How important is a routine for you

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, JensenZ said:

I believe too much structure and routine is a bad thing as it makes people too inflexible and any disruption to the routine causes stress and difficulty coping or performing.

 

I have only one structured activity, my daily exercise routine, but even that is not performed at the same time everyday. Sleeping time, duration of sleep, eating time - all else is flexible. When I'm hungry I eat. When I'm tired I rest, when I'm sleepy I sleep.

Ok, but there is more.

Maybe you have the same order when you go to the bathroom in the morning, like brushing your teeth, shaving, shower, etc. You will likely automatically do it in the same order (almost every day).

Similar with eating. Maybe you drink from a bottle, or always from the same mug. Maybe you clean it right away, or you leave it on the table for the maid, etc.

This is all part of "routine" and structure.

Sure, it's good to be not too stubborn, i.e. I also don't have a fixed time when I eat or what I eat.

But I guess 90% of the time I drink espresso in the morning. And there are many more regular activities. 

[JensenZ]

7 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Ok, but there is more.

Maybe you have the same order when you go to the bathroom in the morning, like brushing your teeth, shaving, shower, etc. You will likely automatically do it in the same order (almost every day).

Similar with eating. Maybe you drink from a bottle, or always from the same mug. Maybe you clean it right away, or you leave it on the table for the maid, etc.

This is all part of "routine" and structure.

Sure, it's good to be not too stubborn, i.e. I also don't have a fixed time when I eat or what I eat.

But I guess 90% of the time I drink espresso in the morning. And there are many more regular activities. 

Yes it is true that my days all have structure. It's just the time of day I do stuff that varies a lot.

[4MyEgo]

As soon as I wake up in the morning, my routine starts with reading this forum, i.e. to find out if I have been suspended by the same Moderator again, for breaching ASEAN policy, even without mentioning the name of who I was referring to, you know, yes that guy ????

 

Once I check if I can still access the forum and put my views forward, ask questions, contribute etc, then I go back to bed feeling safe and secure because without this forum, where would I be, as you can tell life would be very boring without this forum ????.

 

 

 

 

[connda]

5 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

Sleep all day ,drink all night

That is a routine.  Very simple, but a routine none the less. 

[scottiejohn]

10 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

my routine starts with reading this forum, i.e. to find out if I have been suspended by the same Moderator again, for breaching ASEAN policy,

Then why post material that you know/suspect is going to be in breach of AN policy?

 

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, Moonlover said:

Yes I'm in complete agreement with that. Some circles consider it to be an OCD. I don't care. I can live with that. It suits me fine and there is medical evidence in support of regular habits.

 

Health benefits of routines

I can remember a former GF of mine who was astounded by my having all the coat hangers in my wardrobe facing the same way, with shirts, trousers and jackets all in sections.

[Moonlover]

13 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I can remember a former GF of mine who was astounded by my having all the coat hangers in my wardrobe facing the same way, with shirts, trousers and jackets all in sections.

Me too and I'm quite sure, that this goes all the way to the days of 'open locker' inspections during my early training in the RAF. And I still do even now. I also have a little mutter if my wife puts my socks away in the wrong drawer, un-paired!

[scubascuba3]

6 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

Me too and I'm quite sure, that this goes all the way to the days of 'open locker' inspections during my early training in the RAF. And I still do even now. I also have a little mutter if my wife puts my socks away in the wrong drawer, un-paired!

I've had no military training and i do the same thing, I'm just organised

[bignok]

6 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

I guess then some would say your life could be boring as there is no plan routine.

 

His life sounds better than yours. You hate your job and don't want to leave the house.

[bignok]

5 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Any special kinky routines we should know about? ???? 

Google army soldiers initiation nights. They do weird stuff

[bignok]

4 hours ago, LaosLover said:

I do the gym, Mon-sat, alternating weights and treadmill days -to not much effect, I might add.

 

And if we're watching something like the stupid Ultimatum show on Netflix, that'll be an 8 to nine-er till it's done.

 

Other than that, I got nothing.

You need to do the big lifts

Squats

Deadlifts

Bench

 

8 to 12 reps.

[gamb00ler]

8 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

What happens if you don't have a routine ,many of you retired may not.

The last 25 years of working, I was self-employed and had very few tasks that had to be done at a certain time on a certain day.  My work did not require that I follow a routine.  I lived in the city with a true 24 X 7 lifestyle... Las Vegas.

 

Most of my "work" time was spent doing analysis and accounting at home on my computer.

 

All those years of no routine has given me a bad procrastination problem.

 

Oh well, I can worry about that tomorrow!

[bignok]

11 minutes ago, gamb00ler said:

The last 25 years of working, I was self-employed and had very few tasks that had to be done at a certain time on a certain day.  My work did not require that I follow a routine.  I lived in the city with a true 24 X 7 lifestyle... Las Vegas.

 

Most of my "work" time was spent doing analysis and accounting at home on my computer.

 

All those years of no routine has given me a bad procrastination problem.

 

Oh well, I can worry about that tomorrow!

