Habits. Rituals. Routines. We all have them, whether we want to or not. Some of these can be quite good and even healthy. Others, not so much. But are there differences between habits, rituals and routines? The American Psychological Association says yes.

A habit is a learned behavior that is situation-specific and, over time, becomes independent of motivational or cognitive influence. In other words, a habit is a subconsciously repeated behavior. One of the most effective tactics for creating habits is following a routine.

A routine is a sequence of actions regularly followed to perform tasks consistently. Conscious effort is required to create and maintain routines. Routines can be developed into rituals, which are motivating strategies for building habits and getting things done efficiently.

A ritual is a series of actions repeated with meaningful purpose and includes an intentional focus to give the action meaning.

There you go. Clear as mud? Without splitting hairs, let’s talk about some of our common habits, rituals and routines. Do you sleep on the same side of the bed each night? Position the pillow in the same way? Wake up at the same time each morning?

Once you are up, do you walk the dog? Say a prayer? Stretch? Work out? Make your bed? Have coffee? Go to the bathroom at the same time, in the same place, at the same time every morning? Read the Daily Umbrella?

When you drive to work, do you take the same route every day? Listen to the same radio station? Put the temperature dial at the same setting? Wonder if you shut the garage door?

Those who are really into habits, rituals and routines may pack the same foods for lunch every day. Or order the same food at the same restaurant each time.

You certainly have habits, rituals and routines at work, too. Maybe a daily task list or a series of regular processes or meetings? Or the same “good morning” comment to the same people?

Are your habits, rituals and routines over once the work day is done? Hardly. We eat dinner at the same time, sitting in the same seats. We drink the same drinks. We watch the same TV shows and complain about the same things on the 10 p.m. news while sitting in the same recliner. And we typically hit the sack at the same time each night.

And heaven forbid if someone interrupts these habits, rituals and routines. Men are said to struggle with this even more than women, and I find that to be true. The reality is that these habits, rituals and routines make us all quite predictable — more than we want to admit. Meanwhile, we know what we like, and that’s OK.

How about you? What daily habits, rituals and routines do you have? Send me a note and let me know.

Have a magnificent Monday, and thanks for reading.

Shane Goodman 

President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.thedailyumbrella.com

View Shane Goodman's archived columns from past issues here.

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