What part of your routine do you always try to skip if you can?
The post discusses the complexities of routine throughout life, emphasizing its necessity for discipline and personal growth. It reflects on childhood memories of harsh learning, the challenges faced during education and employment, and the monotony that can be taxing. Ultimately, it advocates for embracing routine as a source of purpose and improvement.
Routine? What is this all about? Some ask it. Still, one likes it or not, routine is a drill that has to be done punctually without the scope of respite or escape. Skipping is just not possible. It gives us a chance to regularise ourselves and also chain us in a discipline. It is not more than work that has to be done daily without cribbing and skipping. Cribbing or skipping will not solve the issue except for convoluting them. Sometimes it leads to monotony. The monotonous moments are taxing. They need to be tackled as and when required.
During my childhood, I was made to memorize certain drawings, which I later learned were actually letters of the alphabet. Learning and practicing them was a daunting task that I had to finish. If I failed, the punishment was severe; I would get a harsh beating. The pain from these beatings was so intense that just the thought of it would terrify me, yet it became a routine. I had to endure my share of beatings, sometimes for mistakes I made, but often just for the sake of it.
When I was promoted to high school, my studies severely burdened me. The main reason was that I wasn’t a very good student; an average at best and only managed to pass exams. My ability to clear examinations was disrupted when I did not clear the board exam and had to repeat the class. It was a challenging time for a fourteen-year-old, as I faced harsh treatment for even the smallest mistakes. It became a routine again.
The routine of life shifted in shape and size, but it retained a sense of originality as I grew older. The thrashings and scoldings continued until the next year when I passed my board examinations with decent scores. The nature of the routine changed; the physical reprimands became milder and were replaced by verbal abuse and harsh criticism. It did not end completely. This was another type of routine.
After completing my post-graduation, I intended to start a new routine, but things took an unexpected turn. I found myself in a completely different pattern of life that began to gnaw at me from the inside out. I endured a lengthy period of unemployment lasting several devastating years. During this time, the circumstances and people around me drained me by causing significant mental distress. Eventually, this challenging phase came to an end. Although I received some good news afterwards, it didn’t bring me much joy. I then entered a new phase, going to work every day. This has been my longest routine; getting up in the morning and preparing to go to work and do my job routinely. It was an entirely new type of routine. Every day meeting a challenge and completing the task successfully gave me self-satisfaction.
I do not claim to be a workaholic, but I never shirked my duties too. I enjoy work and draw pleasure in it. Work gives me satisfaction and helps me come out of my shell, which was the outcome of a long and monotonous, most of the time torturous, routine. I was an independent person free to do as per my wishes. Nevertheless, a new type of routine awaited me at this junction. People’s expectations. They started expecting too much without helping me come out of the convolution of life, which was intrinsic to that primary stage. It was yet another painful routine.
Life has unfolded as a series of routines. In childhood, it was the routine of learning; during my student years, it was the routine of school and university; and as an independent adult, the routine of work. These routines have been a constant, yet except on rare occasions, I’ve never wished to abandon them, for they have provided me with a purpose to persevere. They have pushed me ahead, enabling me to overcome the pain and hardships of the past.
Routines should not be shelved. They add value to our lives and kindle a ray of hope for a better tomorrow. They feel torturous but that is momentary. It seems long, but it takes its time. It is like a necessary “evil” that instigates change in ourselves and allows us to learn. Repetitive work is ingrained and becomes an integral part of our psyche. Even if they are left, they stay in the subconscious mind only to manifest as and when required. Repetition of work or studies is essential for proper improvement and retention of what has been learned.
A repetitive worker is considered efficient and effective. It is efficiency that matters, especially when a perfect blend of skill and effectiveness is required. During the pre-computer Era, a mechanical typist was the most sought-after employee who work effortlessly and flawlessly. The routine is, thus, important, but as human beings get bored by monotony, they need a break. This break is not shelving off the routines but postponing them for a brief lull. It refreshes from within and rejuvenates to start the routine with a new vigour and enthusiasm.
It’s clear to discern which routines are superfluous and have been excluded. I believe that no routine falls into this category entirely. If one’s thinking evolves with life’s stages, learning is possible as complexities increase over time; during academic years, the focus is on studies, while employment brings a repetitive nature of work. Those who pride themselves on lacking time to eat are to be pitied. Work is significant and can be enjoyable, but to declare that eating is a waste of time is sheer folly and an absurd show of work devotion.
Every stage of life’s journey brings new, exciting, and enjoyable moments. Even a strict routine can be a source of happiness when reflected upon in moments of solitude. In those quiet times, our past experiences come to mind, smoothing out our worries and refreshing our spirits, helping us to regain our strength. They evoke a bittersweet nostalgia that offers pleasure amidst pain.
I never considered abandoning my routines for two main reasons. Firstly, I was slow to respond, often taking a long time to react, and secondly, I viewed routine as an integral part of life. Apart from breaking the monotony and taking a break, the idea of skipping a routine is not appealing.
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