[null, {"document_url": "http://helenzebcharles.blogspot.com/2011/01/523-routine-my-contradiction.html", "unformatted_src": "http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CgQ6aXwVhac/TTikrmKayTI/AAAAAAAAAUU/x5vzWZ9CbmY/s320/routine.jpg", "src": "http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CgQ6aXwVhac/TTikrmKayTI/AAAAAAAAAUU/x5vzWZ9CbmY/s320/routine.jpg", "formatted_filename": "routine"}, null, {"document_url": "http://helenzebcharles.blogspot.com/2011/01/523-routine-my-contradiction.html", "unformatted_src": "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CgQ6aXwVhac/TTikHcSUksI/AAAAAAAAAUM/8FL5PlHvwv8/s320/document.php.jpeg", "src": "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CgQ6aXwVhac/TTikHcSUksI/AAAAAAAAAUM/8FL5PlHvwv8/s320/document.php.jpeg", "formatted_filename": "document"}, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null]

52:3 Routine, my contradiction Routine. This may sound like quite a boring topic to talk about today but it is actually something that affects all of us. And it can either be the bane of your life or in fact the way you cope with daily pressures. Or if you are really annoying (like me) it can be both.
Lately I have found myself craving routine... I have a husband and more than anything I just want to settle down with him. Now when I say settle down please don't interpret that as popping out kids or giving back the badge of spontaneity; in fact what I want right now is quite the opposite. I want us to have a content, economically stable, stress-free life so we can just get on with the fun part of be married: Living together (with a capital L).
I have to point out here that I realise how ironic it is to need a stable life to be able to be impulsive. I guess I am a complicated woman!
There has been a bit of a discussion in Vlogtag (my Youtube collab) this week about impulse versus planning. My take on it is that there seems to be an inherent acceptance that if you are an impulsive person then you are somehow more free, dangerous and fun loving than planners. In my opinion being an organised person (lower case o) doesn't stop me from making quick decisions from the heart (or the id)... it actually just makes me more aware of the repercussions of that decision both positive and negative. Besides I don't subscribe to the thought that fun loving and dangerous go hand in hand. I try and lead with my heart wherever possible... I guess I like my brain too much to forget about it altogether. Using this diagram as an example I guess I aim to make my decisions go straight down!
Now I did mention earlier that I use routine and organisation to cope with pressures but that it can also be the bane of my life. Let me briefly explain the latter part...
Recently I have been helping out some administrative tasks at work due to one of our PAs being off sick. By the way I started with zero admin skills and have maybe improved bout 10%... I didn't even know that a printer could staple things. I found this out after three hours of stapling.
Anyway helping out with the admin side of things has really emphasised how I not only love creativity but I *need* it. A few years ago I worked in a pathology lab, which basically involved loading blood samples onto the testing machine. Oh and taking them off again. I lasted a week. I realised that I need creativity to maintain my mental wellbeing.
Luckily one BA Hons degree later I have a job that keeps my mind happy (most of the time!) I have a different day every time I go into work: sometimes I'll be writing a press release about PTSD, sometimes I'll be designing a newsletter (this is my first solo attempt at designing) and sometimes I'll be writing a communications plan to improve a team's internal presence. Mix my creativity with my instinctive need to be organised, and bingo! You get Helen Abbott the communications officer.
Let me know your thoughts. Are you organised? Do you enjoy planning and preparing for things? Do you live your life from moment to moment? Do you think that is a good or bad thing? Discuss.
Posted by Helen Brooks at 20:32 Labels: communications, helenzebcharles, impusle, organisation, spontaneity 
Well written! I like to think I maintain a healthy balance somewhere between organized and chaotic. I know each day there are things I need to complete or at the very least start, but I am not opposed to watching a few youtube videos before I attempt them.

21 January 2011 at 08:05 
You and I have about the same view point on planning life and such. Which i have already talked about in VT but yeah I do think that you can still be spontaneous and plan a little bit. Go with the flow and such.

I am such a procrastinator. like right now im at work ... checking blogs ... wow.. dedicated.. (my boss is out this week...so...so there!)


28 January 2011 at 20:08