Routine when there's no routine
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I don't know about you, but I follow way too many "influencers" and wellness bloggers. It's amazing to see how many there actually are out there. They all look great, have the time to drink a beautiful smoothie in the morning, after a workout, after packing a healthy lunch, and without being late to work or stress about traffic. WOW. It is pretty inspiring.
What do they all have in common and swear by?
Routines.
They all suggest that you have a routine. A morning routine. A night routine. A workout routine. A practice routine. A skincare routine. A meal plan routine.
And I just want to insert the confused emoji here and scream: What about the times you don't have the time for a routine?! Are you supposed to just fall apart and fail in life?
I'm talking about people who try to do it all: teach, run to a gig, do some admin work, practice, and teach again. We don't really have a strict schedule and it's far from a 9-5 kind of day. Every day looks different and too packed to insert all these lovely routines.
While the routine plan sounds good, it's not always practical for musicians, so we don't even try.
I'm here to brainstorm a few suggestions to find a mini routine, for routine-challenged people:
1. A routine can last a minute: It can be a "centering routine" like taking deep breaths to meditate or make a to do list for the day.
2. In order to save time, combine routines: find a productive routine that can also help your mental state of mind. For example, a skincare routine (taking off makeup, washing face...) can be a relaxing routine. You are "washing the day off" physically and mentally.
3. Sometimes you just have to be consistent: Even if you don't have the time for a full-length routine, just do as much as your time allows. For example, you want to run every other day, but one day you don't have the time to meet your distance goal. Instead of not running at all (and sitting on the couch and watching Netflix for 20 minutes) go around the block, even if it's less than a mile. You will get some endorphins, move a little, and not break the routine.
4. Prioritize routines: Which routine will make you feel at your best? It might be a work-out routine or a stretching routine, but for others a better sleep routine might be more necessary. Figure out what are the routines that are important for YOU, and do those before anything else
5. Find a way to make routines cost effective: Thanks to social media, some routines look fancy and glamorous, but real routines are not about money. Some people choose to spend money and feel like they have to find the quickest way to achieve their goals by going to an expensive gym, eating out all the time, or splurging on a fancy powder that is supposed to fix everything in life. They put money where they lack motivation. But trust me, you can do simple cheap routines without spending anything.
6. Plan ahead: You can set your heart on an amazing routine but never find the time to execute it. Start with a short routine and force yourself to find time. Try scheduling it in your calendar, on your phone, or even with an alarm. Still can't find the time for it? Try waking up 5 minutes earlier for it. Can't get out of bed? Hide the alarm clock somewhere that forces you to stand up out of bed.
7. It's not "all or nothing", but what's enough for you, today. You have to be forgiving to yourself and remember that musicians are not normal people. This is what excites us to follow this path as a career of course! Choose one or two easy routines and see if you can consistently maintain them. The next step is to add another new routine one at a time, or maybe even just expand on an old one.