Habit, Routine…Malaise? Complacency!

I’m a creature of habit.  I LIKE being a creature of habit.  It means I do things routinely that would otherwise require thought.  Did you take your meds on time?  YES, it’s 0700 (for example).

Having recently moved, into a place with the added pleasure/duty/observation of a roommate, I’m developing new, or rather re-developing old habits.

One of these is before retiring, checking the perimeter to make certain nothing is out-of-place and the doors are closed and locked.  Basic stuff.

Of course, my roommate does this as well, but she isn’t as obsessive-compulsive as I.  (about THIS, anyway!  )

But with these new routines, glitches arise.  The other day, we changed television signal services, and the satellite tech came and went.  We needed to acquire separate equipment to make one of the bedroom TVs function, and thought completing the connection would be easy.  It wasn’t.  Another technician was scheduled the next day to resolve the issue.

After he fixed everything (in about 10 minutes), he left, and we went about our day, my roommate and I, including going to pick up some fast food.

We returned and ate lunch.  Later that afternoon, I noticed the front door was unlocked.  I asked the roommate if she had unlocked it.  “No, you opened it when you let the satellite guy in.” was her response.

OOPS.  And I didn’t bother to check the perimeter when we left for lunch.  The front door had been unlocked when we left.  Anyone could have walked in and taken everything!

I’m making two points here.  1)  I now have a new duty with regard to home security, and have been performing it since with diligence.  And 2)  If you change your habits/routines/schedules/geography make certain you amend your behavior to keep up with it.  I never left my previous house unlocked in 18 years.  We were lucky.

Next time could be different.  Routine should never devolve into complacency.