One of the more ironic things about Basic Training for a new military recruit is just how easy the living is when the life you have chosen to live for the next few months is nothing close to easy.
You have given total control of your life to someone else, with all activities scheduled to the minute, allowing little variation. Your meals are made by others, dished out in perfect portions, with dish washing duty being someone else’s problem. You don’t have to choose what to wear. And you are (usually) given a full 8 hours of time to sleep.
There is a good reason for such a harsh routine for new soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines. You are training young adults in the art of combat, and they need to learn the essentials for navigating a potential war zone. Chances are much less now than ever that they will see a real war zone, but the preparation is still as intense and necessary as it was in Revolutionary War times.
You may not be going to set up an actual war camp, but you could probably see the advantages of giving up some of your perceived control and setting up a few routines to get more accomplished. Simplifying some matters with less available choices and more predetermined routes can be one of the most liberating experiences you will ever enjoy.
But like all things, it’s not so much the doing, but the choice to do it. You think you are choosing against freedom. You are actually choosing ways to set yourself free.