Routine

I'd like to expand upon a previous post. When I was posting about how routine makes me happy and enriches my life, I was looking for a snappy quote, and all I found were quotes like the following:

"The less routine the more life."
Amos Bronson Alcott

"I began to realize how simple life could be if one had a regular routine to follow with fixed hours, a fixed salary, and very little original thinking to do."
Roald Dahl

"As long as habit and routine dictate the pattern of living, new dimensions of the soul will not emerge."
Henry Van Dyke

I know that these are probably distinguished men. Especially old Roald. "Danny the Champion of the World" made me wish I was named Danny throughout my childhood.

But I totally disagree with what they're saying. Routine is the system for controlling the necessary repetitiveness of life. You control the repetition and mold it into a pleasurable routine, and, at the same time, controlling it makes it more efficient, enabling more unstructured time, which is also important. The opposite of routine is not 100% free time, it's chaos and disorganization, which is not enriching or creatively inspiring to me at all. I'd wager that any seriously productive artist or thinker cherishes and guards his routine.

"Some men like a dull life-they like the routine of eating breakfast, going to work, coming home, petting the dog, watching TV, kissing the kids, and going to bed. Stay clear of it-it's often catching."
Hedy Lamarr

Exactly!