I'm determined to try or experience something new each week. Something that I've never tried before in my life, which is relatively inexpensive at the same time. Maybe surfing, or rapping, or mountain biking. Something that I can remember when I look back at 2009. That was the year that I wrote my first movie. Or that was when my successful acrobatic career began.

Hopefully these efforts will make their way into my routine in order to spice things up a bit. I need to shake things up a bit. I will try to note what my new skill of the week is going to be within the blog. It's a life revolution.

More to come...