How to Create Consistency and Make Progress When You Get Bored Easily

My dad’s crop rotation map. Like the soil, our minds and creativity need variety to stay productive.

If you're someone who struggles to stay consistent because routine feels stifling, you're not alone. I feel your pain. Many creatives thrive on variety, but this preference for novelty can sometimes make it hard to build momentum toward big goals. 

The good news? You can stay consistent without feeling trapped by monotony. And in fact, you might already be doing things that support your progress in this way. 

As you read through this list, I invite you to consider: Which ones appeal to you? Which strategies are you using that you might like to lean into even more?

1. Reframe Routine as Ritual

Think of routine not as a rigid, boring schedule but as a series of meaningful rituals that support your goals. Instead of "writing for 30 minutes every day," frame it as a chance to enjoy your favorite tea while diving into your creative world. Rituals feel purposeful, which keeps them fresh and engaging.

I’ve started trying out “Morning Pages,” a routine recommended by Julia Cameron in “The Artist’s Way.” However, I tell myself this is not journaling, because I strongly dislike journaling. Instead, I’m telling myself I’m creating a routine of connecting to my inner creative spirit — which of course is true. But the reframe somehow makes it more appealing and even frees me to let myself explore certain themes or topics that I’ve been mulling over but might not have otherwise considered as deeply as part of my creative life.

2. Design Flexible Structures

Structure doesn’t have to mean doing the same thing at the same time every day. Create frameworks that allow for variety. For example:

• Use a task menu instead of a rigid to-do list. Choose what feels exciting to tackle in the moment while still making progress.

• Try time blocking but vary the activity within the blocks. A "creative work" block might include writing one day and brainstorming the next.

3. Mix Up the Environment

Your surroundings can greatly influence how you feel about routine. Work from different spaces—like a coffee shop, a park, or a cozy corner of your home. Even small changes, like adding music or lighting a candle, can make a routine task feel novel. 

I’ve discovered new settings — a lodge at a local park, a library, the comfy couch at a windshield repair shop’s lobby — can break me out of a rut. It also helps me appreciate the calm and quiet of my home office, when it’s time to work there. 

4. Celebrate Small Wins

When routine gets boring, it’s easy to lose sight of why you started in the first place. Create milestones and celebrate small wins. For instance, if you’re working on a long-term project, reward yourself every time you hit a mini-goal. This keeps the process fun and satisfying.

5. Embrace Iteration Over Perfection

People who get bored easily often feel drawn to novelty because they thrive on possibilities. Channel that energy by approaching your routines as experiments. If one approach doesn’t work, tweak it and try again. This iterative mindset keeps things exciting while still driving progress.

6. Add Playfulness

Find ways to make your tasks feel like play. Set a timer and challenge yourself to see how much you can get done in 15 minutes, or create a playlist that matches the vibe of what you’re working on. You could also use one of those creativity decks of cards as a writing prompt to kick things off and make the process feel more game-like. Play sparks curiosity and creativity, which makes even repetitive tasks more engaging.

7. Leverage Accountability

Sometimes, external structure can provide the motivation to stay consistent. Join a group or find an accountability partner who will help you stay on track.

My writing group set long-term goals for the year as well as monthly short-term goals that we update when we meet.  Every two weeks, we share our latest status via email on what’s been going well, what challenges we’ve run into, and anything else that’s inspired us along the way. It’s a fun way to support each other and stay motivated to keep going. 

8. Rotate Focus Areas

Instead of committing to one project or habit every day, try rotating between a few focus areas. This approach keeps things fresh while still allowing for progress in multiple areas. For instance, you might dedicate Mondays to writing, Wednesdays to research, and Fridays to editing.

9. Practice Self-Compassion

It’s okay to fall off track occasionally—it’s part of being human. Instead of judging yourself, remind yourself that consistency is about showing up more often than not. Forgiving yourself for slip-ups makes it easier to bounce back without guilt.

The Lesson from Crop Rotation

This idea of rotating focus areas reminds me of my dad, who was a farmer for many decades. He passed away a year ago.

 As I was going through his files, I came across a crop map he had created. It was vibrant and color-coded, a reflection of the care and attention he gave to his fields. The map detailed his 1995 crop rotation plan — a practice farmers use to change up what they plant in a plot of land each growing year to maintain the soil’s health and nutrients.

What struck me was the thoughtfulness behind it. My dad’s map wasn’t just practical; it was intentional. It reminded me that even in something as systematic as farming, there’s room for variety. Farmers switch things up not because they’re inconsistent but because they know it’s the best way to ensure long-term growth.

As I’ve been thinking about creativity and consistency this week, I realized this lesson from my dad’s map can be a useful metaphor. Consistency doesn’t have to mean doing the same thing every day, month, or year. It can mean rotating between tasks or projects in a way that keeps you engaged and energized while still moving you toward your goals. 

Like the soil, our minds and creativity need variety to stay productive.

What methods will you try this week to foster this continued growth?