The Same Daily Routine
When growing up I always had a fear about working for someone else and that was that one day I would become truly bored and hate my job because everyday the same thing happened. I also know that in life you have to pay the rent and lots of people don’t mind doing the same thing day in and day out. However, what happens if you run your own company and you find yourself starting to fall into the same routine? What mode of escape exists for you?
Now I don’t think everyday at work can be fun, but I do think you can start to see the signs of burnout and when you need a refresher. Maybe you just need to go outside and work from there or start another project that you really have no intention of finishing. I can’t recall meeting anyone that loved what they did and stuck with the same exact thing every single day.
Even worse is when you love what you do, but the people you have to interact with make things unbearable. I know many times a lot of us wish we were rich just so we can do the things we love to do without having to interact with certain people. As a designer you might have finally stepped out on your own and can’t believe you have been given this opportunity to design for a living, but after your first five asshole clients you will question why you even made the decision in the first place.
In a weird and unusual non-Wisdump topic, that is what scares me about marriage as well. The same thing day in and day out, which I know can be changed by mixing things up, but how often do you see that happen? How many marriages end in divorce and how many people stick with one long term job their whole life? Some people are cool with nothing new because they have to do what is needed to get by.
I’m in the very fortunate position of being able to mix up what I do everyday to keep things fresh, but I do occasionally let myself fall into the trap of doing the same thing over and over or simply becoming too complacent and letting the chips fall where they will. It’s the beginning of the month and the weather is nice (at least here) so maybe this is a chance for everyone (if you want to) to spice things up a bit and make some little tweaks to our days to change the feeling we have towards them.
If you love your life and love what you do and never get tired then completely ignore this message and feel free to share your tips on how you encountered utopia.
Y’know, I’ve come across the very same thing just two weeks ago. I realized that I’m tired of two things in my life. First is working with or even knowing people who are unpredictable and unreliable. I see it everywhere - in love, business and friendships. WTF? Why can’t people just keep their word? Second is my clients, and they fall under the first. This has become my “over and over” and I’m struggling with how to change it. The response I’ve gotten when I seek advice from some select people is to “get over it” and “suck it up”. Apparently there is nothing and no one I can count on.
So if you read that and say, “Well, c’mon now…there’s got to be something or someone good out there”, then I suppose that’s all one needs to start seeing the glamour within the gutter.
By Matthew on April 3, 2007 4:11 pm
This question is very familiar and I asked myself this a while back. In the end, it’s as simple as having a life outside of design and work. I think people need to stop DEFINING their LIFE with work. I don’t define myself by how I make my income. Maybe it’s time to start new hobbies?
I volunteer (VoicePrint Canada). I have my hobbies unrelated to computers (like singing and belly dancing). I am trying to learn new sports (raquetball). I am always improving my culinary skills. Etc.
“Mixing it up” at work and relationships only goes so much if you don’t actually have outside interests from either of those that aren’t related.
Also, regarding interacting with people you don’t want to — yeah, that will always happen. But I think it’s possible to apply 80/20 to this. As long as the majority of the peeps you hang with in work and play (80) make you happy, good. If it isn’t, time to do some SERIOUS relationship auditing. :P
By Lea on April 3, 2007 4:52 pm
In regards to the marriage part. You could always give polygamy a go. ;)
By Mick on April 3, 2007 5:31 pm
Matthew: We all look for that glimmer of hope one time.
Lea: Great advice.
Mick: Now you speaking my language.
By Scrivs on April 3, 2007 5:35 pm
We are all looking for something or somebody that will constantly give us satisfaction but will also allow us to do whatever we want as well. Some people want the steady routine marriage, job, circle of friends, saturday afternoon sport, sunday religion for some. Some do not. I’m like you Scrivs in that respect, I really get sick of routine.
The thing is though that nothing is very constant in this world and the only thing that will give us constant satisfaction is the very breath we are breathing right now. Did you know that if you could still your mind you would feel waves of love flowing in and out of you? Now that is SATISFACTION! Slowing the mind down brings you lots of love. Just become more conscious of your breath, it’s your constant companion 24 hours a day, never lets you down, energises, inspires, calms, soothes, relaxes, keeps you in the moment - everything good! A wife, great job, success in business etc can then be seen for what they really are, and you won’t expect the impossible from them. Wherever you go, whatever you do, whoever you are with, you are breathing and always have the opportunity to feel the love that is the true nature of your breath.
There we are, tip shared. I am not saying I never forget my breath because I do. But at least I know I can turn to it and find what I am craving.
By Breath lover on April 3, 2007 6:22 pm
I think we just need to keep in mind the saying, “Variety is the spice of life”.
As long as we have some sort of variety we won’t get bored. Another saying is, “Only boring people get bored”. So keeping things mixed up and fun, not being boring, should ensure that you’ll have the variety in life that’s needed to not get bored with your situation.
By Mick on April 3, 2007 9:42 pm
“I can’t recall meeting anyone that loved what they did and stuck with the same exact thing every single day.”
Then you’ve never met a dentist.
I want in Scrivs!
