If someone asked you what your typical Tuesday looks like, you could probably answer without thinking.

Wake up.

Get ready.

Answer emails.

Jump into meetings.

Run errands.

Make dinner.

Repeat.

Most of us spend our lives moving from one routine to the next without questioning them very often. And to be fair, routines aren’t a bad thing. They help us stay organized, reduce decision fatigue, and keep life moving.

But every once in a while, it’s worth asking:

Am I choosing this routine… or am I just continuing it?

Why Change Can Feel So Uncomfortable

Even good change can feel strange.

A vacation you’ve been looking forward to finally arrives, and by day two you’re checking your email “just for a minute.”

You take a long weekend and somehow end up cleaning out the garage instead of relaxing.

You finally have an unscheduled afternoon, and instead of feeling excited, you wonder what you’re supposed to be doing.

Sound familiar?

We’re creatures of habit. Our brains love predictability, which means even a positive interruption to our routine can feel surprisingly uncomfortable at first.

That doesn’t mean you’re bad at resting.

It just means you’re human.

Sometimes You Don’t Need a New Routine – You Need a Break From It

We spend a lot of time trying to optimize our routines.

Morning routines.

Workout routines.

Meal prep routines.

Productivity routines.

And while there’s certainly value in building healthy habits, there’s also value in stepping outside of them every now and then.

When you interrupt your normal rhythm, you notice things you couldn’t see before.

Maybe you’ve been saying yes to too much.

Maybe you’ve built a business that no longer fits the life you want.

Maybe you’re simply more tired than you realized.

It’s hard to notice those things when every day looks exactly like the one before it.

You Don’t Have to Take a Month Off

When people hear words like sabbatical or maternity leave, it’s easy to think, That must be nice, but that’s not an option for me.

The truth is, pattern interruption doesn’t have to be dramatic.

It can look like:

• Taking Friday afternoon off without feeling guilty.
• Spending a Saturday away from your usual to-do list.
• Working somewhere different for the day.
• Leaving your phone in another room for an hour.
• Saying no to something you’d normally say yes to.

The goal isn’t to escape your life.

It’s to create enough space to actually notice it.

Give Yourself Permission to Be Unproductive

This might be the hardest part.

When you finally slow down, it’s tempting to fill the space.

Answer a few emails.

Organize a closet.

Catch up on work.

Because doing something often feels more comfortable than doing nothing.

But sometimes the most productive thing you can do is simply let your mind wander.

Research has shown that periods of rest and mind-wandering can support creativity, problem-solving, and insight in ways constant busyness can’t. Some of our best ideas don’t show up while we’re staring at a spreadsheet – they show up on a walk, in the shower, or halfway through a vacation when our brains finally have room to breathe.

Sometimes Stepping Away Helps You Come Back Better

In the latest episode of Everything In Between, Lynne and Braelyn talk about intentionally stepping away from their usual routines as Braelyn prepares for maternity leave and Lynne begins a sabbatical. They share why taking an intentional pause can feel both refreshing and uncomfortable, and how creating space to rest and reflect often brings a new level of clarity when it’s time to return.

Whether you’re taking several months away or simply reclaiming a quiet weekend, the reminder is the same: stepping away isn’t about falling behind. Sometimes it’s exactly what helps you move forward.

Your Challenge This Week

You don’t have to book a month-long sabbatical.

You don’t even have to take a vacation.

Just interrupt one pattern.

Drive a different route.

Leave your laptop closed for the evening.

Take your lunch outside instead of at your desk.

Work from somewhere new.

Say no to one commitment.

Give yourself one uninterrupted hour with no agenda.

You might be surprised by what comes to mind when your routine isn’t doing all the thinking for you.

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