The Move That Broke My Routine (and Slowly Rebuilt It)

We moved house recently. Not just across town, but from a compact apartment in the suburbs to our first real home. A house we bought, with room to breathe and space to grow into. It was exciting. Of course it was. But it was also exhausting in ways I hadn’t quite expected.

I think the older you get, the harder moving hits. It’s not just the packing or the logistics, it’s the emotional weight. Everything familiar gets pulled out from under you, and your energy disappears with it. It took ages to feel like I’d recovered.

I was still working through it all. Not ideal. Nothing was really set up, and the house was in boxes. And I hate boxes. I felt constantly distracted, like I couldn’t focus on anything until everything was unpacked and the house looked… decent. But life doesn’t wait, and neither do clients. I had people relying on me, so I kept going, even though my brain felt split between building a home and holding my business together.

The hardest part wasn’t just the work, though. It was the disruption to the little routines that kept me sane. I wasn’t writing like I usually do. I wasn’t going out for walks. Back in our old place, I had my usual route: just head to the ocean and walk. Suddenly that was gone. I didn’t know where to walk. I didn’t know where anything was. Even getting fresh air felt like a job to figure out.

But time passes, and the chaos softens. I love the new space: I really do. My office feels like mine now. It’s quiet, it’s calm, it has room. I’m not sharing it with a gamer anymore (bless him), and I can focus in a way I hadn’t realised I was missing. The kitchen’s bigger, so now I prep food in the morning, chuck something in the slow cooker, and let dinner take care of itself. Small things, but they anchor the day.

Work is getting back on track. I’m not fully in rhythm yet, but mornings feel lighter. My partner’s back into his routine too, which makes everything a bit easier. We’re slowly settling. Not rushing it, just letting it happen.

If you’re ever in this situation — moving house while working from home — here’s what I’ve learnt: it’s a process. Don’t fight it. Don’t expect everything to click straight away. One step at a time. Let your clients know if you need space. Put up an out-of-office message. Take a breather if you need one. You’ll get back to it, and when you do, it’ll feel more solid than before.