As human beings, we love routines, even if we think we don't. Doing the same thing each day makes us feel secure and enables us to develop good habits while avoiding bad ones. But routines can become monotonous and many people get bored of going through the same motions day in, day out.
Taking a break from your routine can have great benefits for your health, productivity, and relationships. Check out for a few ideas on how to switch up your daily routine.
Work different hours
If your job offers a flexible working option, why not shift your day forward by an hour? Getting up earlier will make you feel good (assuming you go to bed earlier too), and you’ll have more time for yourself in the evening.
Take a cold shower
Many of us are attached to our warm power showers, but a cold one once in a while can be extremely refreshing. Research also suggests that having a cold shower can boost your immune system.
Brush your teeth with the other hand
This may be tricky at first, but you’ll soon get the hang of it. An odd, but fun one! Brushing those pearly whites with your non-dominant hand is a very cost-efficient way to switch up your daily routine.
Take a different route to work
A person's commute is often a source of extreme boredom, or even misery. Unfortunately, it's unavoidable for many, so why not soften the blow by changing your route from one day to the next?
Ditch the caffeine
A morning coffee (or two) is often part of a person’s daily routine. Ditching the fix entirely will not only benefit your health, but will give the day a different feel.
Take a break from social media
It may sound difficult, or even impossible to some, but going offline for a while is a great way to reset your daily routine. If you can last a whole day without any social media, you will likely find your perspective is refreshed.
Smile at a stranger
It is often said that it takes more muscles to frown than to smile. Smiling at someone in passing is a great way to inject some happiness into their day, and yours as well.
Listen to new music
This may sound like an obvious one, but a person’s soundtrack is often an integral part of their daily routine. Switching it up can create the sense of breaking from routine in quite a dramatic way.
Switch up your snacks
Switching up your beloved snack items is also a great way to break from routine. Substitute your usual guilty pleasures for something completely new–the healthier, the better!
Leave a bigger tip
If you’re someone who dines out regularly, break the routine by leaving twice the normal tip. You’ll have the feeling of breaking from routine in a generous way, and the waiter will no doubt appreciate it!
Commit a random act of kindness
It is a truth universally acknowledged that doing something nice for someone else makes us feel good about ourselves. Why not treat your colleague to a coffee, or make a donation to the local food bank?
Breakfast for dinner
A different meal choice is always good, but a particularly refreshing option is to have your breakfast food for dinner. It might feel odd to have your muesli before bed, but what a way to interrupt the monotony!
Watch a silent movie
Why not opt for a silent movie as an alternative to your Netflix go-to? We are so used to watching movies with sound that silent movies can feel like a real novelty.
Spend the day on your own
Of course you love your family and friends, but we all need a break sometimes. Taking a day entirely for yourself is a great way to clear and refresh the mind.
Read a whole book in one day
Finishing a book is always satisfying, let alone finishing it in one sitting. Getting lost in a novella offers a refreshing alternative to binging on reruns.
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