A Little Variety

I have been in British Columbia for the last two work weeks. It has been a very busy and productive conference. My routine has been the same. I eat in the same place, sleep in the same place, socialize with the same people I am working with, and haven't really spent much time off the establishment. 

This all made me realize how hardwired humans are for variety.

We all have a favourite meal. The go to meal that just makes your day. However, if you try to eat it three times a day, your body will start to not like it and it will lose its appeal. After a break you will probably like it as much as you did before.

We crave variety. This is a good thing. It drives us to seek out new experiences. It motivates us to improve. I'm sure it has a hand in innovation. When your innovation is cut off, it can grind you down. You need to change is up and do something different. 

I admit that I am very lucky. My job has a lot of variety. I don't work on an assembly line doing the same task everyday. Most days I don't feel stifled. However, eight days of meetings on the same subject pushes me close to my limit. It's not that I don't care, in fact, I care a lot and that may be part of what makes me a bit crazy at times.

In the end, I know I'm hardwired to have some variety. It's obvious to me and without it life loses its zest.