Routine vs Novelty

 

No pleasure endures unseasoned by variety.”

Publius Syrus

Greek Philosopher

I have a love/hate relationship with routine. On the one hand I crave it’s safety and comfort, and yet on the other hand I will always eventually end up tossing it aside for the novelty my life seems to demand. 

Each time I move somewhere new the excitement of the unknown calls my name, but within a matter of weeks I have settled into a routine. I know exactly what route to take, where to shop, how to spend my days. The rut begins to take shape, and I happily allow it. 

I have since learned that our brain responds to routine with hits of dopamine, kind of like a tootsie roll mini. Our brain actually begins to form new neural pathways as we establish routines. 

According to Dan Erickson, “These pathways are like the brain’s internal map-the more we use certain trails the stronger and more developed they become.”

As much as I might get discouraged with my lack of novelty, it seems I’m hard-wired to do so. That being said I also know that novelty can spur creativity and ingenuity. So apparently there is room for both in my life. 

I think being more in tune with the routines, and being willing to shake things up every once in a while is the key. As easy as it is to fall into the routine of eating the same lunch over and over, eventually it gets old. My lack of motivation stems from a lack of creativity. 

Rather than rely on the tried and true life becomes so much more interesting when I step out of my well-defined comfort zone and embrace something new and different. 

Designer and philosopher Alexandra Stoddard reminds us, “The key is not to be rigid and inflexible as you go about your regular routine.”

I realized I was guilty of this when inclement weather caused me to miss my weekly car wash. For some reason this bothered me WAY too much. 

This revelation is not totally new to me, but being aware of it, and allowing for more variety in my life will hopefully in the end add to my enjoyment. Do you struggle with the balance between routine and novelty?