Each of us is given 24 hours a day. How we use it is defined by structure, or your daily routine. The question is what connection does structure have with sanity? A closer look at the lives of certain people reveals a startling relationship between their rigid, uncompromising dedication to routine and fortitude in adversity. There are octogenarians in my family who take a morning walk 365 days a year—come rain or shine. There are others who play tennis daily at age 85 without defaulting a single day.
When I see such people, I envy them for their determination. It makes them seem superhuman to me. But for them, their walks and tennis matches are rote. And their temperament is something to wish for. They have pleasing demeanors and are surprisingly calm in testing times. I never cease to wonder how they maintain their centre and ground even when bereavement happens.
I have other family elders who immerse themselves in religious rituals and spiritual practices for most of the day. That too with utmost faith and punctiliousness. They too, are surprisingly balanced and cheerful all the time. They live simple lives, but they are not simpletons. They are people endowed with great intellectual capability.
But structure and sanity? My proposition is that there is a definite link. Maintaining sanity has a lot to do with predictability and stability. A ‘normal’ person is often predictable. Such a person does the same thing at the same time daily. Such self-discipline is enviable and adherence to routine makes these people mentally stable, even strong. Simply because when they are involved in their routines, they do not worry about the ‘rest of life’. Even the multitudes who go to work daily often worry less about life problems while at work. This is a common experience.
For those who believe that normal is boring, here is a question…what is wrong in being a creature of habit? Habits maketh man. All people structure time uniquely irrespective of how they are judged. But one is the best judge of one’s behavior. A little introspection is warranted.
When habits are empowering, they must be reinforced each day. In my observation people with empowering structures are self-driven, dependable, and live lives with purpose. A habit that makes me powerless is bad for me. It is really that simple.