Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Daily Routines

Am I the only one who has created milestones and routines in their work day to facilitate a sense of movement from the beginning of the day to the end of the day? I am not talking about anything as lofty as the “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”. I’m talking about small stages in the day that help you realize that the hands of the wall clock are moving and time is not frozen in the eternal now. Now, I like my job and I enjoy my co-workers. That being said, I do not mind coming to work every day. However, I also do not mind leaving work every day. I am a creature of habit. When I arrive at work each morning I immediately launch into my morning routine. The first milestone is about 9:00 AM when I have a Diet Coke and some peanut butter crackers at my desk. My second milestone is about 10:00 AM when I go downstairs to the first floor of my building and I walk as many laps as I can during my morning break. The next milestone is lunch. It may be a solitary bowl of soup at my desk or lunch with a friend at a nearby restaurant. The last milestone of the day is in the mid afternoon when I try to once again go downstairs and walk as many laps as I can during my afternoon break. Although I am literally going in circles when I walk, it energizes me and I am more motivated when I return to my desk. Walking also prevents me from feeling too much like the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz when he’s been caught in a summer rain and his oil can is out of reach. None of this is complicated or deep but it does help me to alleviate occasional boredom, fatigue, and general restlessness.

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