I missed a critical step
It started out as an ordinary morning.
After making the bed, showering, and feeding the cats, I walked into the kitchen.
I poured the water into the coffee maker, added the grounds, and started the machine.
Turning away, I started preparing my breakfast. Washing the berries, scooping out yogurt into a bowl, pulling a spoon out of the drawer.
Suddenly, I felt that something was off.
I turned around and saw it.
Coffee spilling freely out of the coffee maker. Spreading everywhere. Across the counter, under the coffee maker, down the cabinet doors.
There was no mug in place to receive the fresh coffee drip.
Yikes.
I had been on autopilot, and skipped a critical step in the process.
Has something like this ever happened to you?
Autopilot can be a good thing. If we had to consciously evaluate each and every action, each and every decision, throughout the entire day, we’d be exhausted before we even started making the morning coffee. It helps us take the mental load off of the things we do all the time, so we can focus on what truly needs our attention.
But sometimes, like it did for me that day, it means we miss things because we aren’t thinking.
The staff member who is slowly getting more and more anxious about the upcoming deadline, trying to get your attention.
The metric that’s silently creeping in the wrong direction.
The unusually vivid sunset.
Sometimes it’s good to pull ourselves out of autopilot and truly be in the moment. But how do we do that?
A few ways to bring novelty into the routine include:
Pick a sense to focus on
What does this activity sound like? What smells do you notice? What colors do you see? What expressions do you notice in those around you?
Give yourself a constraint
What if you only take notes in this meeting by hand, and not on your computer? How about requiring yourself to address each individual by name before you ask a question?
Narrate the activity like a sports announcer
Build up the drama in your own head as you narrate your actions. Will you choose to send that email or ask for time to talk? Will you open your staff meeting with the typical share out, or bring in a new prompt?
Being fully present in the mundane can be hard, but often rewarding. It helps us clear our head and truly notice what’s going on around us. Try it, you might be surprised at the results.
How will you take the routine out of the everyday and focus on being present?
Will you share what you’re experimenting with this week?
February 19, 2026
About the author:
Christina Von Stroh is a leadership coach who helps her clients become wildly successful by applying iterative software development practices to achieve their dreams. Want to work with Christina to help you iterate towards the person you’re becoming?
Book your free strategy session.
