Routines and Attitude

In my road warrior days - when I lived in airports and taught in as many as 100 cities in a year - I learned the importance of routines. They kept things from being lost or overlooked and became a enjoyable form of self-discipline. 

I tried to use the same chain of hotels and always carried the same amount and type of luggage. Without exception, everything was packed in the same place and my suit pockets were equally organized. Window seats on planes were preferred because they made it easier to doze. An Elmore Leonard novel was usually good for one cross-country flight. Business magazines from home could be pillaged for articles, then discarded. 

Canceled flights, lousy weather, surly cab drivers: all were downplayed as a zen-like attitude took hold. The routine gave some control; the attitude did the rest.