Philip Chard's Out of My Mind column is sponsored by AllWriters' Workplace & Workshop, which offers online classes in all genres and abilities of creative writing, as well as coaching and editing services. You can read past columns here.
During the pandemic, is it better to cling closely to routines and habits, or to strike out in search of new experiences and adventures? Yes.
If ever there was a time to create a balance between “steady as she goes” and “now for something completely different,” this is it. This isn’t some glib nostrum about staying in the middle mental lane. It’s evidence-based information about how our brains engage with and process experiences, and how that influences well-being. Let’s examine two cases in contrast.
Ashley, a so-called soccer mom, is the proverbial creature of habit. Her daily routines proceed with clock-like precision, dictating the what, how and when of pretty much everything. Her pre-pandemic herding cats lifestyle required order and repetition, but once COVID disrupted most of her schedule, she reflexively crafted new routines to fill in the blanks.
“Order on the outside means order on the inside,” she told me. “It helps keep me sane.”
And she’s correct. Research shows habits and predictable routines dial down anxiety, particularly during times of fear and disarray. However, one can have too much of a good thing, as Ashley gradually realized.
Feeling Robotic
“I’m starting to feel robotic,” she confessed. “It’s almost like being in a trance sometimes. I’ll be going through the motions, and then, suddenly, realize how zoned out I feel.”
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What’s more, this scenario takes her beyond boredom, creating a sense of futility, a kind of “Is that all there is?” mindset. To neuroscientists and psychologists, this makes perfect sense. Ashley’s reaction stems from the impact of relentless sameness on the brain, which is much more interested in new inputs than “been there, done that” redundancies. We are wired to engage with novel experiences and the growth and learning these create. Think of a young child exploring the world and experimenting with activities that are essential for cognitive growth, personal development and creativity. To lead vibrant, engaged lives, adults require the same.
“Consider interrupting your daily patterns,” I told Ashley. “I’m not asking you to dismantle all the behavioral scaffolding you’ve built, but to augment it with spontaneous experiences that wake up your brain.”
Adventurous Type
Timothy is Ashley’s polar opposite. A recent college grad, gig employee and proverbial free spirit, for him, each new day is just that — crafted anew and on the fly. With few exceptions, there are no recurring patterns in his behavior. Prior to the pandemic, that worked well for him, but now that all the disruption has set in, he feels an unwelcome disquiet.
“I’ve always been the adventurous type, looking for that buzz you get from new experiences,” he told me. “But now, with the pandemic, I’m feeling edgy.”
Research shows, during times of stress and disorder, the absence of habits and schedules is inherently anxiety-provoking. When frightened or wary, we rely on dependable routines to keep us grounded and emotionally stable.
As for that elusive balance, free spirit adventures are what Ashley needs more of, while Timothy would benefit by better organizing his time and energy. In isolation, goose stepping through life without interludes of spontaneity dulls the mind, while free-falling through the day leaves the psyche untethered. However, when combined, both become assets rather than liabilities. Again, while a young child needs to spontaneously explore and roam, she or he also requires structure and the comfort of daily regimens. The need for this vital balance doesn’t vanish when one becomes an adult.
How does one know when this balance is lacking? If your habit-filled life leaves you zombie-like or crawling the walls, it’s time to step outside of those self-imposed behavioral boundaries and embrace entirely new experiences. In contrast, if one’s day is all “make it up as you go along” and bedeviled with anxiety, that calls for more paint-by-the-numbers living.
The challenge is to balance one’s angst toward life with the wonder of life. Routines calm the angst and novel experiences awaken us to the wonder.
For more, visit philipchard.com.
Philip Chard's Out of My Mind column is sponsored by AllWriters' Workplace & Workshop, which offers online classes in all genres and abilities of creative writing, as well as coaching and editing services. You can read past columns here.
