Being an entrepreneur creates a totally different lifestyle than that of a work-life where you go to an environment each day with the expectation of clocking in and out. This is a routine where you commit to working for a business, company or individual and in exchange, you receive a regular paycheck. Each pay period is summarized, taxed and appropriately processed and the proceeds of your hard work are spent on housing, food, activities and fun! An entrepreneur does basically the same except they may have different hours, develop bookkeeping practices to manage the income, and their routine might be very different. There is no right way to work in the world, only different ways. One might offer more security while the other offers more risk.
There is something about being an entrepreneur that requires trust in oneself and the need for self-discipline. An entrepreneur may find themselves mixing up their routines. Routine is sometimes harder to grasp and maintain, and structure can often go out the window. Many 9-5 type jobs may feel this when it seems like you are always putting out fires. Like a firefighter, they clock in regularly and yet they never know when they will be put to the task of putting out a fire. Their job is instrumental in practicing a daily routine, all while expecting it will be derailed!
How often have you had a conversation with a retired person, or a farmer, or a health care worker and they say, “what is a weekend?” Weekends were developed with our industrialized factory workforce and the increase in office jobs. I remember my mother always saying someone had a good job when they worked in the bank. We often would hear, if someone came in at 10 a.m. that they were working “banker’s hours”. The bank routinely opened at 10 a.m. in the olden days and closing at 3 p.m. gave the impression of a shorter workday. I have heard it said teachers, as well, are seen to have it good because they only work 9 – 3:30 and have summers off. Any teacher I speak to there is much more to their routine than that! Weekends over the past century have been carved out as factory work came more into play. Each day the alarm would ring, coffee time, dress and head out the door to work. Arrive, punch the time clock, put widgets on whats-its for eight hours, then home for dinner, sleep and start all over again. The weekend represented a change and the opportunity to enjoy pleasurable activities and leisure time. The routine of the week was shattered. A few drinks, a party or two, sleeping in and then back to it on Monday morning, some hungover from too much fun.
That said, retirement is often filled with an abundance of leisure that makes for a long day. How does a person fill 24 hours and days on end when the former routine is lost? Working filled much time and it was the perception that the routine was cast aside, and the stolen moments of freedom are what was longed for by the working person. A desire to let go of routine and simply live moment to moment is enticing until it is granted and the hunger for boundaries and routine set themselves in. This past week I was determined Tuesday was Wednesday because my entrepreneurial routine was changed. All-day I was determined to the extreme I called a client, leaving a message wondering why she was not available for our scheduled weekly call. I got an email shortly thereafter asking if we had changed the day because being it is Tuesday she wondered if she had missed a memo! I realized then it was Tuesday not Wednesday and because of a change in routine, the day had totally escaped me.
Routine is critical for human beings because we are creatures of habit and our brains are so wired they love to build a rut and have you stay in it. There is no thinking involved. If the conscious mind offloads the pattern to the unconscious then the conscious can be lazy. When we change routine, do things out of the norm, or walk a different path, we must think about it and that takes mental acuity.
When I think about this, I remember back in the ’90s when a man I knew quit smoking. He told me he had to change his drive to work because his pattern and habit of lighting up at certain places along his route was so strong the drive was unbearable. Changing the route helped him to quit. I know when I began seriously thinking about removing alcohol from my life I had to watch, learn and listen to my patterns to see where I would get caught. I had to watch my life with alcohol before I could begin to think about life without it. I routinely reached for a wine glass just like my friend reached for his package of cigarettes.
So much of what we do is built into routine and patterns in our lives. For those who drive a standard car with a stick shift, how often have you thanked the seatbelt as you drove the brake to the floor thinking it was the clutch when driving an automatic? Or lay your hand on the gear shift ready to gear down at a stop sign? Does the thought of having a cup of tea in the morning or hot chocolate feel completely out of the question, simply because you habitually prepare coffee? How often do you walk in the door, hang up your keys, your coat and put your boots in the closet and 10 minutes later not even realize you did so? This is known as ‘unconscious competence’ and as we put our lives into a routine, the ruts become deeper and our lives become more predictable.
As this new year takes off and you are looking back, just 21days, at the resolutions you wanted to make, remember routine and habit are more than willpower can change. Take the time and awareness to begin noticing the habitual behaviours that no longer serve you. Do you fall into patterns that you would like to change? Grabbing a bag of chips and a beer as you kick back to watch your favourite program? Laying down on the couch when you get home before you decide what is for dinner and then finding yourself eating at 8 p.m.? Nit-picking at children or partners just because it’s what you usually do to get them to comply? Are all your good intentions steeped in deep-seated routines that feel so hard to change?
Humans are creatures of habit. Being aware of these habits and routines is the first step to change. Dreaming about change is a great start, however, at some point, there needs to be some physical action taken to break the pattern. Change up simple things. Put the remote in a different location as a reminder to put dinner on before you sit down. Have your warm coat, mitts and comfortable boots waiting for you as you walk in the door to shift over to for a quick 15-minute walk after work. Tack on five full-body stretches as you wait for the kettle to boil, reaching for the stars! Routine is what we pine for, entrepreneurs and hourly workers alike. It all takes routine and discipline to feel fulfilled and to stay in line with our own needs. Watch your day, be aware of mindless activities and actions. Smell the air, feel the warmth in the sun watching for the new moon this week and then pay attention as it waxes its way to a full smile on Feb. 16, 2022 … a moonlight hike is always a great way to change your habits. As I move into building my routine to prepare for two races and overnight solo hikes in 2022 … I am right there with you, baby!
Cynthia Breadner is a grief specialist and bereavement counsellor, a soul care worker and offers specialized care in Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy with special attention as a cognitive behavioural therapy practitioner and trauma incident resolution facilitator. She volunteers at hospice, works as a LTC chaplain and is a death doula, assisting with end-of-life care for clients and family. She is the mother part of the #DanCynAdventures duo and practices fitness, health and wellness. She is available remotely by safe and secure video connections, if you have any questions contact her today! [email protected] breakingstibah.com
