During one of my college summers many years ago, I was living on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I remember saying to one of my buddies, “Dude, I’ll never get caught up in the grind.” Guess what – I did along with several of my peers. It’s a little scary how a few harmless routines can multiply and eventually turn into a grind.
Some of the routines, by themselves, may be very helpful. Things like how you handle your bills, the route you take to work, the way you go through a grocery store, or even how you go through your workout; they all benefit you in one way or another and the familiarity of these tasks can even be comforting. However, when you start stringing these same routines together along with countless others – day in and day out, week in and week out, year in and year out – poof… you’re stuck. Here are three simple ways to bust up that grind and start living again (and I even threw in a contest).
One great thing about routines is that they are familiar. When your week has been a bear, it’s sometimes comfortable to do something that is completely reliable and predictable. It helps to turn the old brain off. Something like having that glass of wine with dinner or turning on your favorite Friday night TV show can have that effect. Some traditions fall in this category as well. They have the additional benefit of giving you a warm fuzzy. These routines can fill you up with joy when you think about them and especially when you do them. These are wonderful examples of the upside of routine. OK, that’s a hard act to follow. What’s the upside of getting out of a routine?
Stop And Think
When I was young, one of the coolest things in the world was doing something brand new. I would get such a buzz. You remember, right? The first time you had a lick of ice cream, your first kiss, your first time driving with no parents, the first time you tried your now favorite sport. Remember how giddy you felt and how way coooooooool it was.
What happened? Getting out of the grind is all about changing habits and getting reacquainted with new experiences. You can start small or go big depending on your personality. Either way, a good place to begin is by waking up the front part of your brain (where most of your higher cognitive abilities hang out) and turning off the lower part of your brain (where most unconscious thoughts and habits reside). This can be done by tweaking some of your most mundane habits. The trick is to tweak them by slightly changing how you carry them out. The thought is, by stopping to think in order to do these things differently; it momentarily helps you slip out the grind. If you’re ready, here are some examples of tasks that can get you started with your own grind-busting.
- Open a few doors with your non,-dominate hand
- Make it a point to smile at everyone you see today and note the different reactions you get when you do it.
- Each time the phone rings today see if you can answer it exactly on the third ring.
Spontaneity – The Fountain Of Youth?
What makes youth so great (and scary at times) is you can be very spontaneous without many perceived repercussions. (My parents would simple say I wasn’t using any part of my brain at all during my youth and its amazing that I lived to be an adult… but that’s another story.) As an adult, we know very well that some spontaneous actions can have very real and unpleasant outcomes. Some of you might even say “I’d rather do something predictable and comfortable than be spontaneous, because I don’t know what will happen.”
If you really want to get out your grind and you are open to it, I would like to give you a challenge. I’m not suggesting you go out and buy a Harley and ride cross-country with no plan. I’m thinking something a little less extreme. Here are a few easy ways to change things up a bit so you can experience a little spontaneity in your life. See if any of these activities can put a smile on your face and renew that sense of “This is gonna be cool!”
- Have fun exploring a different route home.
- Experiment for dinner tonight and cook or eat something you have never tried before.
- Take a picture of something funny with your smart phone and send it to a loved one with the caption “Thinking of you.”
“Plan” To Have Some Fun
Sometimes we unconsciously plan to do the same things over and over…don’t believe me? Ok. See if you answer “yes” to one or more of these statements.
- I go to the same restaurant for dinner more than 15 times a year.
- I hike/walk the same trail/route at least 15 times a year.
- I learn at least 2 new skills/games a year.
Ok, that last one was a trick question. If you answered “yes” to that one, good for you; you are on the right track. If you answered “no,” keep reading. In order to get that feeling that you are once again alive and kicking, here’s another challenge. Try something different once a week that requires a little “planning.” Some could be major, some could be minor. Here are a few of my favorites.
- Spend a little time researching restaurants and make reservations to go to one that’s completely new to you. It doesn’t matter whether it was a hit or a miss, the important thing is to go do something different.
- Plan to go somewhere different for a vacation this year. Have some fun with it. For example, if you normally go somewhere cold, go somewhere warm. If you really want an adventure, let everyone going have some part in the planning a different aspect of the trip.
- Sign up to learn something new. This could be learning a new language, a musical instrument, a new card game, or sailing lessons…whatever you think could be interesting or exciting.
I never wanted to admit that I was getting in a grind. That would mean I surrendered part of my youth and independence. What I realized is that it is so easy to do. However, doing the simplest things can have a huge impact on your spirit, outlook on life, and even your relationships. Amanda and I were feeling the grind this past weekend so we decided to shake things up. We visited a local brewery and did a beer tasting on Saturday. It was a much needed shot in the arm. Afterwards, because we were feeling a little spontaneous, we found a local park and went on a two-hour hike with the whole family on a trail we have never experienced. You know what happened? We had a great conversation. Logan giggled and squealed the whole time and the dogs enjoyed it almost as much as we did. All of this fun for under 15 bucks! It was a great Saturday. We loved it so much we agreed to put our heads together and do something new for next weekend. I wonder what we will cook up this time.
If you have a brilliant way of how you successfully break up your grind, we would love to hear about it. Please share it on our facebook page. If your grind-buster stands out and is truly AWESOME , Will and I will feature it in next week’s newsletter under “The Grind Busting – Winner.”
