Routines only really became an essential part of my life during lockdown. With no school, no activities, and the inability to see my friends face to face I needed a schedule to keep me busy. As a result, I gave myself tasks, and even if they weren’t necessary, I would log them on my calendar. Each day from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. my days were meticulously planned. I gave myself 30 minutes to get out of bed and prepare for my morning “gym classes” (these were just zooms or YouTube videos). I gave my meals and meal prep time slots in my calendar and even mapped out time to take random classes to feel like I was at school. Since then, I have continued using my calendars and Google Docs to schedule my life, but I don’t plan my minutes like during lockdown.
Now, I focus on my morning routines and try to keep them consistent. While not positive, I run on anxiety, so routine is necessary to keep me grounded. I can quickly adapt to new places as long as I establish a morning routine to start my days off feeling as though I have done something productive. Feeling productive, as strange as it sounds, allows me to actually be productive later and finish the work I need to get done.
I always need a routine, but I am not afraid to change it as my life changes. While my morning routine in Oxford does not involve waking up at 5 a.m., I still try to start early because that is when I am the most focused. My morning routine isn’t perfect, and it’s not perfectly the same each day, but having some sense of what I am doing once I wake up is necessary to keep me functioning.
Just like my morning walks, coffee is an integral part of my routine in Oxford. However, it isn’t the coffee itself; it’s the ritual of visiting a cafe, seeing the same people, sitting in the same spot, and talking with friends. Taking time to slow down and focus on relaxing can be difficult, but my cafe runs force me to do that very thing. The well-crafted drink is merely a bonus.
Ricardo, one of my favorite baristas at Society Cafe, doesn’t know me personally but still knows my coffee schedule. When I show up later than usual, he isn’t afraid to comment on it. Sometimes, my routines become so routine that even others notice when I do something different.
Another part of my routine is talking to my friends at home. We group Facetime every day, but the people vary based on availability. I am always glad to catch up with a friend. Like my coffee routine, talking to my friends brings me joy and adds structure to my day.
While routines are healthy, I am working on becoming more adaptable. I can sometimes be so caught up in sticking to routines that when things don’t go to plan, it can change the course of my entire day. Waking up even an hour late can completely change my mood and productivity. I want to keep up with my morning routine, but I don’t want the quality of my morning to dictate the rest of my day.
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