Week 1, Nudge 1 = "Change My Routine"

This is the first week of my 52 Nudges project.

NUDGED: "Change my routine"

BACKSTORY: I have my schedule planned out by the minute. I do the same thing at the same time each day, with little variation, for the past few years. While I love this predictability, I wanted to see what happened when my schedule was altered. Could I be flexible and go with the flow, or would it totally throw me off for the entire week? Would it help me to avoid going through the motions on autopilot? Would I find better ways of doing things?

QUOTE: "Insight and discovery are most accessible to us when we break up our routine. Only when the brain is confronted with stimuli that it has not encountered before does it start to reorganize perception." - Gregory Berns, as quoted in "Thrive" by Arianna Huffington

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: I made some changes to my schedule, which may not seem like big adjustments, but were a bit uncomfortable for a planner like me! Deep breaths.

• On Sunday night, I stayed active by walking on the treadmill instead of lounging on the couch in front of the television. It felt good to move, even when I thought I was too tired. WIN!
• On Monday morning, I used my normal Bible study time for a time of writing and prayer. It was a struggle for me as my brain did not want to cooperate. Not enough coffee. 
• On Monday evening, I parked in a different part of the parking lot for Bible study, then sat in a different place in the sanctuary. My discussion group met in a different classroom that night as a coincidence. I actually did alright with all the changes, but struggled to find my car afterward. :)
• I didn't go home for lunch on Tuesday or Wednesday, as is my normal schedule. Tuesday I stayed at work and talked to coworkers and read as I ate my lunch. Wednesday I had lunch with my Dad. I really enjoyed both of these days with the extra interactions. I felt less stressed as I didn't have to rush home and back, and deal with a stubborn dog. The hour seemed longer! (Sidenote: Dog was fine.)
• On Wednesday, I felt crabby with a situation that seemed out of my control. I later realized that the reason it was upsetting me so much was because it would require a change to my schedule. Ha! I decided to accept the change and see what happens. 
• I spent Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings doing different activities than I normally would. My normal schedule would include getting tasks done at home or reading, but instead I got my hair cut and colored, visited with a family member, and played with our nieces. All were good changes to sitting at home!!
• On Friday morning, my normal routine was changed as I made caramel rolls for my coworkers. This meant I did everything in a different order and at a different time in the morning to allow time to make food. I realized later this change meant I forgot to do normal tasks that are habits in my routine, like putting on deodorant and brushing my teeth. Oops. Coworkers, I hope the yummy caramel rolls made up for my smelly self! 
•  I slept in until 7am on Sunday, which is later than I normally do. It felt good to get some extra sleep but I wasn't as productive in the morning with the lost hour. 

LESSONS LEARNED: So strict routine or flexible schedule? Yes. Both. I learned I need both routine and flexibility. I thrive on structure and need it so I don't forget to do things (deodorant!!). But, I also need to hold my routine loosely and be more open to interruptions which add fun to my life. The schedule changes allowed me time to nurture connections with other people (awesome!) but made me forget to take care of other necessary tasks (paying bills) when I was out of my routine. 

NEXT UP: I pulled the next nudge today that I will be working on this week - "try a new recipe". I haven't been cooking suppers often as I am blessed with a husband who gets home before me and handles it. I also haven't tried new recipes for awhile, so it will be interesting. I am going to challenge myself!