Why I Need Structure to Feel Free

Hanging out the washing on a hot day is not where I expected to find the idea for this week’s blog. But there I was, racing the heat, noticing something simple that stopped me.

So many white socks.
So many black pairs of underwear.
My work clothes, mostly black.
My son’s clothes, so bright being team sporting colours, full of energy and movement.

It felt ordinary until it didn’t.

Because structure shows up like that. Quiet, repetitive, unglamorous. Doing the work that keeps everything else functioning.

Structure Is Already Doing the Heavy Lifting

Later that day, I was on the treadmill watching the Australian Open, and again, colour was everywhere.

The blue court.
The players’ outfits.
The atmosphere.

I’ll admit it, I’m a traditionalist when it comes to tennis. I don’t need fashion statements that look like they belong at the Met Gala. Big eye roll. But what struck me wasn’t the outfits, it was how much colour exists inside a very structured environment.

Tennis is full of rules, routines, lines on a court, start times, scoring systems and history. And yet within all of that, there’s room for personality and expression.

That contrast matters.

The Comment That Stuck With Me

This took me back to Alice Springs, years ago, heading into yet another tax seminar. It must have been winter. We were all rugged up against the cold and wind.

As we walked in, someone behind us commented on how black we all were.

Black coats.
Black scarves.
Black bags.

Accountants doing what accountants do.

I’ve never forgotten that comment. Not because it was nasty, but because it was accurate.

I didn’t want a life that was only functional.
But I also didn’t want chaos.

When Structure Slips and Chaos Creeps In

This is where I notice just how much structure matters.

Ignoring the alarm and running late.
Getting caught up in a news story on morning TV.
A child forgetting something important.
Waiting for a parcel that throws off the morning rhythm.

One small break in routine and the flow on effect can be huge.

Lunch forgotten.
Water bottle left on the bench.
A prescription not filled.
Watch or rings still sitting where they were taken off.
Arriving at work already flustered.

Nothing dramatic has happened, but the day feels harder than it needs to be.

That’s when I’m reminded that structure isn’t about rigidity. It’s about creating enough stability that small disruptions don’t derail everything else.

Colour Needs Structure to Work

I do love colour and always have.

Bright fabrics.
Bold lipstick.
Sporting team colours.
Artwork that lifts a space.

But colour without structure is exhausting. It turns into noise. Too many decisions, too much mental load.

Structure is what lets colour land.

Even at work, I’ve found my balance. We have structured work shirts, and I like that consistency. Instead of fighting it, I’ve added colour in my pants. Bright pants. Bold prints. Something unexpected.

And it’s funny. People often ask where my pants are from. Never about the wow stripes on my hand.

Why Structure Gives Me Freedom

This time of year, structure starts returning whether we’re ready or not.

School goes back.
Work rhythms settle.
The holiday haze lifts.

When I resist structure, everything feels harder.

Structure means

• Mornings aren’t frantic

• Workdays have a rhythm

• Boundaries exist, and boundaries are self respect

When the basics are handled, I don’t have to think about them. And when I don’t have to think about them, I have space for creativity and expression.

Structure is the frame.
Colour is the picture.

You need both.

The Quiet Truth

I don’t need more freedom.
I need better structure.

And within that structure, I can be exactly who I am.

Colourful.
Traditional.
Practical.
Creative.

All at once.

That’s not contradiction.
That’s balance.