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Abstract

imize getting done what we need and know we should get done, while minimizing what we don’t need to get done, and spend what time remains on what we want to get done — why deviate from this method?We get to choose what form monotony takes.If we know we need to workout every day, for example, the question shouldn’t be “Hmmm how can I change up the way I workout so that I can have the spiciest workout today ever?”The question should be, “How can I optimize my workouts so that I can get the best return on the time I have to invest while not sacrificing my ability to do them consistently?”And once you settle on an optimized routine —you keep it! Day-in and day-out. Until you think of or stumble upon an idea of how it might be improved. Why should it to be any different?This helps you save time, energy, and effort which allows you to get back to the endless list of other things you know you need, should, shouldn’t, and want to get done.Spontaneously trying to figure out where to workout, when you want to workout, how to structure your workouts, and who you want to workout with—for every workout, every day — is too costly and draining of valuable resources.Better would be to embrace monotony and focus on shaping the form it takes throughout your day rather than shunning monotony like it’s a bad thing that needs to be avoided.I workout monotonously every morning — same time, in the same place, with the same equipment, following the same weekly routine, by myself.The benefit of this is that I don’t have to debate the time, I don’t

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have to decide on the location, I don’t have to research or figure out how to use the equipment, and I don’t have to rely on others.In fact, there’s very little use of resources when I’m getting ready to workout at all. I only spend what I need for the workout itself — which is how it should be.Now, imagine if you did this for every other aspect of your life. Imagine if, instead of always running from monotony/ routine/ ritual — you embraced it and figured out a way to optimize your entire day?Imagine what your diet/ budget/ mental health might look like. Imagine how much time, energy, and effort you could potentially save. Imagine all of the other things you could invest those saved resources on.Because the reality is, you can’t opt out of monotony.Your day is already monotonous. And if you fight it — it will fight you. But if you embrace it — it will embrace you, too. Your monotony is your life. It’s what you spend most of your time doing. It’s the “meat and potatoes” of the meal.By choosing to “opt out” of monotony, you’re choosing to opt out of the meal itself. And what you’ll end up with is a plate filled only with spices.Sure, you’ll have the spiciest meal/ life around, but if you’d prefer not to eat black pepper with cinnamon and oregano on top as your entreé—you had better start opting-in and learning how to handle your monotony instead.Yum.If you liked this, you’d probably love <a href="https://movemedaily.substack.com/">MoveMe Daily</a>. A short, daily email that will keep you focused on moving forward in your life. Read it first <a href="https://movemedaily.substack.com/">here</a>.</article></body>

If Variety Is The “Spice” Of Life, Monotony Is The Entire Meal

Stop giving monotony a bad rep.

“We can’t opt out of monotony, but we can choose which form it takes.” ~ Chris Guillebeau, via MoveMe Quotes

If we can get into a routine that works — that’s effective — why change it?

Optimized implies most efficient; ideal; highly productive. Why add “spice” if the “meal” as a whole is already optimized; ideal; highly delicious?

Monotony, as far as I see it, gets a bad rep because it has an underlying tone of being tedious, dull, or annoying. It gets equated to the lifestyle of the person who works a “9–5” they hate, who spends time doing things they don’t like, with people who leave them feeling uninspired.

But, it doesn’t have to be this way.

Here’s the deal: there are certain things that need to get done every day. And there are other things that we want to get done. Then there are things that we know we should get done. And finally, there are things that don’t need to get done, but we do anyway.

If we can figure out a way to optimize getting done what we need and know we should get done, while minimizing what we don’t need to get done, and spend what time remains on what we want to get done — why deviate from this method?

We get to choose what form monotony takes.

If we know we need to workout every day, for example, the question shouldn’t be “Hmmm how can I change up the way I workout so that I can have the spiciest workout today ever?”

The question should be, “How can I optimize my workouts so that I can get the best return on the time I have to invest while not sacrificing my ability to do them consistently?”

And once you settle on an optimized routine —you keep it! Day-in and day-out. Until you think of or stumble upon an idea of how it might be improved. Why should it to be any different?

This helps you save time, energy, and effort which allows you to get back to the endless list of other things you know you need, should, shouldn’t, and want to get done.

Spontaneously trying to figure out where to workout, when you want to workout, how to structure your workouts, and who you want to workout with—for every workout, every day — is too costly and draining of valuable resources.

Better would be to embrace monotony and focus on shaping the form it takes throughout your day rather than shunning monotony like it’s a bad thing that needs to be avoided.

I workout monotonously every morning — same time, in the same place, with the same equipment, following the same weekly routine, by myself.

The benefit of this is that I don’t have to debate the time, I don’t have to decide on the location, I don’t have to research or figure out how to use the equipment, and I don’t have to rely on others.

In fact, there’s very little use of resources when I’m getting ready to workout at all. I only spend what I need for the workout itself — which is how it should be.

Now, imagine if you did this for every other aspect of your life. Imagine if, instead of always running from monotony/ routine/ ritual — you embraced it and figured out a way to optimize your entire day?

Imagine what your diet/ budget/ mental health might look like. Imagine how much time, energy, and effort you could potentially save. Imagine all of the other things you could invest those saved resources on.

Because the reality is, you can’t opt out of monotony.

Your day is already monotonous. And if you fight it — it will fight you. But if you embrace it — it will embrace you, too. Your monotony is your life. It’s what you spend most of your time doing. It’s the “meat and potatoes” of the meal.

By choosing to “opt out” of monotony, you’re choosing to opt out of the meal itself. And what you’ll end up with is a plate filled only with spices.

Sure, you’ll have the spiciest meal/ life around, but if you’d prefer not to eat black pepper with cinnamon and oregano on top as your entreé—you had better start opting-in and learning how to handle your monotony instead.

Yum.

If you liked this, you’d probably love MoveMe Daily. A short, daily email that will keep you focused on moving forward in your life. Read it first here.