art by fari

I’ve just come home from vacation, feeling ever so energized. Ready for a fresh start, a new routine, and better habits. It’s quite comical that I do this every time I come back home, thinking I now have enough motivation and inspiration to truly begin a life that feels true to me.

It’s not to say that I have never felt satisfied with a routine or the habits that I had slowly created but somehow life always found a way to knock me off the path. Back to the dirt road I go until I find enough will to create a new gravel road. What I truly need is a sidewalk, a firm established path that I will always find. One that I can come back to.

6 months into June and I am ready to turn a new leaf. This time, it will be different. Not because I have found the perfect routine and habits for myself but because I’ve realized the importance of change. There is never a single path to a destination, there are always shortcuts, dead-ends, and pit-stops that one can choose to make. The life that I live does not give me the opportunity to walk a mundane and predictable path. My future will always remain unclear. Where I will be in next month or five years from now, I will never know. So, how can I successfully create a routine and habits for a life that is somewhat always on the move?

Letting Go of the Old Definition of Routine

We often associate routines with a sense of rigidity—something set in stone that must be followed daily without fail. However, as creatives, our lives and work are anything but rigid. Many of us thrive on flexibility, spontaneity, and inspiration, which can make the traditional concept of a routine feel like a shackle rather than a support system.

Instead of striving for a perfect routine, it’s time to embrace a more fluid approach. Think of your routine as a flexible framework that adapts to the ebbs and flows of your creative life. This means letting go of the guilt and frustration that comes with breaking a routine. Understand that it’s okay to have days where things don’t go as planned. What matters is the overall direction you’re heading in, not the occasional detour.

Creating Short-Term Goals and Habits

One effective strategy is to create short-term goals and habits. If you know you have three months at home before your next travel stint, focus on developing habits that serve you during that specific period. This approach allows you to fully engage with your current environment and circumstances, without the added pressure of maintaining these habits during travel.

For example, if you want to establish a habit of morning meditation, do it consistently during your three months at home. This doesn’t mean you’ll abandon meditation completely when you travel, but rather that you’ll adjust your practice to fit your travel lifestyle. Perhaps during travel, your meditation might be shorter or integrated into different parts of your day. The key is to give yourself the space to adapt without stress.

Tailoring Routines for Different Phases

When you return home, you can reassess and plan another set of habits and goals that align with your current situation. This cyclical process of setting and resetting habits allows for a dynamic balance between structure and flexibility.

For those who absolutely thrive on daily routines regardless of location, it’s crucial to create distinct routines for home and travel days. Your travel routine should be simpler and more adaptable, focusing on core habits that maintain your well-being and creativity without being overly demanding. For instance, while your home routine might include an hour of exercise, during travel, it could be as simple as a 15-minute morning stretch.

Embracing Change as a Constant

Ultimately, the art of creating habits as a creative lies in embracing change as a constant. Recognize that your life’s unpredictability is not a hindrance but an opportunity to continuously evolve. By setting short-term goals, allowing flexibility, and tailoring routines to different phases of your life, you can cultivate habits that support your creative journey rather than constrain it.

So, as you embark on this new chapter with renewed energy and vision, remember that the path may be winding, but it’s uniquely yours. Embrace it with an open heart and a flexible mindset, and you’ll find that your habits and routines can be both your anchor and your wings.