I recently shared more thoughts on have routines instead of goals (“Just do it“), but in some cases processes can beat routines. For exercise and learning, I think routines can be great, but if your life is more varied it can be hard to stick to a routine. In those cases, processes can take over in a good way.
In a recent interview with MrBeast, Ben Wilson shared this thought about Napoleon:
“Napoleon’s secretary wrote about it and said that he didn’t have routines, because he couldn’t, because who knows what would happen, but he had processes. So like, when this happened, when he’s got to make a decision about these, these people come into a room and get out the binder.”
Processes have built our company. We don’t do the same thing every day, as different projects are in different stages, so processes are much more important in that context than routines.
Between goals, processes, and routines, they all have a place in our lives.
For me, routines win in my personal life, but processes rule my work.
You’ve forced me to rethink those two words: processes and routines. Afraid I may have been using them interchangeably, and you’re making it clear there’s a difference, and a worthwhile difference. I have some re-labeling to do ahead! (in a good way)
I often have done the same thing. I consider myself to be a stickler for accurate language, but I find many places where that’s not true — at least not yet.