Time to Make the Donuts

I go to the office every day. I work in a building that seats over 200 people, but typically, there are only 15 to 20 of us here. This skeleton crew includes the essentials—IT, security, and janitorial staff—plus a handful of us who choose to come in simply because we want to. I’d be willing to bet that this handful of people would struggle without the routine. For us, staying home doesn’t feel like a luxury; it feels like a lack of structure that breeds stress.

When I try to work from home, my day feels more like a weekend: wide open and full of distractions. I might fall down an internet rabbit hole—bam, two hours gone. The dog wants to play? I guess I can. Maybe I should finally fold that laundry I’ve been avoiding for four days. Is the refrigerator calling my name for the tenth time today? I guess I could eat.

Suddenly, it’s 2:00 PM, I haven’t actually done anything, and I’m left wondering: Holy crap, where did the day go?

For me, it has always been easier to be “all on” or “all off.” Some parts of my routine are automatic because there is no other choice: Get up. Shower. Feed the dog. Walk the dog for 30 minutes, regardless of the weather. Monday through Friday, go to the office.

Once I’m at my desk, the work follows the routine. If there are no meetings, I reach out to people I haven’t talked to in a while. I find work because I am at the office. If I stay home on a slow day, it’s touch-and-go whether I’ll do anything productive at all.

At the office, it’s automatic. No thought. No decisions. This Monday-through-Friday structure sets my day in motion: A, then B, then C. If I don’t follow this flow, I can end up on a couch six hours later in a terrible mood. By following a routine, things get done. Rinse, repeat, and an outcome happens.

For me, routine leads to results. It’s that automatic forward motion—don’t question, just do. It’s like that 1980s commercial: “Time to make the donuts.” Doing the same thing every day delivers quality results. See the youtube link below

Dunkin Donuts 80’s TV Commercial “Time To Make The Donuts”

If you are of a “certain vintage,” you’ll remember these commercials. The premise was simple: dedication, a strict schedule, and repetition result in a quality donut. That philosophy carries over directly to my life.

I know this about myself, and I need to use it to my advantage. I’ve previously listed my goals in my “countdown series” regarding how I want to change my life. Because of my need for structure, I’ve already adopted some small changes—like writing every day, Monday through Friday.

It has produced results. I’m happy doing it, and I’m (hopefully) getting better at it. After five months, I’ve written enough words for a small book and generated plenty of material to post regularly to my blog. Blogging is my way of connecting with like-minded people online. Because I’ve made it a daily habit during the work week, I’m seeing progress. Because I have a system, I am moving forward.

I know what I want, and I know what I need to do to get there: maintain a routine schedule, full stop. I prefer a daily routine because it keeps my momentum high. Using writing as my blueprint, here is how I plan to attack my other goals:

Marriage: Keep a strong connection with Padme. Date Night: Weekly. I’m thinking Mondays, as that’s usually our only free night. It’s up to Vader to schedule the “what.”
Health: Go to the gym daily, Monday through Friday (minus social dog walks). My slot is 7:30 to 8:30 AM. This also helps reduce internet rabbit-holing, as I’ll have to be out of the house an hour earlier.
Connection: Find my tribe. If I read a blog post, I will comment on the blog post. These are the people I want to know, so I need to stop being passive when I consume content.
Community: Wednesday Morning Dog Park. I’ll meet up with a fellow writer—an extremely positive person—to talk about writing and life.
Kids: Break out the chess board for one game after dinner each night. I’ll try to be nice so they keep playing with me (or keep playing until they inevitably get better than me).
Social: Thursday Night Guy Night. I need to find a rotation and get out every Thursday with the guys. Again, it’s up to Vader to plan.
Weekends: A free-for-all. Go nuts.

With this structure, I’ll start moving toward my goals: to be content and to be happy. So far, I’ve been chasing these things passively, and the results haven’t been great. If I truly want to move forward, I need a regular system. I need to remove the barriers and just “do.”

My life has typically been ruled by momentum, and honestly, I often fall into the same old patterns. You know what they say about the definition of insanity.

Ultimately, if I don’t change my patterns, life could spiral into a place I don’t want it to be: a distant relationship with my kids, a lackluster marriage, and total boredom.

If I truly want to move forward, I need to remove the barriers and just “do.” My life has been ruled by momentum for a long time; now, I’m finally making sure that momentum is heading in the right direction.

I’m choosing growth over boredom and connection over distance. I know the path now. It’s time to get to work.

It’s time to make the donuts.