Developing a routine

So I worked yesterday and today. Only about seven hours, but I feel a sense of accomplishment. I think that, while working while depressed can be stressful, not working can make depression worse. My worst depressive episode happened when I wasn't working, back in my twenties. I haven't worked much since, except off and on, like the newspaper job I wrote about the other day. I haven't gone into work at my current job since October. I'm really lucky that my boss is so flexible.

So after getting up early on Friday, I slept ok Saturday, but after working I "forgot" to go to bed on time, and slept until noon today. Didn't do my morning sunlight this morning either. It's so easy to get off schedule for me.

I think that having a routine is helpful for coping with depression. Varying from a routine occasionally is okay, but not having a routine is really throwing me off kilter all the time.

At one time, I considered myself one of the "creative" people, and as a creative person, I felt I should live a bohemian life and sleep until noon, party all night. Things like having a routine were for normal, bourgeois people, not artistic folk like me.

A lot of writers have shared what they know about the writing process, and most of them agree that a writing schedule is essential. Routine is a way to avoid demons that plague writers, such as procrastination and writer's block. So, so much for my notions of the creative life.

So I am hoping to develop more of a routine in my life. That's why I've started with the whole sleep thing. And the eat breakfast outside thing. Maybe I can add more elements this next week.

My parents couldn't be more different when it comes to routines. I think that my dad maps out his week hour by hour. Most of it is the same every day. For example, I have observed him in the morning when he wakes up. He prepares his oatmeal and puts it in the microwave. Then he goes to the bathroom. Then he goes outside and gets the paper. He eats and does puzzles in the paper. After a while, he makes my mom a cup of coffee and brings it back to her (which is sweet). Then he takes his shower. So goes his day. If he has times when he has to differ from his normal routine, he makes lists. He checks off the items on the list as he gets them done.

My mom has zero sense of time. She gets up whenever, and stays up late reading or watching TV. A lot of times she falls asleep while doing this. She'll say something like, I have an appointment at 10:00, and then spend the half hour leading up to the appointment doing something entirely different, until it is 9:58, at which time she freaks out and starts rushing around getting dressed, finding her purse, forgetting something, rushing back for it, and so on and so forth. She's kind of like the weather down here, which can be calm and tranquil one minute, and a raging, tree-shaking thunderstorm the next.

Of course, I generally take after my mom, although I'd like to think that I have a better sense of time than she does. Most of the time. Maybe. I don't think I'd like to be as precisely scheduled as my dad, but I think I can maybe learn a lot from him as far as routine goes.