By aaron on April 3, 2007 10:08 pm
I think marriage isn’t for everyone - it was for me and despite it of course not being easy all the time it is not something I’m bored by. That being said it’s about the person just like work can be - the right people or / and the right work.
I was recently feeling the frustration of a string of samey work, the thing though is that if you are lucky these times are a minor part. I don’t know anyone that can honestly say they are in that utopia, I’m not sure it even exists.
I often forget the one crucial thing which is that through it all I have chosen this path of working for myself for reasons. There is something to be said for taking a break and reminding yourself why you are doing it. Be it a few hours, day or more; taking a break can make you remember what you are doing it for and come back recharged. This is crucial and the thing I all too often forget. It’s true that when you reach that grind factor of work even by taking a break the work will be done - sometimes it’s pointless bashing your head against somethimg as this gives you nothing but a headache.
By karmatosed on April 3, 2007 10:49 pm
[...] Paul Scrivens is penning about busting the daily routine. “what happens if you run your own company and you find yourself starting to fall into the same routine? What mode of escape exists for you?” [...]
By Avoiding Groundhog Day at charisma:18 on April 3, 2007 11:15 pm
when i was a student in university,and when i was trying to get my first job, i told myself i do not just want to be a working machine which only repeats the routine.i want to make everyday different. but reality nevery does as what you like.
maybe to everyone,doing what you need to do is inevitable before being able to do what you like.
By polaris on April 4, 2007 1:17 am
Haha, another one of those similar post days. :)
Hmmm…in relationships “I” don’t get stuck in a rut because I like to switch things up. When people are “stuck” there is a hurdle moving forward: lack of ambition/laziness, moving forward being too “hard” or too much effort, etc. People change and as a couple sometimes it’s hard to change and grow in the same direction. Most times divorce happens because the people are no longer compatible or they never really where in the first place.
Business-wise I normally only get stuck when I am dependent on something/someone to accomplish the goal. With my site I changed domains/design/blogging platforms but that didn’t solve the problem. I changed a lot the past year and the site no longer represents me. I avoid writing…it’s sort of like traveling but not being able to go home. Writing elsewhere isn’t going to fix the problem but it does make me more aware. Thankfully, writing is the smaller part of what I do everyday but it could (should) be more important.
By Tyme White on April 4, 2007 7:27 am
My way of dealing with this problem? Adding up. When I’m bored, I do more stuff. I don’t drop what I did before, I just focus some of my energy on other stuff. This can’t go on forever, and I reckon I’ll start dropping some of the things I do soon (it already happened with my guitar playing). But I’m never bored.
By Stan Schroeder on April 4, 2007 7:38 am
The one surefire way to cure that rut? You need to have kids. Oh, never a dull moment there, and never the same thing twice. ;)
Seriously, though, so many things that were once boring and routine are once again new and interesting after looking at them through the eyes of my children.
By Chris on April 4, 2007 12:27 pm
I was just listening to a Havard Business School (HBS IdeaCast) which discusses this very thing. They call it ‘impasse’.
The author HBS interviews in the latest episode has somethin kinda cool, called the 100 jobs exercise. In it, you’re to list the 100 things you’d like to do for a living. Not what you’d make money at or have a knack to do - only those things which you’d have an interest.
In doing this, and taking a hard look at the simularities, you discover what’s missing now that you’re subconciously seeking to fill.
It’s interesting to listen to. On the front page of iTunes under the business podcasts section.
By Mark on April 4, 2007 1:23 pm
Any idea if there is a link to that as I would love to hear about that further.
*read comment again
Whoops you did show me where it’s at, good looking out Mark.
By Scrivs on April 4, 2007 4:42 pm
Chris: Kids? Nah you can handle that for right now.
By Scrivs on April 4, 2007 4:43 pm
I’ve found that there are only a handful of things to stay truly happy, passionate and active.
- do not work for a business that you don’t believe in - where you’re just a number and your opinions/thoughts/insights go unheard
- surround yourself with people you respect and admire
- flexibility in the workplace ======= happiness. If I can’t blow off work @ 3pm because I’m going to a Red Sox game later that day, I’m in the wrong job.
- have a boss that believes in you enough not to micromanage you and to that effect challenge yourself every single step of the way. People that sit on facebook or myspace all day because they’re ‘bored’ are not self motivated and do not challenge themselves. Self-motivation has a lot more to do with happiness than people focus on.
Long winded response maybe off center from topic a bit, but if you find yourself in the same routine - throw a wrench in the spokes and when you get flung off your bicycle see where you land (It could be a soft patch of grass).
By Kyle Bradshaw on April 5, 2007 8:45 pm
Man that was nice to read. It’s always nice to hear someone say what you feel and to see other people feel it too. I don’t really have any advice or comment because I thinkj I’m int he middle of it as I write for various reasons…
By Natlie ferguson on April 12, 2007 3:45 am
Here’s a link to the harvard business review podcast regarding career impasse:
http://img671.libsyn.com/img671/31b00ca80f53592ef50c29da130c881d/46383eb5/2944/5743/HBR_IdeaCast_36.mp3
By kelly on May 2, 2007 3:49 am