Creature of Habit
My life for 33 years was centered around the school calendar and schedule: week days were spilt into eight class periods and regulated by the bell schedule and a watchful eye on the clock. Evenings and weekends were dedicated to school activities, grading assignments, and planning lessons. Leisure time was rare. From early August to early June, my days were structured, yet my summer vacation was blissfully free of schedules.
When I retired, my life changed drastically, but oddly, I developed a loose routine - reading devotions and the newspaper, blogging, reading blogs, exercising, knitting and/or sewing, washing clothes and dishes, etc. The television remains off during the day and is only turned on after 5 PM for the local and national news.
Having a regular schedule, gives my days a sense of purpose even in retirement.
Are you a creature of habit?
Our life has always been non-scheduled, and routines have never been observed! It's kind of fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants! Meals have never been at a set time, and usually not planned until an hour before! When I finally stopped working last April, none of that changed, except I'm finding I spend a LOT more time quilting, and everything else has taken a back seat to that!
ReplyDeleteI always marvel at families who eat dinner at 6:00 every night.....clean the house or grocery shop on the same day each week (with a list!), or my friend who will start a braided rug and be able to tell you 'exactly' what day, months away, that she will finish it. I'm in awe of that kind of structure! And I know I could never live like that!
Yes...I still wash on Mon. but not it is every other week and have a scheduled cleaning day and etc. but mostly our eating out is scheduled as well....
ReplyDeleteI suppose my days are somewhat predictable, although I don't schedule them. I enjoy being "lazy" in the morning and "working" in the afternoon. I usually wash clothes a couple of times a week and clean the house and grocery shop once a week (no particular days). A constant in my schedule is meeting with the church on Sundays and Bible study on Wednesdays. And Friday evenings and Saturdays are reserved for spending time with my husband in Matagorda.
ReplyDeleteOh yes! I'm quite at a loss without work defining my schedule. g
ReplyDeleteGretchen is rigid enough for all of us. Sissy only cares that she gets fed twice daily, she gets her eye drops, she gets walked. The whens aren't so important to her. I am more like Gretchen and like routine. The Knight isn't much on routine or even planning...
ReplyDeleteI am, but DH--not so much! When he retired he gave up on schedules even though he started working in my business. We still keep a regular schedule in my accounting business but he is really loose about the "when" of it all. I continue to be as time conscious as ever!
ReplyDeleteI am a creature of habit, and I need a bit more structure on my off days.....
ReplyDeleteSometimes I get anxious if I don't have the comfort of a routine....I think I'll give this more thought..thanks!
I like structure but with my grands and my ADD some days just go astray. Hoverver, life is good! With good health, good friends and God by our side what could be better. Rebel Follower
ReplyDeleteI do like organization and routines, at least enough to give my day some structure and purpose. Having also left the classroom, I'm very happy to leave the strict time constraints of a classroom teacher behind! I'm making adjustments, trying to organize my days and get some important things accomplished.
ReplyDeleteI like structure and routine, but for me the key is balance. Habits should serve me, not the other way 'round.
ReplyDeleteYes I am! I would like to kinda just laze around but if I do I'm cross by lunch time because I haven't done enough!
ReplyDeleteLinda
I was. Recently I had a big ol' ball of crazy thrown into my life and the schedule went out the window. I'm trying very hard to make some semblance of a schedule around here, but so far I'm not being successful. LOL
ReplyDeleteI am when I work..October 1st look out..all sense of daily structure will go out the window. It leaves a sense of adventure to the day! :)
ReplyDeleteWhen I was young, a lovely grandmother-type told me that I should have something planned for everyday to give me a reason to get up and get going. And I wondered why that was a problem. I was meeting myself coming and going.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was about 40, I received the message again. This time from a widow, who said that a schedule helped her heal.
Now that I work as a writer, (from home) I treasure their advice and find a schedule is a good thing. I hated the schedule when I was working, but in retrospect, it was a good thing, keeping me moving forward. I can get sooo much done when I have a schedule. But, I agree with far side of 50, too, there's a time to let down your hair, kick off your shoes, and turn the clock to face the wall.
Excellent .. it sounds like it was an easy transition. I have four more years til I retire and I've started getting worried that I'll have enough to fill my time and be disiplined about keeping busy.
ReplyDeleteEveryone says it is amazing how your days fill up ... I hope so!
You know, all too well, that my life is imitating yours! I have to have a routine but love my less structured summers!
ReplyDeleteYep, love the structure I set for myself but also love the freedom to change it whenever I want! Well, pretty much whenever I want, that is..........haha
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