Any Change Will Do!

I struggle with change at times, and certainly the last eighteen months have been more “change heavy” than is normal for many of us.  For me, while change can be challenging and exhausting it can also be energizing.

We all manage changes to our routines continuously from a young age.  We ask our children to transition from a summer schedule to a school schedule and then back again.  We ask them to switch teachers and classrooms every 12 months, requiring them to learn new routines and adapt to new environments in the process.  As adults many of us move, change marital status, have children, and change jobs; any one of these would be considered a major life change.  But there are many changes that we make constantly that are not considered major changes.  For me, these types of smaller changes frequently help adjust my perspective and give me renewed energy to tackle a task.

Whenever I feel dullness creeping into my routine I know that I only need to make a few small changes to perk things up.  Changing location from one part of the house to another for reading or work can change my perspective and add interest to the task at hand.  Even something as minor as swiveling my desk chair around to a new direction enables me to notice my surroundings from a new angle; perhaps I notice something in a novel way from this angle.  Changing my daily routine just slightly, for example getting up 30 minutes earlier or sitting in a different place for my morning coffee, is enough to inject some added energy.  I’m fortunate to be able to walk to work and I have multiple routes I can take to get there.  Varying even part of the route keeps it interesting and undoubtedly helps me have a more productive day.  Beginning a new project, whether for work or for home, always energizes me.

By making a small change in your routine or your location you can reap much greater benefits than you might assume would result.  If you attempt a small change to your routine, try it for awhile and don’t feel like it’s benefitting you then change it again or change it back to the original.  And that’s another change!