Once behaviors are automatic, you can accomplish things and keep a free mind.
Habits are powerful, not only because they enable consistent performance and Habits Have Compounding Returns, but also because it enables an individual to perform important and/or necessary tasks without having to think about it. This frees the mind to continue working on things more important and satisfying things than:
“okay, next I need to open the cabinet where I keep the coffee”… “okay, I need to get the grinder out”… “okay, I need to take the lid off” …
You do all those things automatically while you think about where you want to go on your next vacation, or solve a work problem that’s been bothering you.
Routine enables difficult things to become easy. Soon you can autopilot the accomplishment of one essential task while devoting the mind to work on the next essential thing. Doing the same things the same way every time enables you to maintain standards of performance and avoid Decision Fatigue. It enables Multichannel Multitasking.
Be careful to stop and smell the roses every so often. Results are not Presence. Don’t fill your day executing routines only to go to sleep not being sure where the day went.