Ideal habits and routines

Don’t let ‘perfect’ be the enemy of ‘good enough’.

I’ve spent a lot of time experimenting with different habits and routines and have settled into one that works well for me. It’s not perfect, but I know what ideal looks like in my context.

However, knowing what works best means that I can feel despondent when the situation doesn’t meet those conditions. For example, I almost always feel better about my day when I have at least an hour to write. But there are days that fill up with meetings and admin, where I only have small pockets of time available for writing.

On those days, it’s all too easy to look at the 20-30 minute slot and feel like I needn’t bother. Because it’s not ideal.

But that misses the point.

The point of an ideal routine is that it’s something to aim for, not something that’s required. The fact is, if I write for 5–10 minutes and get a couple of sentences onto the page, I’ve moved the project forward. It’s not ideal, but it’s a step in the right direction.

Just because you have a sense of what works well, doesn’t mean that nothing else will work at all. Remember that the ideal routine is not the only routine.


Found this post useful? Stay connected with Head Space via the newsletter or blog, or share it with your colleagues on social media.


More posts

Comments

Leave a comment