What even is a healthy routine these days?

This pandemic has been challenging. The” new normal” still feels too different despite the fact that we are coming up on an entire year in a climate that has seen a heavy restriction on the social activities we have come to rely on. All this to say that my routine has been a mess. When a day looks as boring as this: get up, shower, get dressed, go to work, go home, watch Netflix/do nothing, sleep, then repeat, you are bound to become a bit complacent.

(My best friend for the past 11 months) 

(Note: This is an adorable stand-in for “Tom’s” French Bulldog)

There is a man named “Tom” who works out of a building close to my office. Every morning he walks his French Bulldog for 5 blocks, up and down Harper Avenue. For the 2 years that I have known him he has not taken a single break. Imagine that, something as simple as making sure your dog get’s their walk. However, it is only now that I have really payed attention. I have found it incredibly difficult to maintain a balanced and constructive regiment throughout the pandemic and can only marvel at his commitment to adhering to any sense of a schedule that does not include a zoom meeting or a phone call. Utilizing my increasing workload as a scapegoat to ignore the detrimental practices. Letting lethargy become my “new normal”. Honestly, it makes sense. Why go for a jog when you can binge watch “Doctor Who”? Why visit new places when you can take your third nap? Why finish an art project when you can scroll through Reddit? It was incredibly easy to just do nothing.

                                                                         
So, how can I be more like “Tom”? Well, taking care of a living creature helps. Still, as I progress further in Challenge Detroit and take on more responsibility with my host company how can I maintain a constructive work/life balance? Well, I can start by introducing more intentionality and reflection to my schedule. Starting with just adding a 30 minute walk and slowly adding more and more opportunity for self-improvement. Really holding myself accountable because the only one responsible for maintaining my mental health is myself. Completing an audit on how my time is spent will probably reveal that a lot of it is methodically and intentionally wasted. 

Nothing improves if no work is done. I want to be more like “Tom”. 

So what is your new routine? What bad habits are you looking forward to expelling from your life? Any tips on improving or even introducing a change to what could be called “a really lazy regiment”?