When we think of routines, fluid doesn’t usually come to mind.
People focus on stacking habits into routines.
We have these routines sprinkled throughout our days.
Little groupings of to-do lists to make sure we keep good habits.
Lately, I’ve heard more people talk about “fluid routines”.
In these routines, there is a time set aside for a general purpose.
Then, you can fill the time in any way that fits that day.
An example would be 30 minutes for self-care (non-grooming).
One day you might read. Another day a meditation.
Sitting quietly with a cup of coffee or tea. Drawing a picture.
The opportunities are limitless.
The only rules are that you spend 30 minutes alone doing something that nurtures you.
My Perspective
For anyone who struggles with habits and routines, I think this would be good to try.
You have the guardrails for the time and the flexibility of how to fill it.
This could be used for self-care, exercise, household chores, and more.
As I thought about the idea, I realized there is one daily routine where I do this.
Each day, I spend 15-minutes “curating” something at home.
I wrote about this quarterly last year – here’s the final summary of the year.
The definition of this time is that it can’t be used for normal cleaning.
This is above that.
Cleaning a drawer or cabinet that has gotten out of control.
Re-organizing a room.
Shifting clothes in a closet from summer to winter.
Posting something I no longer want for sale or putting it in the car to take to donate.
Again, this list is endless.
Sometimes I get into the project and spend more than 15 minutes.
Your Turn
Are your routines rigid or fluid?
How might you add a fluid routine to your day?
Is there a project that you want to start that might lend itself to a fluid routine?