No special routines here… I just hurry to push them into the box, either because I am going to be late from work or to avoid forming emotional attachment on them. If I have a moment I will make a quick check to see that I remembered to add stamps on all of them. It is the last thing I do, so it has happened twice or thrice that I placed the card accidentally on “ready to go” pile instead of “continue later” pile so it tried to leave without stamps.
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As we now only get mail every other day, my local mailbox only gets collected every other day. So I take any card with me when I’m going somewhere, so that they get picked up same day, guaranteed.
I usually look at the pictures on last time before I put them in the slot, and sometimes read the messages again, too.
I always put stamps on first and then write adress, so I don’t need to check that. ID is almost always third thing I do, so I’ve never thought to check that either.
I apply the stamps first, as well, to make sure I don’t cover up text when applying them.
My routine is not very special, just the usual choosing the card, choosing the stamp and writing the postcard.
Being a more cautious person, I will stand at the postbox for a while and check through each postcard ti ensure that I have the address written, stamp affixed, and postcard ID included.
I sometimes close my eyes and wish for a safe journey for my postcards, especially if they are postcards which I really like myself too. I do give them a good wipe-down too if it’s raining, to ensure minimal damage. 
Oh, I have the checklist like @AnnaDasha ! 
Haha, I’m in this hobby just for a month, but I’ve sent around 30 postcards and received 0 yet. Checking my mailbox every day…
And every time I go to send them, I buy some stamps as well, and have an opportunity to give the cards straight to a manager. So I chose one exact employee, who smiles. And when she smiles, I think that everything will be ok.
(And I also bring them to manager because they don’t have a box in or near the post office 
)
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Oh, how funny — I think I always throw mine in picture side up 
Yes! I only mail cards on a day when the weather is nice enough to walk to the post office. Same route and same mail slot at the post office each time, and always in the morning before the post office opens.
On the way there, I sometimes imagine where they are going or think about what I enjoyed from that country if I’ve visited before or what I’d like to do if I visit in the future. I say a little prayer for the people that the postcards are going to… that they are safe and loved and that the card will brighten their day in some small way.
When I get there, I always say something to them as I drop them in, but it varies from day to day. Sometimes good luck, sometimes safe travels, have fun, etc.
Honestly, I’m a little relieved that someone else also has a routine! 
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I feel like the writing side is the face, so they always go in face up with me! :o
I wish them good travels as well, but only in my mind. 
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I always re-read them while walking to the mailbox and if it is wet, the text side will not touch the slash of the mailbox. I also check the adress and ID. Saved some that way as I forgot the address!!! 
stamp on
address correct
country correct
ID correct
Pen cancels are so cruel!
I feel that whenever I drop off postcards, people are looking my way interested . 
I think they are jealous that they will not receive any nice card and in general, I think sending a card is such an act of personal fondness to another person, and I think it probably makes other people feel not the centre of the universe, or that they are missing something.
May I just say that this thread is very sweet and that it warms my heart to know that many of us wish a safe travel to our postcards? 
Or maybe it’s just the relief of not feeling the only weird postcrosser who does that
Anyway: I will only mail my postcards from the central post office in my city because there is a mailbox in the entrance hall. I will never mail my postcards in a mailbox on the street because I’ll start imagining the worst things that could happen: what if it rains and the water drips inside the mailbox damaging the cards? What if someone deliberately decides to damage the mailbox? People will sometimes set garbage bins on fire, what if they do this to a mailbox (no, I’ve never read of anything like that happening to a mailbox, but still)? What if someone passing by decides that it’s fun to throw something inside the mailbox that will damage the card? What if I’m a bit too anxious? 
So let me use the mailbox which, being inside a building, it at least protected!
As for saying goodbye to my cards, of course I do 
I like to imagine them as little birds flying away into “The Great Wide World Over There” (did anyone read the wonderful short story by Ray Bradbury with this title?), so I’ll take one last look at each one of them before I drop them one by one, thinking happy thoughts and wishing clear skies for their travel
Oh, and this beautiful building is the safe place where all my postcards start their journey
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Not deliberately but once I saw a mailbox that was hit by a car. I have no idea what happened to mail that was in that mailbox, but I’m sure that some was lost. So yes, I’m like you and I prefer to mail from an in-house mailbox (also there is none in the streets in my living area) 
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They do this for you? The last time I asked about getting them canceled by hand, I was given a loud tooth sucking sound and an eye roll, told me that there’s no time for that.
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Of about 10 attempts, 9 were successful. The lone rejection was at a post office I normally don’t use. It helps when the employee also says, “Wow these are beautiful!”
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Of course, I go at times with no line.
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Usually I throw the postcards in the mailbox all at once. The picture side of the bottom and top card of the pile are facing outwards in order to “protect” my writing. And I’m a little nervous until the first card of the pile arrives. The new german stamps with a code come in handy, because I can track if the cards arrived at the sorting/processing facility of Deutsche Post.