How to Shake Things Up and Keep Things Fresh (And Keep Your Good Habits)

Routine is great, right? I think so. Every morning, more or less, I do the same things. I wake up early, work out, eat breakfast, go to work, come home, play with the kids, do more work, watch Doctor Who . . .

It's a great routine. It works for me. I have lots of tasks on virtual autopilot and, even though I'm rather busy, I manage to stay on top of things (more or less).

But, let's face it, routines can get a little boring. Boredom is dangerous and you should be wary of it. When you're bored, you're in peril of becoming disengaged with your routine, which means that your good habits may go by the wayside.

That would be shame.

The only solution is to shake things up within your routine. It can be a small shake up or a big shake up, that's up to you. For me, I do things like reversing the sequence of my weight routine (a good idea anyways apparently), or switching the treadmill that I use when I run. These are small changes, I know, but when you're doing something day after day, small variations can be enough. Heck, even grabbing a locker in a different part of the change room can help!

Here are some tips for you to keep things fresh:

1. Switch the times that you do things. This can't work for all good habits (like having a good breakfast) but for some it will (doing the crossword in the evening vs. the morning).

2. Switch things up inside a routine. If you run a certain route through the neighborhood, try reversing it. Or switch the sequence of post-run stretches.

3. Think about other behaviours that you'd like to include in your good habit routines. Pick on one at a time and start to work them in. Maybe you want to include more fish in your diet, or maybe you want to start some core strengthening exercises. I urge you to use caution in working in new bits to your routine. You don't want to do too much too soon, but *some* change is good.

Yes, some change is good. It's a great way to ensure that you are engaged in continuous improvement and to keep things fresh besides!

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