Routine
The other day I was thinking - some may say overthinking - about routines. How they're comforting for some and mind-numbingly boring for others. But either way, unless you consciously commit to resisting them, routines seem unavoidable.
I find routines especially interesting in the context of travel. Upon arrival in Beijing, my boss asked me what I hoped to personally experience during my stay. Almost without hesitation, I replied I wanted to develop my own routine, whether that be getting lunch every Tuesday at my favorite cafe or knowing exactly which art museum and bookstore to visit on a Saturday. To me, routine comes from a concoction of comfort and experience. I instinctually view routines as a result of extensive understanding of oneself and one's surroundings.
But as my stay in Beijing is coming to a close and I'm forced to prioritize my remaining time, I've started to think more about the origin of routines and their role in my life. Specifically, is a routine a product of a lot of experiences or a lack of experiences?
Is there anything wrong with gravitating toward the same places despite having an abundance of options? My first response is no. But at what point does the answer become yes? Maybe there should be quantitative parameters - max 2 visits each month as long as you also incorporate 1 new location or perhaps increase the exploration radius around your home base by 1 mile each weekend.
While in Beijing, I've traveled to a few different neighborhoods within this large city. I've eaten at a variety of restaurants and toured many unique sites. But none of these locations have made their way onto my routine. They remain one-time experiences. There are also innumerable restaurants, stores, and tourist sites I will never see. This is not because of a lack of time (for the most part); it is because I prefer the familiarity of my routine.
My routine generally encompasses places along my route from home to work and vice versa. I have 2 tea shops, 3 clothing stores, 1 grocery store, 1 bookshop and a handful of art galleries and cafes/lunch spots. In my neighborhood, I've been to countless more, but only the aforementioned have made the cut. Ask me for recommendations within my radius and I've got you covered...anything outside of that and I'm at a loss.
So perhaps my initial stance on routine is my justification for staying in the comfort of my bubble. Maybe my routine is in fact not a result of my extensive understanding of my surroundings, but of myself. And maybe I'm okay with that. After all, Plato alluded to the fact that understanding "thyself" would have a greater yielded factor in understanding the nature of a human being. If it's good enough for Plato, it's good enough for me.
I find routines especially interesting in the context of travel. Upon arrival in Beijing, my boss asked me what I hoped to personally experience during my stay. Almost without hesitation, I replied I wanted to develop my own routine, whether that be getting lunch every Tuesday at my favorite cafe or knowing exactly which art museum and bookstore to visit on a Saturday. To me, routine comes from a concoction of comfort and experience. I instinctually view routines as a result of extensive understanding of oneself and one's surroundings.
But as my stay in Beijing is coming to a close and I'm forced to prioritize my remaining time, I've started to think more about the origin of routines and their role in my life. Specifically, is a routine a product of a lot of experiences or a lack of experiences?
Is there anything wrong with gravitating toward the same places despite having an abundance of options? My first response is no. But at what point does the answer become yes? Maybe there should be quantitative parameters - max 2 visits each month as long as you also incorporate 1 new location or perhaps increase the exploration radius around your home base by 1 mile each weekend.
While in Beijing, I've traveled to a few different neighborhoods within this large city. I've eaten at a variety of restaurants and toured many unique sites. But none of these locations have made their way onto my routine. They remain one-time experiences. There are also innumerable restaurants, stores, and tourist sites I will never see. This is not because of a lack of time (for the most part); it is because I prefer the familiarity of my routine.
My routine generally encompasses places along my route from home to work and vice versa. I have 2 tea shops, 3 clothing stores, 1 grocery store, 1 bookshop and a handful of art galleries and cafes/lunch spots. In my neighborhood, I've been to countless more, but only the aforementioned have made the cut. Ask me for recommendations within my radius and I've got you covered...anything outside of that and I'm at a loss.
So perhaps my initial stance on routine is my justification for staying in the comfort of my bubble. Maybe my routine is in fact not a result of my extensive understanding of my surroundings, but of myself. And maybe I'm okay with that. After all, Plato alluded to the fact that understanding "thyself" would have a greater yielded factor in understanding the nature of a human being. If it's good enough for Plato, it's good enough for me.
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