When I sit down to work, my cup of coffee has to be with me, refuelling and resetting my brain into work mode.
It’s a habit that’s been there for years.
I like my routines. Dailly exercise, work blocks through the day, reading for some time before bed.
My kids feel it’s boring, very “old person” lifestyle.
But the consistency is what makes it workable. It bring structure, order and predictability to my otherwise chaotic day.
The going-with-the-flow doesn’t work in long term. It reflects the distracted state of mind, a lack of focus.
“You don’t have to be the same person you were yesterday. You just have to show up today in whatever way you can.” – James Clear
Agree totally with that. Consistency is not rigidity. It’s about doing the same thing every day, or regularly, but doing it. No excuses.
Consistency is about having a disciplined attitude towards your routine and following it with unwavering determination.
Having a consistent routine doesn’t mean a rigid timetable. It means doing your work steadily while adapting to the imponderables.
If you’ve missed one day of workout or skipped one day of your healthy diet or slept way past your bedtime or maybe even didn’t post on time, it doesn’t mean you’re inconsistent.
Life ebbs and flows. You can’t fight it. Don’t take it as a failure. Or let the guilt set in.
Small changes in the routine show you the need to adapt to remain consistent. Like the bamboo reed. Bent in the wind but not broken.
Adaptation keeps your intention intact even if the method changes.
Redefining Consistency As A Flexible Framework
The biggest myth about consistency is that people mistake it for rigidity.
Consistency is doing something regularly, repeatedly. And more importantly, returning to it after a disruption.
Your workout routine may get disturbed during a vacation. But once back home, you get back to it. That’s consistency.
The festival season played havoc with your diet. Once it’s over, go back to eating healthy.
Consistency is about being able to bounce back to the regular routine.
Or better still, break it into smaller bits. Like instead of totally stopping your workout sessions during the vacations, do maybe 10 minutes in the hotel gym or go for a swim.
Have a healthy breakfast with fruits to compensate for the rest of the day of indulgence.
This way the momentum is kept alive; you remain consistent with your routine. Better to do something than nothing.
The adaptability becomes your secret weapon. It helps you customise your regular schedule into something doable.
This way it’s less stressful and more innovative. You can scale your routine up or down as per your requirement.
Can’t go for the regular run, then jog at home or walk around the block.
Can’t write during travel, then scribble a paragraph or some lines anytime convenient during the day or try recording a voice memo.
Cant stick with the healthy diet during client meetings, then replace beverages with water, junk food with fruits.
Choose the path of least resistance, find the easy version and stick to it so that you don’t lose sight of the goal.
Consistency Is About the Effort You’re Willing to Put
Remember, true consistency is about maintaining a sustainable momentum, not creating relentless pressure on yourself.
If it’s not working out, then don’t sweat the small stuff. Think of the other possible alternatives you can try to get back on track.
What matters is your presences, your intention. Every small effort counts.
I know from experience how difficult it gets to get back to the routine if you stop it totally.
My writing routine got derailed when we got a puppy home. Too distracted, I’d find a new excuse for not writing each day.
This went on for a week or two until it reached a point that my mind went blank when I decided to write.
That little jolt broke my reverie and got me back with a thud. Now I write whenever I find time between cleaning his p**p and p*ss and feeding him.
Life doesn’t wait for you or anyone; it keeps moving forward. And it’s up to you to decide how to keep moving with it.
Consistency is not about perfection, but about presence.
Ask yourself if you’re committed to the routine or the purpose behind it, in case you ever falter. Why did you begin with this routine in the first place?
If your goal is to stay healthy, a walk still counts as exercise. If your aim to write, then even a messy incomplete draft is better than no words at all.
What matters is that you’re consistent with your intentions. The methods are just the means.
Find another means for reaching your goal. Experiment and evolve and keep that guilt aside.
Adapt to Stay Consistent
Each day is different. Then how can you expect to stick to your routine with no changes, however small?
What matters more is that you show up every day no matter what. Do as much as possible. Find new ways of sticking to the routine if the your schedule gets disrupted.
Consistency is another form of persistence but with flexibility.
So don’t just stop. Slow down, review and continue with the modifications.
