”Anger, depression, anxiety… Terrible feelings, but sometimes misery just loves my company.” If you feel like that, you came to the right place. I’m gonna be completely transparent with you on this blog. I had mental issues like depression and anxiety that led me to anger and misery, panic attacks… How I got there is a story for another time, but when I realized that I had a problem, I really did my best to help myself and my family. One of the things I did first, is to be more organized from mornings to evenings. How I start and end my day has a direct impact on me. Realizing this, I created a healthy routine that I repeat every day. In that way I really help my mind and body and I am more balanced and productive.
If you feel unfulfilled, angry and without energy every day, just give it a shot. Try some or all of my routines listed down below, or create your own daily rituals and you’ll soon see the benefits and will not regret, you will thank yourself, especially if you have a busy schedule, you likely want to make the most out of each day.
Sometimes there aren’t enough hours in a day, so, is it possible to have a productive routine every day? Of course! If you are dedicated to yourself, all these healthy things to do when you wake up will improve your daily routine.
I’ve got some tried-and-true daily tips and tricks that can transform your hectic days into harmonious, more productive and peaceful ones. Let’s dive in.
1. Rise and shine early bird! 7-9am
It’s no secret that early risers tend to be more productive. I can sleep easily 10 hours straight and, after waking, I need to take a nap to rest after so much sleep. How do I wake up so early every morning? Well, I have two elementary school boys so I need to get up… But, instead to go back to bed, I would start doing my chores. I’ve realized that I have more time (obviously) and I have way more energy than when I wake up at 10 and beyond. If I keep sleeping after 10, I feel terrible and exhausted. Every morning my alarm is set at 7:00 o’clock. Somethimes I sleep until 8:30am. Maybe it sounds to early for you, it is still early for me too, but, if I have to choose between more time vs more stress, guess who is the winner? To wake up early, my bedtime needs to be around 10-11pm. There’s no way I can wake up early if I lay down after that, so… You need to do what you need to do in order to succees in every sphere in your life, right? But what if you work first shifts only and not working from home – shift schedule. Go to work, plan your day, or a week ahead. I was tired after my day job, but I was still able to do everything just because I had an organization plan. Start your day with a gentle sunrise alarm clocks that simulates natural light and eases you into wakefulness. Check out those ones.
2. Stretch & hydrate yourself
One of the very good morning habbits. Stretching can wake up those muscles and send a signal to your body to get ready for the day. I do stretching 10 to 15 minutes, or more if I have enough time. If you don’t have time for yoga or pilates, stretching should be enough. Stretch your legs, your arms, head and back. Breathe deep. Inhale positive energy and exhale all the negative from your mind and body. With stretching you can easy increase flexibility, speeds up your recovery, reduces injuries & tone your body. So get your blood and the energy flowing. And don’t forget to drink water. Drinking more water makes me realized how thirsty I am. Treat water as an investment in your health. Keep a water bottle by your side and sip throughout the day. Dehydration can sneak up on you, making you feel sluggish and unfocused.
3. To-Do list
My the most important thing to do is to make a plan for the day. Free from remembering, free from stress if I forget something and because I have hybrid job, I really need to make the most of my day. Distractions are everywhere. If you go to work, make your organization plan night before. When I was working at the office, I had a different day plan and I was using calendar and planner to know exactly when I will clean, when I have free time to be with my family. My husband and I, we would have different shifts or he would be abroad, so our time together and time with our kids was very important. You can use magnetic board, sticky notes, planners, to-do lists or digital planners if you like apps more than paper. Whether you’re setting monthly goals, reflecting on your progress or managing your wellness, lifestyle, health & fitness and finances, you can cover everything. These things help me a lot and it would be impossible to forget something. How to reduce stress? First thing – be more organized! To find the best planner for yourself, check this post. Somethimes, life doesn’t make sense without planning everything.
4. House cleaning
Fast home tidying can totally have a huge effect on your day and it takes about 30 minutes up to an hour if you clean every day. Everything that you can do to make your space more comfortable, you can do that after waking up or to have specific time just for that.We are minimalists, so we don’t have so much unnecessary things in our house and I just love that my rooms, my house in general always look so orderly and neat. I like clean and organized rooms and I like that I don’t have to spend so much time on cleaning. I have specific time when I clean my house. Almost every of my mornings are usually dedicated to my blog. In the mornings I have ‘alone’ time and I use that time wisely for my career. After that it’s house time – lunch – kids – free time. It’s easy to add your job schedule in this pattern.
5. Soundtrack your life
Every day I turn on my favorite playlist and dance and sing along while doing stuff around the house. Favorite songs can lift up your spirit in no time and leave you calm and relaxed for the rest of the day. I also love to listen ASMR tapping or reiki healing and calm my mind, especially when I work. It helps me to concentrate. I think, at least for me, it’s very important to calm more my already calm mind before I explode, because, from the past experience I know that nothing can help me when my mental state steps in. I don’t have problems so often in the present moment and if I do, they are so irrelevant, but why to risk.
6. Keep your conversations positive
Every morning you can read, write or tell yourself something positive in form of affirmations and gratitude. With positive parenting quotes and with positive affirmations, you can keep your mind calm and your whole day will be better. You want to shift your mindset in a positive and productive way. A hated argument or fight early in the day can cause your day to crash land and never recover from that later on. For me it was usualy some of my kids. They would do something that only I would consider bad thing and I would yell on them without any reason just because I was feeling that things are not the way I wanted them to be. After calming down, I would feel not bad but miserable. I don’t need and want that anymore, neither for me or for them. They are perfect and I didn’t want to break their minds just because my mind and spirit were broken. All I had to do is to speak positve to myself and to them, make new house and school routine and everything was good. You can also meditate. I use guided meditation before sleep.
7. Mindful breaks
In the middle of your busy day, don’t forget to take mindful breaks. Step away from your desk, go outside from the house, breathe deeply or take a quick stroll. These breaks recharge your mind and keep stress at bay. I like to step outside, even if it’s just for a few minutes. It’s like hitting the reset button. You can also start or end your day with a mindful routine. Whether it’s meditation, journaling or a cup of tea on the balcony, taking time for yourself sets a peaceful precedent. I love that. Just 10 minutes of deep breathing and gratitude can work wonders.
Remember, you don’t have to dedicate a huge amount of time to each activity. As you can see, for just a few hours you can manage to do everything you wanted and your whole day is free to do other stuff you’ve planed. When I was waking up at around 11am and latter on I was in such a hurry and I always had so little time to do anything. And of course, then there is a panic, stress, anger ect. I am organized now. The trick is to be intentional about your days, understanding that hours are precious and should be handled with care.
Feel free to share your own tips and experiences in the comments. I’d love to hear what helps you stay productive and peaceful. And if you found this post helpful, share it with a friends who might need a little extra zen in their life.
For more productive and peaceful days ahead! Much love and joy,
GabbyS.
