Routine Connection

I suspect we all go through our own series of routines each day. For example, I can't bare to not brush my teeth first thing in the morning when I get up. I can't stand morning breath either my own or anyone else's so that's a routine I haven't broken since first grade. I also have developed a habit of not hanging out in my bed clothes (though I am not a p.j. kind of guy - we'll just leave it at that). Once I'm up I'm up and I tend to like getting a quick shower and dressed so that I can get on with my day.

Every day I generally do the same old routine. Rarely will I vary my routines or miss one outright. It just wouldn't feel right. Like drinking coffee every morning. I do it not because I like the taste of coffee but because it has become part of my routine. I sip my morning coffee and scan the Wall Street Journal and collect my thoughts for the day and have done so for as long as I can remember.

I guess my point in all of this is we all do certain things every single day. Our routines become a part of who we are. Following through with them is like keeping score with ourselves; it makes us feel better to do them so most of us do them without even thinking.

So let me put something out there for you to chew on.

If you are a regular reader of this BLOG you likely know how important I feel it is for you to build your personal and professional connections. You also know that I say building your connections, developing your relationships and just being a better friend is something I suggest you have to work on every single day. Hmmm see a theme starting to develop here?

What if you were to incorporate the simple act of reaching out to connect with someone into your daily routine? I mean you are already doing certain things every day anyway, why not add connecting to the list?

What if you were to take one person a day and reach out to them via a phone call, email or have a coffee meeting? Go through your list of contacts and I guarantee there are dozens of people you need to reach out to and would be thrilled to hear from you. Once you've exhausted those folks, start looking at all the friends or connections you have made online via Twitter or Facebook and start reaching out to those and building your relationship with them.

Connect with at least one person per day to "just check in and see how THEY are doing" and watch as this routine not only becomes fun but enhances your connections and builds more solid relationships. I suspect that after only a few short weeks the routine of reaching out to connect once a day will become as natural as brushing your teeth.