Handling Routine Disruptions

2 Minute Read

We all know the drill.

The alarm goes off, coffee starts brewing, and your usual morning routine kicks in—it feels easy, familiar, and... well... routined.

We all also know the flip side.

Perhaps you're traveling for work, on vacation, visiting family, etc. The alarm goes off and... whooaaa. Getting ready to run feels a lot harder. The routine you're accustomed to becomes invconvenient, and you feel stiff, sluggish, and perhaps unmotivated.

We often talk about the importance of routine, but what if we flipped the script a bit? The ability to be out of routine, and remain a well oiled machine, is a very valuable skill. So instead of seeing disruption to your routine as a setback, what if it became an opportunity to train your adaptability?

What’s Happening in Our Brains

Humans are creatures of habit. Our brains thrive on routine because it’s efficient and comforting. When we follow a set schedule, we conserve mental energy, reduce stress, and limit the unpredictability of life. All of this is very positive from an evolutionary perspective. And this predictability keeps us feeling more in control, which is why deviations can feel so challenging.

The Impact of Routine Disruptions

When our routine is disrupted, our brains have to work harder to adapt. This can lead to feelings of stress, anxiety, and frustration. Importantly, these feelings may only exist in small doses. When you're out of routine on vacation, how often do you complain about feeling overwhelmingly stressed and anxious? Hopefully not often.

But even if present in small doses, being out of routine can leave us feeling…. just off. Perhaps characterized by mental fog, feeling stiff, or just slightly annoyed sometimes. And if you’re trying to get a training session or workout in when out of routine, this can be tough! A change in environment, schedule, or daily habits can throw us off balance and requires more mental energy to get it done.

Training for Adaptability

Here’s the silver lining: all of the inconvenient out-of-routine experiences that you may have are actually just helping you train for, and become resilient to, being out of routine.

Think about running on vacation or adapting your schedule during a busy work period. It can be challenging to keep up a training routine, and actually feel good while doing so. Well, now all out-of-routine moments can be thought of as practice sessions for situations like race day, vacation, work travel, etc.

Being able to adjust to new environments, manage different routines, and still perform well is a valuable skill. And everything in life comes down to training - so there you have it. Now being out of routine should be frustrating - it's just practice. 

Wrap It Up

Embracing disruptions isn’t just about handling the bumps in the road—it’s about training to thrive in any situation. And that is a wonderful feeling. By adapting to changes and finding success despite them, you’re not only improving your resilience but also preparing yourself for race day and beyond.

And with this mindset, we can train anywhere. And when we can train anywhere, and be consistent, we'll build passion.