Daily schedules/routines?

[alicia91]

I'm always impressed with those people who are able to be disciplined enough to follow routines and schedules. Additonally, I think that I'd have more free time (freedom!) without guilt, if I could actually manage to have one. But it's just not my nature I guess. I love designing a routine --6:00 wakeup, 7:00 workout, 9:00-1:00 work on my business, etc. but after a week or so I feel too contrained and rebel. On other boards that I'm on, many ladies swear by the Flylady system and I signed up for it but cancelled after two days because I just couldn't take it.

THe only thing that works for me is to incorporate one little thing at a time - usually tacked on to something else I'm already doing and eventually it just becomes a natural habit. For example - while my morning coffee is brewing I force myself to unload the dishwasher.

But I wouldn't necessarily call myself unorganized - at the end of the day I've usually done what I've needed to do. It just wasn't done in a systematic sort of way.

You?

[cafe]

About the same as you. Sometimes I seek out external things that give some structure to my day because with no structure I feel at loose ends and as a J, I don't like that feeling.

[Geoff]

Don't we already have one of these threads?

/too lazy to go look.

[alicia91]

Don't we already have one of these threads?

There's one at INTP c - but I don't post there.

[prplchknz]

I also make a schedule for what needs to be done, then I fail to actually follow it. It's like I'm going to do this by this time so I can go to bed at a reasonable hour, yet I'm always up late working and up early finishing.

[booyalab]

Routine makes me depressed, I try to avoid it.

[Uberfuhrer]

I need routines, schedules, and plans. I can't be spontaneous. I need to know what I'm getting into.

Keep in mind, though, routines, schedules, and plans are not synonymous with being hardworking and inclined for follow-through. It just means you like to be in control of the external world.

[alicia91]

In my case, as an ISTP - I'm definately a 'chart-the-course' style person. I like to have some kind of plan or vision where I'm headed whether just short term for the day or in general. However, at the same time I need freedom to manuever. And I keep thinking 'if I was more organized and efficient about doing the crappy jobs then I'd have more time for the fun stuff and more freedom.' I can't even stand to have appointments late in the day or my day feels 'ruined' and I hate having it hanging over my head all day long.

It's a constant struggle.

[01011010]

I really admire people that can do whatever they feel like doing. I really have to go by a schedule, it doesn't have to be the same everyday. I can change as needed. Nonetheless, the only times I remember not scheduling at all, is when ex girlfriends forced me.

[Jeffster]

We were just talking about this at work today.

Making schedules (or to-do lists) just ends up depressing me, because I end up not getting most of what I planned done, so it becomes something to get stressed out about or beat myself up over. I have been much happier since I stopped trying to do that. People were always telling me to do it, and I did because I thought the problem was that I just wasn't trying hard enough to be disciplined. But I learned that some people, including me, function much better when we can go with the flow, and actually can accomplish a lot more when we don't try to stick to strict schedules that stress us out and make things too pressured.