Following Schedules:
When is your most productive time of the day? Mine is early in the morning, so I know to accentuate on any day, I actually have to get to sleep early in the evening to get up before dawn. I do, however, know a lot of people who perform their best work in the evening, so exactly opposite holds true for them. Whichever type of Rockstar you are, plan your day accordingly.
Healthy, balanced meals play a large part in your activity for the day as well. Substance for breakfast is something a lot of us are missing as we try to run out the door as quick as possible, and it shows. When we are dragging by mid morning. Protein, carbohydrates, and of course vitamin c should be at the base of each breakfast. Protein sticks with you so you aren’t feeling hungry and weak , carbs give you the energy, and vitamin C gives you immunity boosting super powers.
Schedule in one piece of your day that excites you. Work towards it, kind of as a reward. Important Stuff Stays has stickers to help you live true to that, they are the Make Time For You Stickers for the MAKE IT HAPPEN. Integrate in a piece of your PURPOSE each week. Schedule it. Make it happen. That manicure, massage, hot yoga session, bookstore date with your son, volunteer at a food pantry. Whatever your piece is: schedule it, a different one each week. That is the secret to living a fulfilled life. Knowing what it is and doing it.
Plan out your dinner ahead of time, set aside 30 minutes to an hour for a plan sesh and use it to plan out your next week, the best you are able, and keep an hour in the evening or late afternoon (depending on your work schedule) open for unexpecteds. List out your dinner for each night of the week, do a kitchen sweep, and write down a grocery list. Example: Monday you make chicken, Tuesday you make chicken pot pie, hot dish, or soup. Using leftovers to your advantage, planned out ahead of time so you have the necessary ingredients to repurpose your dinner without wasting food. If time is not of the essence for you during the week to be able to prep meals as you cook them, try a weekly plan sesh/meal prep day so you are ready to rock.
Use erasable pens/ markers in your planner. Messing up is not illegal. A great example of this, just this morning… I had a PURPOSE session with one of my clients scheduled for 8:30 PM last night. My son’s been sick, tired and crabby. If I didn’t put MYSELF to sleep by 7:30 I was going to explode. I woke up at 4 AM ready to conquer this Wednesday, checked my phone and jaw dropped because I forgot about her. Luckily my time to do the unexpected is 8:30, so I just erased Tuesday and we are making it happen on Wednesday instead. (I did highlight the crap out of it this time)
Show gratitude. Everyday, write down 3 things you are a gracious or thankful for. Or try 5 minutes of silent gratitude daily! Whichever route you take, be appreciative to those wonderful people, things, or actions in your life.
Drink water. D R I N K W A T E R. Make sure your water bottle icons are getting filled out on your daily section in your MAKE IT HAPPEN! Drinking enough water helps to balance body fluids, even aid against constipation and assist with normal bowel function. Drinking water makes you feel more full throughout the day to help control caloric intake. Water energizes muscles, preventing muscle fatigue. I’m sure there are about 5 billion more reasons to drink adequate water, but I wanted to touch on a few.
Exercise. 20 minutes or 60. It doesn’t matter, just get moving. You need those endorphins desperately to boost your mood and fight depression. Sometimes it doesn’t initially sound fun but you will be never be disappointed in yourself for boosting your self esteem.
Make a habit and break a habit every week! It doesn't have to be an action, it can be a subconscious thought or feeling too. This creates a beautiful, always improving journey we call life.