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This week I’ve started noticing just how routine my life is. Wake up, work out, get ready, eat breakfast, go to class, head to work, eat lunch, work some more, go home, do homework, eat dinner with my husband, more homework, watch Netflix, go to bed. It was probably because I had just spent the week prior in anything but a routine. That’s what vacations are good for. I haven’t always been much of a routine person, but I’m learning the ways that routines and schedules have made my life better. On the other hand I’m learning why I partly stayed away from them for so long.

There are a lot of great things about being in a routine; like knowing the flow of my day and being able to plan ahead. There’s a comfort that comes with being in a routine. It’s nice to know that there’s time in my day for all of the things I need to get done. I came to the realization that schedules and lists actually give me more free time. In the past, making a schedule hasn’t been my cup of tea, but learning that time management is the key to more free time made me a list maker.

Although routines and schedules are a necessity for some people, they don’t always allow for spontaneity. Earlier I mentioned not really being much of a routine person. I prided myself on not knowing what a weekend or night would hold, keeping my options open to whatever I deemed the best use of my time. My life was full of randomness, surprises, and last minute decisions; which I enjoyed.

I look back on the years where I had little responsibility and lots of free time as a wonderful time in life. I learned a lot and had a lot of fun. With all of the great memories that came from that time in my life, I’m thankful for where I am now. My life is full of richness and great relationships. I don’t let routines, schedules, or lists dictate my life, but they help me accomplish more in a day. There are places and times in our life for both routines and spontaneity, we need both to survive. Have the flexibility with yourself to leave your schedule or skip a chore on the list. Don’t forget the list though, because schedules and routines are the outlines to full a life.

Shaylea Brown

Author Shaylea Brown

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