We moved over the summer, and although it was an overwhelmingly positive experience and something we had been looking forward to for a long time, the process left me drained and overwhelmed. I've been struggling with reestablishing my routines and habits in this new environment. Although I knew things would be difficult, I didn't anticipate how long the disruption would continue.
We often find ourselves off track when new external stressors come into our lives. It's normal and understandable to struggle with routines under these circumstances. The question becomes, "How do we get back on track?"
Note: Please understand that if you are experiencing a crisis, this isn't the time to push yourself further. Do what you can to care for yourself and your immediate responsibilities. Anything else can come later.
Like most things we talk about here, figuring out what's happening will involve some introspection. Where exactly are things going awry? For instance, I've been short-circuiting my morning routine by reaching for my phone first thing. I thought I had broken that habit for good!
After finding the departure point, we need to ask ourselves what we can change. How can this unwanted behavior or distraction be interrupted? In my personal example, I could start using a traditional alarm clock instead of my phone's alarm. I could also charge my phone in a different room overnight, so it would no longer be physically at hand when I get up in the morning.
Try to think of other ways to change what you're doing. What's another supportive behavior that could help? I could check tomorrow's to-do list during my nightly wind-down routine to ensure I don't miss any early morning priorities, regardless of whether my phone is nearby.
These steps may not be a perfect solution, but they're a place to start. It's always possible to experiment with other things and adjust over time.
Challenge:
This week's challenge is for those of us who have experienced a recent shake-up. I encourage you to find a way to interrupt a habit or behavior preventing you from resuming your previously established routines. Decide where you think you're going off track and find a way to alter that. Experiment until you find something that works, and take some time when you review your week to see what progress you've made (or didn't make). Approach yourself with compassion. You're doing the best you can! (You can also review this post for some other steps to take.) For those of you who haven't experienced any significant changes lately, I'd like to challenge you to add something beneficial to your morning or evening routine, as in this older post.