My daughter had a job interview yesterday. She called me afterwards. She brought up a compelling point. They asked her how she handles stress or pressure on the job.
“I go to a private place, take a deep breath and shake it out. Then the anxiety leaves and I can prioritize what needs to be done,” she said.
She told me that was exactly what she did before the interview. She followed her pre-race routine. I’ve seen it a million times. She would stand behind the blocks, shake out her right arm, her left arm. Put her right leg on the blocks and stretch, repeat with the left leg.”
I remembered taking golf lessons when my kids were toddlers. My golf pro established a pre-hit routine for me. Each time I “addressed the ball” I would take two baseball swings with my golf club to loosen up. I’d take a deep breath and stand over the ball.
If you watch swimming, golf, or other sports — you’ll notice most athletes have a routine before they move. It frees their mind from thinking. It’s a signal to put their game face on and react physically, letting go of negative thoughts or any thoughts at all.
Six or seven years ago, I read “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron, former wife of Martin Scorsese. She preached about morning routines. I began morning pages back then and have stuck with the routine. When I wake up, I reach for a journal and write three pages of whatever is on my mind. It can be a to do list, about my dreams, my prior day or anything that jumps into my brain. It releases anxiety and clears my head for more creativity.
Also, my morning routine includes prayer and a walk.
I feel centered and grounded and ready to carry on for the rest of the day.
What routines do you have in your life? What benefits do you see?
My life would be nothing without routine. They help me survive when life doesn’t go as planned, which is always…
Isn’t that the truth. Routines can keep us grounded when life goes crazy.
On Sunday and Wednesday evenings I take the trash cans to the curb. On Monday and Thursday I wait for them to be emptied and I bring them in. Everything else is done when I am damn good and ready. Such is retirement.
Love it 🙂
I used to walk in the morning before my foot started to give me trouble. I hope to start again!
I hope you can too!
I am keeping my fingers crossed
LOL -I have coffee in the morning. I change my routine based on Summer/Winter/Fall/Spring. I get bored if my routine is set in stone, EXCEPT for the coffee, that’s a ritual. :). Great photo of your daughter, hope she gets job if that’s what she wants.
My routine changes a bit due to seasons and outdoor temps. Thank you for the well wishes for my daughter
Routine is quite therapeutic for me. My youngest and I are both neurodivergent, so our routine is something we can count on every day.
I think routines help all of us. Routines give comfort and structure to our days.
Yes, they do!
👍🏼
Coffee, walking, writing is my current routine but I shake it up all the time – not the coffee or writing just the walking! 💕C
Now that I’m home, I added kicking in the pool after my walk 😊
That’s a good destressing routine.