I was raised to be structured. I woke up at a certain time, knew what to expect for breakfast, when I was getting picked up and dropped off, and when I would be doing homework. My mom grew up in an orphanage, and her days were hyper-structured. Although I credit my discipline and level of organization to her, I can definitely see the setbacks to having a rigid routine.
I think it’s important to have an idea of how your day/week is going to play out, as well as what sort of spare time you’re working with. However, if you’re too stuck in your routine, you will have a worse time coping when things don’t go according to plan. I’m speaking from experience, and therefore am trying to be more easy-going.
I’m feeling myself slumping into a rigid routine again, and I don’t want to be bored, especially at my young age. It’s important to keep things new and exciting, even if your routine gives you comfort. You don’t want to end up with a vanilla lifestyle. It’t not productive, and can leave you feeling apathetic and close-minded to new experiences. Finding a balance is something that I’m working on, since I do find structure to be important, but I’m also leaving room for spontaneity.
Khadijah Plummer Consulting 