Try as I might, I always find my way back to the hamster wheel. Have you ever struggled to remember what day something happened because the entire week seems mushed together? Or if someone asks what you did last weekend you have no idea? A common response from me:

“We, a…cleaned the kitchen a bunch, does that count?”

The other day my wife and I were folding yet another load of laundry (I don’t understand how four people can wear that many clothes). While wrestling with one of the boys shirts and with genuine distress in her voice my wife said,

“There is so much static, this is such a static-y load”

I had a scowl on my face, disgusted by all the static as well and said in sincere agreement,

“Yeah it is!”

Then the ridiculousness of the conversation hit us….

We looked at each other and broke down laughing. Jokingly, my wife fell to the floor in a fetal position and cried out,

“What’s the point? What has our life come to?!!!”

Life can have that effect on us. An overwhelming sense of monotony as if we are the clothes themselves; worn, washed, dried, folded, repeat. Each day can feel eerily like the one before and by week’s end not one day is distinguishable from the others.  The pandemic has not helped matters. Having limited options of places to go makes it even more difficult to come up with ways to spice up the day. 

Being ok with the Monotony

While the hamster wheel of life is a reality, it’s also necessary. The routine of each day may seem uninteresting, but daily responsibilities are important and cannot be ignored. Finding ways to both do life but also live it, takes active effort.

I recently Googled why do hamsters run on wheels? (note: don’t Google ‘why do hamsters…’ apparently they are not fuzzy and cute all the time). This might seem obvious, but hamsters just love running. I found this to be relatable and inspiring when I read it. Yes, the hamster would probably be happier running through fields and not on a wheel in a tank, but that little creature is making the most of what he/she has.

Finding joy in even the most basic of tasks can have a huge impact on my outlook for said chore. Throw on some music while you fold. Call a friend you haven’t talked to in some time while scrubbing the toilets. I like a good audiobook or podcast to keep my mind thinking while doing something mindless.

There are times when the productiveness of cleaning the house is actually therapeutic. When the boys are screaming, I relish in the excuse of taking out the trash. When I need a break from my computer, school pickup is a welcome pause from work.

But I also need to remind myself to mix it up sometimes.

Breaking Up the Routine

Get off the hamster wheel from time to time. Try something new. Say yes to something that feels different or uncomfortable. If days or weeks go by and I cannot remember something extraordinary happening in my life, that’s a problem. I am not naive to the fact that some people would love to have this dilemma, but I think that is even more of a reason to not take my days for granted.

Walk, Don’t Drive

I recently started rucking (walking with some weight in a backpack). It’s a great way to scale up a normal walk, but more importantly, it has motivated me to find excuses to walk. We live in a rural-ish area and are used to driving everywhere.

A few weekends ago my son and I needed to go to a store for something small. I looked it up and the store was two miles away. Normally a 5 min drive, we decided to walk. I threw on my rucksack and we headed out.

We covered every topic from Minecraft to sledding, his classmates to how the earth started (he might be dumber from that part of the conversation). It was awesome bonding time, and we talked about it for days.

Hiking or just walking around town can be a great way to switch up perspective. This is tough to do when the weather is not cooperating, but I always feel more accomplished after moving my body. Alltrails.com is a great resource for finding trails around you, but just walking around the neighborhood works too!

Get Creative

I was never into writing until I started doing prompts with my son. They were open ended questions that he had to write a few paragraphs on for school. To help him stay motivated I did my own and we shared our work when finished. 

After writing about the importance of pencil sharpeners, why we should take care of our parks, and what my pirate ship would look like, I realized that I enjoyed it.

Is there an old hobby that you haven’t tapped into in a while or have always wanted to try? Do you like photography, baking, playing music? Creating something gives me a sense of achievement by adding something to the world that didn’t exist before. Everyone has talents unique to them and putting those talents to work can lead to something beautiful.

Do Something for Someone Else

Nothing gives me a sense of purpose like helping someone or doing something nice for others. Random acts of kindness can change your mood, but more importantly someone else’s.

I recently read an awesome book called The Go Giver. One of the main principles is “your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment”. I love this mindset and try to apply it wherever I can. Adding value to each interaction is a great way to develop deep and meaningful relationships. By doing so, you may be surprised by the impact it has on your day and maybe even life.

Make it Count

I like to do something different every day. Even the slightest adjustment to my routine can make a difference and make the day a little more memorable. I remind myself that this exact moment in the history of the world will never happen again, so how can I make it count? It doesn’t have to be life altering or overly complicated but improving every moment of my life just a little bit has made a huge impression on my days.

Finding joy in running on the hamster wheel can be difficult. Sometimes the answer is to lie down on the wheel and enjoy the ride. Sometimes its to climb up and run on top of the wheel. Whatever technique you choose, embrace your wheel and make it your own.