I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a total creature of habit. I love predictability and stability. They help me feel focused, organized and on top of things.

But, not too long ago, I made a major shift in my morning routine. Rather than writing my to-do list when I first sat down at my desk in the morning, I decided to use that time to tackle loose ends, those things that were taking up precious real estate on my itinerary but could be taken care of with very little thought or time.

After I made that switch, I realized the system I'd relied on to help me was really just a hindrance slowing me down. Yet, for some reason, up to that point I continued to push forward with the standard schedule to which I'd grown accustomed.

Routines can no doubt effectively boost your productivity and help you approach the day with a strategy. But there comes a point when your desire to stick with the predictable only gets in your way. Here are five signs you’ve gone rigid with your routine.

1. You've forgotten the routine's value

If you’re like most people, you fall into a certain groove each and every day. You grab your coffee at 8:15 a.m. on the dot. You hop on the train for your commute. You check your emails. Then you get started on a larger project.

That order of events came about rather naturally, because at one point it worked well for you. But as you already know, things change. In a perfect world your routine should change along with them.

Unfortunately, this is a trap that’s all too easy to fall into. You do things day in and day out, simply because you’ve alwaysdone them. However, if you were to stop for a second and ask yourself, “Why am I doing this?” you couldn’t really come up with a solid answer other than, “Well, because I always do.”

No longer seeing the value in what you’re doing is a telltale sign that you’re doing it out of habit rather than necessity.

2. You’re more concerned with the routine than results

Another type of counterproductive routine leaves the majority of your focus on the process and not the end result. 

For example, you're resistant if a co-worker suggests you address a project a certain way, one different from how you’ve worked before. That's not because you think it’s a bad idea, but rather because you’re hesitant to adjust your approach. It could very well be the better way to tackle that assignment. But it doesn’t fit your preconceived workday methods, so you don’t even waste your time listening to your colleague's idea.

Again, your career is constantly changing. You’ll learn new information and discover tactics that could serve to make your job and your life a whole lot easier. But if you’re so stuck in your ways that you can’t even consider them, it’s time to evolve.

3. You can’t handle emergencies

Routines are a great way to guarantee a certain level of predictability. But there are some things in life that simply can’t be predicted. Things come up that will need to be handled whether or not they align with your precious schedule.

Any realistic schedule needs to have a certain level of flexibility so that you have the room to put out potential fires. You don’t want an agenda so fixed that you’re thrown for a loop anytime the unexpected happens, and you know the unexpected is inevitable.

If you find yourself spiraling into a panic at the first sight of a workday surprise, your strategy is only making you inflexible. And, as you likely already know, malleability is required in the office.

4. You lose your cool when things change

Do you know how I eventually realized I was a little too obsessed with my routine? One day I needed to do my laundry on a Sunday instead of a Saturday, as I’d always done.

I found myself in a foul mood that entire weekend, not because anything  bad had happened, but because my schedule had been altered.

It sounds unreasonable, doesn’t it? Yet if you’ve grown too reliant on your system, any little wrench in your plans can send you into a tailspin. Again, it all comes down to flexibility. If there’s no room for adjustment, your schedule truly isn’t doing you any favors.

5. Your creativity is stifled

While predictability can be great for your focus and productivity, it doesn’t always breed creativity. Your day is so monotonous it becomes tougher to think outside the box.

This can be one of the harder symptoms to recognize. But if you feel like your creative juices have reached an all-time low, your trusty routine could actually be limiting you. Try changing things up. You may be shocked by how much your perspective shifts.

We all fall into natural routines that help us truck through our days with some sort of plan. Yet when your plan somehow transforms from a suggested framework to an unbending mandate it can transform from an aid to a hurdle. 

If you see any of these five symptoms within yourself it’s time to make a change. Take it from a self-proclaimed creature of habit: you’ll be glad you did.

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