Routines
Getting back to something after months away
Restarting is harder than starting, mostly because of what you expect of yourself on day one.
Routines
Habits that survive a bad week, not just a good one.
21 articles · updated August 11, 2026 · page 2 of 2
Routines
Doing the same kind of work at the same time of day
Grouping similar tasks removes the cost of switching between different modes of thinking. The gain is largest for the tasks people…
Routines
The part of a routine that has to travel with you
Most routines collapse away from home because they were built out of a specific kitchen and a specific commute. A portable version…
Routines
Cooking the same few meals, deliberately
A small fixed repertoire is treated as a failure of imagination when it is actually the reason people manage to cook at all on a…
Routines
Personal admin expands when it has nowhere to live
Renewals, forms, appointments and unopened post do not take long individually. They take over because there is no point in the week…
Routines
Measuring a habit changes it, which is the point and the problem
Counting something makes you do more of it, and also makes the count matter more than the thing being counted. Both effects are…
Routines
Staying up late for the hours that belong to you
People with no free time in the day take it from the night instead. The behaviour is understandable, the cost is real, and shouting…
Routines
Getting dressed when nobody is going to see you
Clothes are a poor measure of productivity and a surprisingly good marker of transition. That distinction matters for anyone whose…
Routines
Rebuilding a routine after your life changes shape
A new job, a move or a change in who you live with dismantles habits that felt permanent. They were attached to circumstances, and…