Routine Defined, Or Why I Cringe When I Hear The Word

I think my problem with establishing a routine stems from the word itself. Here is the definition from Dictionary.com:

rou·tine (n)

1.	a customary or regular course of procedure.

2.	commonplace tasks, chores, or duties as must be done regularly or at specified intervals; typical or everyday activity: the routine of an office.

3.	regular, unvarying, habitual, unimaginative, or rote procedure.

4.	an unvarying and constantly repeated formula, as of speech or action; convenient or predictable response: Don't give me that brotherly-love routine!

Origin: 1676, from Fr. routine "usual course of action, beaten
path" from route "way, path, course" (see route) + subst. suffix -ine.

O.K., my initial reaction is, "Routine sounds boring!" I don't see myself as being a typical or everyday kind of person. It also sounds like something a robot or machine does, especially when it comes to the rote, unimaginative, unvarying and formula parts of the definition. And I definitely pride myself on being imaginative and creative not habitual and unvarying. Routine seems like a negative habit to have, one I don't want to associate with myself.

My self-image is of someone who goes with the flow and let's the day take me where it will. Maybe that's where the problem lies. I mean, who am I kidding, it's not like I pick up and take off on a moment's notice when I read a tweet that John Mayer is giving a surprise performance at the Hotel Cafe in Hollywood. I actually find myself saying no more often than not to last minute plans and definite no's to amusement parks and any form of standing in line or being outside in hot weather.

The definition is not appealing, but I'm not going to let this put me off. I think I need to go a few steps further in exploring this idea of routine and perhaps a place to start is to discover how other people apply this concept to their lives. So off I go to do some Internet research and see what results I get.

Until tomorrow ...