Or the day after

[LaosLover]

7 minutes ago, bignok said:

You need to do the big lifts

Squats

Deadlifts

Bench

 

8 to 12 reps.

I actually do all that plus shoulder press and dumbbell extensions. I put more weight on at 10 reps. Deadlift for only 5 reps, as per the 5 X 5 website.

 

At 70, and liking a reasonable dinner, gains are slow. About a kilo lost a month; feels skint for all the effort, but bearable. Maybe 6 alcohol units a week. A flat stomach is prob a year away.

 

A year ago, I couldn't do a full set. Now I can do it with huffing and puffing.

[bignok]

1 minute ago, LaosLover said:

I actually do all that plus shoulder press and dumbbell extensions. I put more weight on at 10 reps. Deadlift for only 5 reps, as per the 5 X 5 website.

 

At 70, and liking a reasonable dinner, gains are slow. About a kilo lost a month; feels skint for all the effort, but bearable. Maybe 6 alcohol units a week. A flat stomach is prob a year away.

 

A year ago, I couldn't do a full set. Now I can do it with huffing and puffing.

8 to 12 reps builds more muscle. Thats what bodybuilders do.

[LaosLover]

35 minutes ago, gamb00ler said:

 

 

Most of my "work" time was spent doing analysis and accounting at home on my computer.

 

 

Same. I know a lot about stuff like lead paint abatement. And I know that no one else is interested.

[LaosLover]

18 minutes ago, bignok said:

8 to 12 reps builds more muscle. Thats what bodybuilders do.

I studied it to death and that, 2+ hours of rest after weights or treadmill, and 1600 calories a day is what moves my old and broken needle.

 

I could do more or eat less, but it would just be stupid misery. I can only absorb so much healthy living in any given day.

[ChaiyaTH]

7 hours ago, Bert got kinky said:

I believe too much structure and routine is a bad thing as it makes people too inflexible and any disruption to the routine causes stress and difficulty coping or performing.

While I can agree that breaking my routine does send me a bit wobbly for the day but there are plus sides to following a routine.

You can make better advanced plans, you are less likely to forget important tasks and you are hardly ever late for anything.

 

That has nothing to do with a routine but with discipline and planning. I do not plan any day and every day and week is different, sometimes I have projects on, sometimes I deal with other timezones. Never an issue to still always be ahead of the game and have my stuff in order.

 

It is usually simply the radical choice people make: play safe and be poorer or take a risk and be richer, have no rules at all OR have too many rules. It is this inflexibility that fks most people in many areas of life, during the entire life.

 

It is also weakness, you don't trust yourself hence you depend on a set of rules, or you apparently fail or are afraid to go trough the learning curve. The entire forces mindset is based on making things work as being one as a group of 10 or more, says zero about individual life.

[Fat is a type of crazy]

4 minutes ago, LaosLover said:

Same. I know a lot about stuff like lead paint abatement. And I know that no one else is interested.

Interesting. Saves lives.  Saw the John Oliver show about it. Don’t here about it much in Australia or maybe it’s me. Hear a lot about asbestos.

[Fat is a type of crazy]

I am a creature of habit. Dinner mainly at same time at home. Work hours stock standard. Gym 4 times a week same split routine for years and years. 

Even in Thailand keep going to Koh Chang. 

[ChaiyaTH]

I do not have a fixed routine aside from making sure I get my right doses of fitness, food, sex, being social, spending time family, learning new things and continue to do business. Sometimes I sleep mornings, sometimes nights.

[bignok]

3 minutes ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

I am a creature of habit. Dinner mainly at same time at home. Work hours stock standard. Gym 4 times a week same split routine for years and years. 

Even in Thailand keep going to Koh Chang. 

Is it good still?

[Fat is a type of crazy]

10 minutes ago, bignok said:

Is it good still?

It is. Good swimming and food and hotels are pretty cheap. Everything pretty clean and quiet. Doesn’t change much. 

[bignok]

3 minutes ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

It is. Good swimming and food and hotels are pretty cheap. Everything pretty clean and quiet. Doesn’t change much. 

Thats good. I might go next time.

[bignok]

I want to go Siem Reap the go Chang.

[LaosLover]

3 minutes ago, bignok said:

I want to go Siem Reap the go Chang.

A seamless minibus transfer these days. $100 all the way in a cab. Skip PP. Just a dump.

[jumbo]

16 hours ago, Mentors65 said:

Going in a bar daily for 20 beers is also a routine

I would call it an addicition due to boring life above routine

[Hummin]

A good start at the day is 15 min walk, stretces and a few light exercises in the gym before coffe and breakfest. 

 

Im more happy with daily life routines in Thailand, get up in the morning like I would if I was working, and same for bedtime and weekends.

 

3 hours 5 days working out, and a few hours work at the farm every day makes me more happy, than live at any tourist destination like it was a holiday 24/7 364 days a year.

 

Keep a controlled balanced diet throughout the week, and one or two days in the weekends with whatever I want, except junk or processed food. Clean food, little sugar, no sweeteners, except stevia. 

 

And also go holidays like normal people do for a week or two.