“Routine keeps me in line

Helps me pass the time ..."

 

(Steven Wilson 2015)

 


With advance apologies - some (much?) of this has been said before. It is though, sufficiently important to me (and indeed, topical) to devote a whole post to the subject. 

 

What I am talking about here, is the importance to Phil v2.0, of day-to-day routine.

 

The reason for its recent relevance and motivation to write this, is the extent to which Christmas and New Year are disruptive of our normal routines.

 

It does of course, disrupt everyone’s normal activities. Mine are perhaps though, a little more shook up than those of many others - for example, my day-to-day care arrangements have been forced temporarily, to change.

 

More importantly though, is (as I’ve said) the great extent, to which a consistent routine is important to me (in many more circumstances than at Christmas).

 

So why is such a lifestyle so important to me?

 

A big reason is that I now suffer from executive dysfunction, by virtue of which I find planning and organisation to be somewhat challenging. A steady, undramatic and predictable life render these issues to be less of a problem.

 

Prior to our current lockdown position, I reflected my sense of routine, through an articulated weekly “planner” document, which set out my proposed activities and exactly, when I planned to engage in them, in some detail.

 

For every new week, the previous planner provided a template - and many items together with a time for performance, went unchanged. Overall, this rather, suited me. A written schedule assisted me in planning and organisation, as much as anything, because it served as a prompt for advance consideration of proposed activity and any desirable, week-by-week, changes.  Subject to any such alterations though, the existence of a partially completed precedent, encourages a regular routine.

 

To me, the importance of this routine, is the fact that any departure from it requires flexibility and thought being given as to how best this can be accommodated. Phil v2.0’s “broken brain” isn’t too good at being flexible! I now, have a rather one-dimensional way of looking at things and find “thinking out of the box” to be rather a challenge. As you might imagine, I have resisted any temptation to enter the gameshow “Only Connect”!

 

Difficulties with flexibility can render it hard for me, to appreciate all the changes that might need to be made. Some may be missed altogether, and attempts to avoid this require a greater degree of consideration than would need to be expended by many others.

 

Strange as it might sound, I find this sort of thing to be rather, psychologically draining.

 

In addition to coming up with a list of appropriate alterations to my normal routine, the extra thought that is needed, in order to plan and implement them, requires yet more, mental energy. 

 

As I’ve said before, mental tiredness will often have a very detrimental effect on my mood and is best avoided.

 

A consistent life, is much less mentally, taxing than an inconsistent one.

 

Writing things down in a planner document, provides the help that I previously mentioned - but it is the tiring, thought process, behind its completion which is actually problematic.

 

So, what can be done about it?

 

My thoughts on this, include the following:

 

·      Try so far as possible, to stick to a routine;

·      when it occurs that flexible planning might be needed, try to save mental energy in other areas. For example, make a point of delaying unnecessary thoughtful, activity. Maybe take some time out, to sit meditatively;

·      unless absolutely necessary don’t try and sort things out, all at once.  Maybe just jot down a few notes as a future reminder, and take my time over it; and

·      ask for help - not always easy for me, as it feels like an admission of weakness. Must try harder!

 

 


 

 

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