South Pole Journal: Importance of Routine
Day 203 and routine is survival. With no sunlight to regulate the body, structure becomes discipline—0700 wakeups, happy light, pull-ups, reading, journaling, exercise, connection. Outside: -44°F, 10-knot winds, 10,661 feet above sea level.
Originally postsed on 6 June 2023 at the South Pole.
Day 203 at the South Pole Station. One of the most important things you can do in an isolated and confined environment is stick to routine. Routine is important for the human body, especially at a time when your circadian rhythm is completely thrown off with no sunlight for months on end. Without the sunlight, your body has trouble regulating itself. In the absence of sun and your body’s natural regulation from the regular cycle of day and night, keeping a routine can help with the effects of confinement and isolation.
Some of the things I do on a daily basis include:
1. Trying to wake up at 0700 every morning
2. Using my happy light every morning when I get to my office
3. Doing at least 25 pull ups per day
4. Exercising regularly
5. Eating at the same time every day
6. Making attempts to get out of my office and walk around to say hi and talk with other Station members
7. Reading at least a chapter or two per day in any book of choice
8. Writing for this website and journaling in my private journal
9. Keeping up with the news and what’s going on in the world to feel more connected
10. Regular communication with family
11. Getting in bed by 2100 every night even if I’m not tired
Those are just the first ten things I do regularly to help keep my sense of routine. There are things that I like to surprise myself with, such as a movie on the weekends or phone calls to home. I tend to think of those as more special things to look forward to which help keep me motivated. It also gives me something to look forward to. I believe keeping a routine is healthy and important no matter what environment you’re in. Even if you have a day and a night every single day, routine can help keep you focused, motivated, and on top of things.
6 June Weather Conditions at the South Pole Station, Antarctica
Temperature: -42.3°C/-44.1°F
Wind Chill: -58.2°C/-72.8°F
Wind Speed: WNW, 10.3 KNOTS
Wind Direction: GRID: 284.1 / CARDINAL: NW
Air Pressure: ALTITUDE (FEET): 10,661 / ALTITUDE (METERS): 3,249 / INCHES HG: 20.1 / MILLIBARS: 679.0
More to come tomorrow from the South Pole!
