Thinking on Autopilot
Routine. When it comes to our thoughts, it’s easy and common to get caught up in certain behavior patterns. If the majority of your life survives on autopilot, it’s time to change things up. There’s more to get out of life by adjusting one’s approach to his/her thought processes. Stepping out of automatic thinking has the potential to enliven relationships, improve attitude, rejuvenate work slumps, and even improve self-esteem.
Assess your thinking processes, being as objective as possible. Go over the things you do at work/home rotely. Why you do it that way? If it’s because that’s the way it’s been done for years, that’s a hallmark of autopilot thinking. Some activities can’t escape an ‘autopilot’ category, but surely other tasks could use a new mental approach. Once those tasks are identified, seriously consider what’s involved. What, if anything, can be done better?
Autopilot Pitfalls
On a different note, relationships require some autopilot evaluation, too. Stressful relationships, especially, require a new mental approach. Examine problematic aspects of the relationship. For example, communication. Do you have the same conversations, repeatedly, with your spouse, child, or other associates—with the same, predictable outcome? If yes, it’s likely one (or both) of you think on autopilot.
To counter the autopilot pitfall, enhance communication by asking/exploring what the other is thinking. Access your inner psychologist and get into the ‘whys’ of it all. Since this is a two-way deal, ask the same of yourself: what are you thinking (and why). If communication falls into the same stressful traps, consider what triggers such a response. Decide if there’s a pattern there you’d like to change. Focus on the approaches unproductive in the past and try something different/new.
There are ‘autopilot’ pitfalls at work, too. The workplace is another opportunity to change your way of thinking. For the most part, people go to work, perform their job (with some socializing), go home. There are likely job duties you can perform differently with the same or even better results. Shortcuts allow a certain degree of mental freedom. Take a week or so to identify better ways of doing things, write them down. Present the new ideas to your supervisor; see if they’re willing to allow a trial run. An employee taking initiative is always a plus.
What’s It All For?
Certainly, making a conscious effort to change autopilot thinking begins negating many of the negative things around you. A shift in the mundane stimulates the mental juices. Focusing energy on the positive is easier. Look for solutions fitting the situation rather than going autopilot and doing what you’ve done in the past. It’ll take some stops and restarts to reverse autopilot thinking and approaches. With time, the revised ways of thinking become regular.
Changing your autopilot thinking (or approaches), gives others a chance to do the same when interacting with you. They won’t respond automatically (autopilot) to your automated response to a situation—because you don’t have one anymore. New approaches to everyday life scenarios potentially result in less stress and improved relationships.
Autopilot thinking gets things accomplished, but it’s little more than going through the motions. Begin backing away from the habit by fully exploring your reaction or (mental) process options. Avoid accepting everything as routine by doing your best to shift from doing things rotely. Once you’ve chosen to change thinking on autopilot, other opportunities to escape various ‘ruts’ will become apparent.
On an SFPB Note …
In Like Sweet Buttermilk (book 1 of my series), Rick and Viv Phillips find themselves suffering from a degree of coasting on marital autopilot. It takes marriage counseling with Dr. Alexander, a killing, and a bit of personality infusion (change?) to bring things to light.
Routine has its place; there’s a level of comfort found in it. However, relying on routine, using autopilot thinking based on unchanging routine, inhibits opportunities for growth/discovery.
