It’s February 9, 2019, and we’re completely snowed in. For Seattleites, that’s a low threshold of course, but this is the real deal. There’s no way to drive out of the neighborhood even with all wheel drive. Walking in the snow is stymied and reduced to a robotic sequence: stand; lift your foot; put foot down; pause; repeat.
It’s Saturday. For many people, waking up in the dark, peering outside, and concluding that running or even driving to the gym is impossible is a fortuitous event. They just go back to sleep without a moment of angst or guilt.
But not me. That’s not what I do on Saturdays. Unless I’m travelling, I meet my running group, take a run, decompress afterwards with coffee and conversation, and then drive to my office in Seattle. I spend five or six contented hours getting all manner of essential stuff done that got pushed aside by the busyness of the work week.
That’s just what I do. It’s imbedded in my psyche and solidified by years of repetition.
I’m not going to lie. Staying home snow-bound drives me crazy. I don’t just dislike deviating from my routine; it makes me anxious. I worry about the slippery slope that I’ve slid down far too many times in my past; when lack of accomplishment led to grumpiness which led to lethargy which led to depression; not just the blues, but the I-am-a-horrible-person-and-I-can’t-get-out-of-bed depression.
But I’ve learned a lot about myself over the years, and exercise has played a big role. Exercising every single day boosts my endorphins, reduces stress, and improves my mood for hours afterwards. I leveraged the power of an exercise habit to other areas of my life, and I use routine and delayed gratification to keep me happy, energetic, and productive.
So today, while I’ll give Mother Nature a deferential nod, I set out to replicate, as closely as possible, the day that I would have had if it hadn’t snowed. I take a 40-minute walk before settling in with coffee. I clean the study before having breakfast. I fill my water jug and make sure it is empty before noon. I write this blog post before lunch. I have business reading planned for this afternoon, followed by dog walking and dinner. I’ll root for the Washington Huskies basketball team on television after dinner but only after lifting free weights.
If I seem rigid and unspontaneous, you got me there! But a planned day with periodic task completions followed by rewards makes me feel calm. The power of habit doesn’t make me inflexible; it provides the familiar terrain of an orderly life. In a world that often seems chaotic and unpredictable, the gentle grasp of habit feels like a comforting hug.
Find the routine that fits you best and wear it every day.