As it turns out, taking a different route to work is good for your brain. You'll be forced to think, reason, and make decisions, all of which is a nice little workout for your noggin.
We think that automation is the end goal, that once we've mastered something to the point where we eliminate conscious thought we've really achieved something.
And while automation is handy, to stay creative and innovative, we need to break from our routine.
So brush your teeth with your opposite hand, find a new recipe, eat lunch with new friends, do something different after dinner, or find a new magazine to read. Maybe what needs to be routine is the act of embracing new routines.