Ever find yourself caught in the grip of the daily grind, marching through the same footsteps day in and day out? It’s a familiar journey for many of us, a comforting rhythm that provides stability but can also trap us in a repetitive loop.
Some days we just need to do things a little different to introduce some fun and spontaneity into our lives. Don’t get me wrong – I love my routines but life’s no fun without a little adventure. In this article, we’ll explore the importance of breaking out of routine and some ideas of things to do to break routine.
Table of Contents
The Psychology of Routine: Why Do We Like Routines?
Routines provide us with a sense of order and predictability, creating a comforting cocoon in the chaos of life. Our brain loves the efficiency of habits – it conserves energy by automating repetitive tasks, allowing us to navigate the familiar with minimal cognitive effort.
Having and following routines can make us feel more productive and like we have our lives under control. It’s no surprise then that everybody wants to have the perfect morning routine and is looking for the best routine to wind down at night.
Yet, here is the paradox: as creatures of habit, we may find ourselves confined within the very comfort zone we’ve meticulously crafted. The security of routine can inadvertently lead to complacency, stifling creativity and hindering personal growth.
The Importance of Breaking Routine
Our brains thrive on novelty and stimulation. Breaking out of routine engages your brain in new ways, triggering the release of dopamine, and increasing creativity and motivation. Monotony can be a creativity killer. When your days blend seamlessly into one another, the spark of inspiration can fade, and your innovative spirit may find itself in a bit of a drought. By introducing variety into your life, you’re essentially offering your mind a playground to thrive in.
The key here is understanding that breaking routine isn’t about abandoning structure; it’s about adding a pinch of novelty to stimulate your brain.
20 Ideas of Things To Do To Break Routine
If you are still reading, you are probably convinced of the need to break free from the routine cocoon. But how? Well, here are 20 ideas that I have put together for those days when my brain wants me to do something different.
1. Take a Different Route To Work
Whether you drive, walk or use public transport, try to take a different route to work or try a new mode of transportation. Walk or bike instead of driving if the distance allows. If you are using a new route to walk to work, try to look for cozy coffee shops that you could visit later in the day or even stop for a coffee.
2. Try a Different Breakfast
I don’t know about you but my morning routine is so optimized, that I always have the same food for breakfast on weekdays. If this applies to you too, try having something different instead of your usual breakfast. It doesn’t have to be something complicated. The change can be as simple as having sunny side up eggs instead of scrambled eggs. But of course you can even try a new recipe if you have the time or visit a coffee shop for breakfast.
3. Switch Up Your Exercise Routine
If you regularly go to the gym in the mornings, try going after work or during lunch time. If you are more into fitness classes, try a different class like yoga, dancing or barre. ClassPass can help you discover new fitness classes in your area.
4. Workout in Nature
Take your exercise routine outdoors for a change. You can go running or biking or take your mat to the park for some yoga or resistance training.
5. Change Your Work Environment
If possible, work or study from a different location, like a coffee shop or a co-working space. This is one of my favorite ways to introduce novelty in my routine. I recommend you make a list of coffee shops in your area that offer free wifi. Then, next time you want a change of work environment, you can choose one from your list.
6. Switch Your Desk Setup
An alternative to working from a new location, is to rearrange your workspace for a fresh perspective. This can be your home office or your desk at a corporate office. Spend a few minutes cleaning and organizing and even consider introducing some new office decor.
7. Try a new place for lunch
You probably have a shortlist of places you usually get your lunch from, so try a completely different place for a change or just order something new at your usual place.
8. Explore Your Local Area
Be a tourist in your own city and discover hidden gems! Visit a park, museum, or cafe you’ve never been to before. I’m a transplant in the city I live in right now and I have recently adapted this tourist mindset and discovered how much I didn’t know about this city.
9. Have Coffee With A Coworker Or Friend
Take a break and connect with someone. Getting coffee on your own is also fun, but if this is what you usually do, try asking a coworker or friend to go get coffee together.
10. Attend a Lunch and Learn or Workshop
If you are in school or work for a relatively big company, they probably offer a variety of lunch and learns and workshops opportunities that you don’t even know about. Do your research and shortlist events you’d like to attend. If you work for a smaller company or are self-employed, try joining online affinity groups in your industry. They usually offer online events you can join during the day.
11. DIY Art Session
Switch up your after work or evening routine by spending some time creating art, whether it’s painting, drawing, or crafting. It can be relaxing and stimulating for your brain, especially if your full time job lacks that creativity factor.
12. Cook a New Recipe For Dinner
Try to cook the TikTok recipe you have been wanting to try or cook a dish from a cuisine you’ve never tried before. Or if you are tired of cooking, order take out for a change.
13. Attend a Meetup or Networking Event
Look for networking events or local club meetings to connect with new people who share similar interests. Meetup is a great place to find groups for almost any interest from career oriented clubs to groups just meeting to play board games.
14. Random Book Choice
If you usually stick to the same book genres or even have a list of books to read like me, try something different and go to recommendmeabook.com. This website will give you a random passage from a random book. Read it and if you find it interesting, go to “Reveal Title & Author”, get the book and start reading. If you prefer, you can also go to your library or bookstore and just randomly pick out a book and commit to reading it.
15. Podcast Exploration
Listen to a podcast on a topic you know little about to expand your knowledge. Google podcast about (topic) to find the next podcast to listen to.
16. Listen to a New Playlist
It is fun to have a different playlist for different occasions or moods. It’s like having a soundtrack for your life. If you usually use the same morning routine playlist or the same work from home focus playlist, try a different one this time.
17. Mindful Walking
Take a break and go on a mindful walk, paying attention to your surroundings and senses. Go to a park, the beach or just walk around town if you wish. A nice walk will help clear your thoughts and increase your focus.