Getting Out Of A Rut

Routines are excellent mechanisms to allow you to get into a productive rhythm. When you’re in practice, routines allow you to get things done quickly and efficiently to the point where you can eventually put yourself on autopilot and do it correctly.

But that’s really the issue, isn’t it? When your routine is all you have, it gets very stale very quickly doing the same thing day in and day out. This is what we call “falling into a rut”, when your daily routine feels like what your life is all about in a given moment.

So what do you do about it if this sounds like what has happened to you? Simple, it means you need to put some creativity back into your life. Break out of the routine and find something new for you to experiment on. If I take my reading pastime as an example, many people know me as an avid reader of science fiction and fantasy. If I needed to break out of my routine, perhaps I would pick up a book from the mystery section, or perhaps the fiction section as a whole, rather than limiting myself to this particular genre. As the saying goes, variety is the spice of life!

You could also revisit something that you haven’t done in a very long time. I used to play soccer a lot when I was younger, and just being able to take a soccer ball out and kick it around with a bunch of friends allowed me to relive some of the good memories I had and remembered from those times, and I got to experience it with a number of people I currently care about. If your friends are willing, you could also teach them about something you’re passionate about, as someone’s unbridled enthusiasm and passion tends to be infectious.

It also doesn’t have to stop at your existing pastimes, try something you’ve never or rarely done before. Always wanted to try baking a cake? Go for it! Never learned how to ride a bicycle? No time like the present! Trying something you’ve never done before tends to make some of the best lasting memories, as the fresh experience frequently captures your full attention in the moment.

Tired of your surroundings? Go on a trip! It doesn’t have to be far, even a day trip to a place you’ve never been before can be a world of help to improving your mental state. See if some of your friends want to join you, and make a day of it out in the great outdoors, or even at a special event taking place somewhere else. Having fresh scenery or surroundings is a great way to break yourself out of the feeling that you’re stuck doing the same thing over and over again.

These are only a few ways that can get you started towards feeling like new again. What are some of the best ways you use to get yourself out of a rut?