Habit

Do you always sit in the same spot on a bus? Do you have a routine that you do when you get home each day- unpack bag, change into comfy clothes, fed cat, make supper, etc?

I’ve been thinking about habit this morning   (mainly because I didn’t get my usual seat on the bus which is very busy today) and how habit intersects our lives in many ways. Some need that habit, need a routine in order to get through the day. I know that I am habit driven and it has me wondering how many others are affected if their daily routine is changed or modified through forces that they have no control over. It also has me wondering how some professions or jobs require habit much more than others and how change is factored into that space differently.

Take for example chefs and cooks, all of what goes on in a kitchen is habit and routine. You need a mise en place to be effective and efficient and every type of cut is the product of putting into practice the many skills and techniques that have been articulated repeatedly.

Academia seems to be a profession where habit plays a large role. Most of the stereotypical pedagogical techniques are a result of habitual frameworks. Sometimes it’s getting out of those habits that allows for great success to happen, and sometimes it’s finding a habit that can highlight important elements in a learning environment.

Writing these blog posts during my morning commute has become a bit of a habit for me now. It is a way to get in some written words before the workday starts. I’m going to spend the day observing and reflecting on my habits and see if there’s anything that could work better with a bit of change.