We tend to repeat the same old patterns every day.
We have a routine, from the moment the alarm goes off. We get things done in the same sequence. We see the day through the same set of lenses. We have our weekday lenses and our weekend lenses.
There is nothing inherently wrong about this, except that it makes it hard for us to see or do anything different or new. We get stuck in a rut, driven by fixed perceptions.
One of the most fixed events in many people’s lives is the daily commute. Watch this video and see how perceptions of a metro ride can be reframed. (And thank you, Faith Attaguile, for bringing this to my attention through your Google+ post.)
Of course, we should be so lucky to have musicians from the Copenhagen Philharmonic playing for us. But look at the details, and see how things changed.
The young man who took his earbuds out, breaking the frame of his usual commute.
The look of wonder on a child’s face.
The smiles, everywhere, across all ages and cultures.
My perception of one young player who just didn’t “look” like he was a professional violin player…reframed.
The way people paused on the platform, at the end, almost unwilling to walk away and lose the moment.
For everyone on that train, the musicians included, their day was reframed.
So how about you and me? How can we reframe our days?
To my mind, it’s all about breaking the routine. And that’s a tough one, because my routine is what makes me productive. So I have to keep a balance. I use routine to get a lot of work done. But…when I feel myself falling into a funk, or getting stale, or lacking in creative ideas, I break that routine. Just for a while.
I’ll do little things, like grabbing breakfast out, instead of eating at home. Or listening to some music before I start work, because usually I don’t. Or sitting in the garden for 30 minutes when I “should” be working. Or working from the dining room table, instead of my office desk. Maybe I’ll phone someone. Or email an old friend. Maybe I’ll “waste” 20 minutes on an art or poetry website. Or I’ll stay away from social media sites until after lunch.
No, it’s not the same as listening to the Copenhagen Philharmonic. But nudging yourself away from the usual routine can bring a fresh perspective to your day. And a fresh perspective can lead to doing better work.
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About the author: Nick Usborne is an online writer, copywriter, author and coach. Read more…
Wonderful post Nick. Thank you for being so generous with your knowledge.
Proverbs 11: 25 The generous soul will itself be made fat, and the one freely watering [others] will himself also be freely watered.
Thanks Nick, good post.
I’d also say that you don’t necessarily need to justify that breaking your routine will lead to better work – it’s just one of the perks of being a freelancer, so make the most of it!
Great advice. Even just slowing down, getting out of your head and paying more attention to your surroundings can be a great help when that terrible “I’m trapped in a rut” feeling really starts to descend… an occupational hazard of being a writer, I guess!