I also think routines just get boring fast, and life’s too unpredictable.
Yeah, I totally get this. It’s like, you start off all hyped with a new system—reminders, charts, whatever—and then after a couple weeks it’s like everyone’s on autopilot or just… over it. I tried the “put it by the toothbrush” trick with my kid’s glasses case, and it worked for a bit, but then someone moved the case, or we switched up the morning routine, and poof, back to square one.
I keep wondering if it’s just that we get bored, or if it’s more about our brains wanting novelty? Like, does anyone’s family actually keep a new routine going for more than a month without mixing it up? Or maybe it’s just about finding the right “anchor habit” to tie things to, like you said with brushing teeth. Curious if anyone’s found a hack that actually sticks longer than a few weeks.
I hear you on routines getting old fast, but honestly, I kinda think it’s less about boredom and more about how life just throws curveballs. Like, we tried a sticker chart for chores to save a bit on hiring help, and it actually stuck for almost two months—mainly because we kept the rewards super cheap but switched up what they were. Sometimes it was movie night, other times it was picking dinner. Maybe it’s not about finding one “anchor,” but having a couple backup anchors in case the first one falls apart? I dunno, just what seemed to work for us, at least for a while.
That’s interesting about the sticker chart—switching up the rewards sounds like a clever way to keep everyone invested. I get what you mean about backup anchors, too. It’s like, the novelty of any new system wears off, but if there’s a rotation or some kind of variable built in, maybe it lasts longer. I’ve noticed with myself that I’ll get really into a new routine or app for tracking habits, but once something disrupts it (like travel or just a busy week), it’s tough to get back on track.
Do you think it’s more about the external rewards, or does the structure itself help keep things going? I sometimes wonder if the reason routines fade is because once the “reward” becomes predictable, it loses its effect, kind of like how a game gets boring if you always know what’s coming next. Or maybe it’s just that life’s unpredictability makes any rigid system hard to stick with for too long. Have you tried anything that worked longer than a couple months, or does everything eventually need a refresh?
I actually think the structure matters more than the reward, at least in my experience. When I was trying to get myself to floss daily (not just telling other people to do it), I set up all kinds of reminders and even tried those little calendar stickers for a while. But honestly, once life got busy or I traveled, like you said, the whole thing just fizzled out. Changing up the rewards didn’t really help me much—if anything, I found that having a really simple routine that fit into my day, no matter where I was, worked better.
I guess what I’m getting at is maybe it’s less about novelty or external motivation and more about how seamlessly the habit fits into your normal life. Like, if you need a bunch of props or apps or special conditions, it’s probably not going to last long-term. For me, routines only stick if they’re stupidly easy to do even when everything else is off-balance. Maybe that’s boring, but it’s what actually works for me. Anyone else feel like the simplest habits are the ones that survive chaos?