I had a lot of meetings today–some of which went well and some which didn’t–and they’ve reminded me again about structure and routine.

Routine is the scaffolding of our lives. It gives us structure and security. It is, I believe, what has enabled the Kinderbesten to ride out the collapse of my marriage. Because very little in their daily routine actually changed, they were spared the greater impact of it all.

Sometimes meetings a part of the routine of the day. For me, however, most of my meetings provide a break. They mean I’m not sitting in front of my computer screen all day. Sometimes this is good and sometimes it’s bad. Sometimes having too many meetings means I don’t actually get any work done; other times they offer a fresh perspective on the job and help to re-energise me somewhat.

Routine is good. It can take some–or a lot–of the cognitive load out of your day. But you should never let it become the prison walls around you. Sometimes the simple act of taking a different route to work, or having lunch at a different time, can be a refreshing change and prompt you to look at things a bit differently.