Not that I haven't learned to be fairly okay with chaos and disruption, but in any given day, I'll always prefer having a structural routine over unplanned spontaneity.
I picture the former as being in a state of focused preparation, much like studying for an important exam.
And it's a systematic approach that have served me well earlier in the year, when my routine followed a natural progression: mornings were reserved for the most important work, with less critical tasks following as the day unfolded. In a nutshell, the more important the work, the earlier it was done.
Work, in this context, doesn't necessarily mean professional obligations. It encompasses various aspects of life, such as personal development, health and fitness, creative pursuits, relationship building etc.
I think the beauty of our modern age is that professional work can be done in the late afternoon or evening for some of us, thanks to the flexibility that technology and changing workplace norms have afforded us.
An interesting pattern I've noticed is the distinct separation between my productivity and creativity peaks.
Mornings are when I'm most productive, since I have the most energy to tackle complex problems. Evenings, however, bring out my creative side, as if my mind is like a noisy forest with different types of species.
This observation has led me to an intriguing question: Is there a way to combine these peak states to unlock exponential productivity or achieve well-grounded creativity that bridges both worlds?
Given that they're both flying creatures, being an early bird and a night owl shouldn't be mutually exclusive.
That said, it remains to be known how both can co-exist within the same time zone of productivity.
Modern Predicament
As the year progressed, the structure in my routines began showing cracks. A disciplined 11:30 PM bedtime gradually slipped to 1:00 AM.
The main culprit is an increasing workload coupled with shrinking time windows. Part of me think it's a common modern predicament, since we seem to have so much to do with so little time.
Now, I find myself at a crossroad, contemplating whether to view this as an extended exam period requiring new structural adaptations, or if it's simply a matter of negligence on my part and requiring course correction to re-establish the former structure.
At this point in time, I'm leaning more towards the former. It's a bit fun to work on establishing new routines and experiment how they perform against real-world challenges.
The main objective is to create flexible frameworks that can accommodate both periods, especially moments of necessary adaptation.
Arguably, the true test of a good routine is how gracefully it can bend without breaking when life throws its inevitable chaotic and disruptive periods.
If it breaks, build another one based on learned experiences and keep going. Getting lost in the chaos is never an option.
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