The Power of Routine

If you stop and think about the things you’ve done today, you’ll realize that many of the things you’ve done are are part of a daily routine for you.

Hitting the gym (or your excuse not to haha), your grooming ritual, your choice of breakfast, how you take your coffee - all part of your daily habit and “ways of working”.

I’ve never spent much time analyzing mine. If I did, I would probably have to implement some new habits to correct some of my less desirable habits - snacking, finding excuses not to work out for example.

For this story, we go back to the grocery store days once again. The work and experiences there as a teen were tons of fun but very strenuous at times. Receiving trucks, breaking down the cooler daily and stocking shelves worked up an appetite. With our tight break schedule we would have to maximize the use of our precious 30 minute lunch break.

Our escape of choice was the local Harvey’s in the parking lot. A quick, cheap, complete breakfast was in order each time we went. Over time, our pilgrimage to the restaurant became an automatic response to our break time.

After several dozen visits, the staff - many of them teens like us - got to know our order and churned it out quickly which gave us more time to enjoy our break. They too were forming a routine to match ours.

Some things I’ve learned from that experience:

Know Your Routine: as they say, you are the one that knows yourself best. Find the things you like to do / eat / work on and incorporate them into your daily life. All of us have to consistently work on eliminating the bad habits (eating junk food, too much screen time) and institutionalizing the good ones (eating well, exercising, staying mentally sharp). Easier said than done I know.

Make Minor Adjustments: trying to make major changes to your routine can be very challenging. If you’re trying to get in shape, suddenly going to the gym for 5 hours a day is not only going to be difficult but also not sustainable. You need to make the minor changes first - start with a walk perhaps? The challenges people face with quitting smoking are a good example. Often quitting “cold turkey” creates other unintended consequences and does not have the desired long term effect.

Encourage Others: many of us know people in our daily lives who are striving to make a change in their habits or routines. When someone opens up to you about their journey, try to find ways to encourage them to sustain and embrace those positive changes. Like you, they are trying to do what works best for them and their family. Your support can help them bridge the gap between giving up on and achieving their intended results. We can all use a little support (and a nudge) sometimes.

For my part, the Harvey’s from the “good old days” is still thriving in the parking lot of the old grocery store haunt. I drive by it often and when I do, I can still taste the eggs and toast like it was yesterday. Pavlovian I guess. Either way, it’s a good reminder of the power of routine and how they shape our day to day behaviours and actions. What good habits are you going to take on and make part of your routine?

Until next time, keep the faith.

Mmm breakfast.

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Jim McKay is a seasoned supply chain executive with over twenty-five years experience in leading and coaching others. From the shop floor to the board room to the ball diamond and hockey rink, those who know him know that he has a few stories to share about life and leadership. Through his 'Reflections' posts and 'Reflections of a Workaholic' publications Jim shares his experience in transportation, supply chain and leadership through impactful and insightful stories that are meant to help and inspire others.

The commentary and opinions in these stories are his own...