4 Surefire Ways to Combat “Auto-Pilot” Mode in 2022

It’s actually kind of ridiculous. After the past couple years of living through a pandemic, who am I to convince anyone that living in a routine can be detrimental to your success? Well, I’m just a human like you. And, that means, I know we all changed our routines when everything around us changed.

Maybe, over the past couple years, you were able to set your alarm a little later, because you weren’t commuting to an office. Maybe you were able to dress a little differently, get a work-out in over lunch because you weren’t concerned with showering before your next video conference. Maybe you drank less coffee because you had to make it yourself, or kept your house a little cleaner because your coworkers could see it. Maybe you also picked up some bad habits along the way—too many snacks, too many late nights binge-watching NetFlix, and not enough days wearing real pants.

While the world talks about the “new normal” (which none of us knows exactly what that means), you and I created our own versions of a “new normal.” And, that comes with new routines, and new bad habits.

While routines are critical to our lives, they also can lead us into stagnancy—doing the exact same thing at the exact same time. Why are routines good? Well, for starters routines allow us to be efficient. For example, if you eat the same thing for breakfast every morning, you don’t spend any time poking through the fridge and looking for recipes. If you follow an exercise program, you don’t spend any time wondering if, or what, or when, or how, you’ll break a sweat. If you follow strict working hours—even if they’re remote—you aren’t distracted by a television show, a home-fix-it project, or the fact that your dog is ready to play fetch. Basically, routines are, for the most part, good. And, when everything changed in our world, you developed a new routine.

Why are routines bad? We all know the answer to this question. We’ve all experienced “auto-pilot” mode—the mindlessness of doing the same thing, at the same time, day in and day out. We know what it feels like. And, although it may be hard to see it in our “new normal” the danger still exists of NOT being mindful—being aware of your current moment, mood, energy, and focus.

How is your 2022 different? And, why is avoiding auto-pilot mode more important than ever?

Here are four surefire ways to avoid slipping back into auto-pilot mode—especially at this point in your history where you should be mindful of everything.

1.New isn’t necessarily progress.

For the past couple years, the changes to most of our lives have been immense. Many of us were sent home. Most of us were forced into a new daily reality. However, we must step back and ask ourselves: did we spend any of our time growing, or did we simply adapt? While your life might have been turned up-side-down, and you might truly appreciate working from home (for whatever reason) did you progress toward your ultimate dream? Or, maybe you miss the office environment, but now realize you hate your job. Did you simply survive? No matter what changes you faced, or how you feel, it’s important to realize that simply because we all endured a ton of change in our lives, that doesn’t mean we moved in the right direction. It’s time now to be mindful. The change is now our normal. It’s time to reframe change and focus on progress.

2.Change is opportunity.

While many of us dislike change, new challenges can open our minds to new ideas, new solutions, and new ways of creating results. If you approach change mindfully, you’ll quickly realize that a new perspective on when and where you perceive yourself, also might reveal how you approach your life, relationships, and your work. For example, many people don’t want to return to the office because they realize they weren’t spending enough time with family, doing the things they really love, or want to do something entirely different. Welcome change, just remain mindful during it, because you’ll quickly understand all the opportunities it creates.

3.Is, is.

If you want to avoid auto-pilot mode this year, it’s important to focus on the here-and-now, rather than worrying about how things were before. Your life is… Your situation is… Your relationship is… Your job satisfaction is… All of these things are only what they are in the present tense. Remain mindful of what is, if you want to change the future of what is.

4.Tomorrow is your call.

While the last point uses some obscure language to explain a massive concept, this point is even bigger. You can change your tomorrow’s ‘is’ today, but only if you’re aware and mindful of the present. Don’t wait for change. Create it.

Operating on auto-pilot is common. We all go through stages in life where we might feel like we’re just going through the motions. But if we learn to practice mindfulness, we can learn to improve our futures.