7 Tips to Escape Mundane Routines
Do you ever feel like you do the same things day in and day out? That you get so busy and wrapped up in your to-do lists that you forget about the fun things? If you’re saying “that’s me” to any of this, I have a plan to help you escape this loop of mundane routines and bring some excitement back into your life!
We all need to break out from the norm and do something new, something engaging. We need to embrace adventure and exploration! It is so important for our mental, physical, and emotional health. So today I am going to help you revive your routine and show you how just a few small changes can make a world of a difference in your daily life.
Oh how reviving a hike can be! This view is from one of our favorite trails.
Tip #1: Get Outside
If your day-to-day has become stale with the same old routine, the best way to add some variety is to get outside! Most of our days consist of going to and from work, with possible errands thrown into the mix. Our time outdoors ends up being confined to the walk to and from the car!
Let’s change this. Go for a walk or a hike. Go to a restaurant that has outdoor seating. Eat dinner on your patio. Do an outdoor activity fit for the season you are in.
Go somewhere in the middle of the week, even if it’s just a walk at the local park. Plan something to look forward to over the weekend that includes getting some fresh air.
Tip #2: Record your Ideas
Keep a notebook of ideas/inspiration. I write down all of the fun ideas I come across in my adventure notebook. Restaurants people recommend, events that are coming up, and activities I don’t want to miss. You can easily organize your own notebook into weekly, monthly, and seasonal ideas. That way everything is in one place and easy to travel with.
Are you more of an electronic-based person? Then make a spreadsheet. I keep a spreadsheet of all the things to do in our local area, within about 2 hours of us. I have it broken down by season and include all of the hikes and activities I want to do during that time.
These methods work well for me, but you need to find the method that works best for you. Just be sure to include the location of each activity, since distance can impact where you choose to go, depending on the free time you have available.
Tip #3: Make a Plan
Planning is your best friend here and it will free you from a humdrum lifestyle. You want to plan one activity a week, big or small, it doesn’t really matter. Set a day during the week (preferably at the beginning of the week) to plan the activity you will do over the weekend. Better yet, sit down on a monthly basis to plan out what activities you will do for the entire month (that’s just 4 activities).
If you have no idea where to start, take a look at my other post on how to connect with where you live. This will give you ideas for what to look for in your area, as well as resources on where to find activities. As far as websites go, Only In Your Sate has been one of my favorite resources over they years and I always find some unique places to look forward to visiting.
Tip #4: Make it Important
Just writing something down on a piece of paper or saying “we should go here sometime soon” isn’t enough. Having a list of what you want to do that month can be left up to interpretation. You need a real set date for each event, especially when you are trying to start a new habit.
Your calendar is the perfect tool for this. Now, these activities will become part of your schedule. Pick a date that works best for you and your household. Treat it like an important meeting. Just like you wouldn’t miss an appointment with your hairdresser, don’t miss this appointment for a self-reset.
Of course, things come up, and sometimes you have to make adjustments. That’s fine, but don’t just cross it out! Move it to another date on the calendar.
One of my favorite adventure shots of Daniel (Zion National Park)
Tip #5: Challenge Yourself
This is my challenge to you: Plan something small each week and something big each quarter.
Quarterly Escape
Each season, you should have an escape planned. This can either be a full-on vacation, an extended weekend, or simply a day trip. It’s always good to get out of your immediate area for this. So go someplace new (or at the very least make sure it’s a spot you love and feel rejuvenated after visiting).
Quarterly Escape
Plan to do something fun once a week. The weekend is often the easiest time for this. This is where you want to plan a trip in your local area. If you are looking for a place to start, start close to home and try my two-hour radius rule, searching for things to do within two hours of your house.
2 hours is close enough to enjoy a full day at a location. It is also far enough that you can usually find things to do that are completely different than what you will find in your own town. This gives you enough space to explore without going to the same places over and over again.
Tip #6: Make it Special
Make it a Date
Daniel and I treat all of our outings like a date. Our weekend hikes, a dinner at a new restaurant, a walk in the park across the street, or that impromptu trip to the ice cream parlor. Dates are important, they help your relationship to continue feeling fresh and exciting. Think about how you can turn your escapes into the perfect date, no matter how simple it may be!
Make it Fun
Be sure you don’t let any of this event planning turn into a burden. If it feels like too much, tone it back to an outing every other week. Better yet, recruit your spouse, family, or friends to help plan something fun. You can rotate who picks the event or sit down together and have everyone look for ideas, write them all down, and record them in your notebook. Then plan what everyone wants to do first, marking them on the calendar.
Remember, it’s not meant to be stressful; it is intended to be fun! These escapes are meant to be an opportunity to not only connect to the area around you, but to connect with your loved ones.
Tip #7: Make Time
We all struggle to find the time, but usually, we just don’t make the time. It’s all about making the important things a priority.
Our free time is often taken up by long hours of work, taking care of pets, kids, or other loved ones. Our spare time seems to slip through our fingers like sand.
We also waste a lot of free time in our lives. Think about what you do when you get home. Do you turn on the tv or scroll social media as your escape or way to relax? Instead, try using this free time to plan something to do that doesn’t involve the couch. Plan something that you can look forward to, something that will revive you. Use this time to create memories.
