Falling into a Routine
So the hard parts of moving are over, and as we're moving through September, both J and I have gotten into more of a routine -- and our output efficiency is through the roof. But now that I'm actually settled, I want to crank it up a bit more and push myself to be the optimal me. In order for me to do that -- I really need to fine tune my routine to make it work for me the best it can.
I think September naturally brings me into 'new routine' mode -- I've always been a sucker for back to school time. It always felt like the 'real new year' to me, and god only knows that back to school supplies (pretty paper and cool pens, amiright?) have had an obvious impact on who I am. Fall also means the start of the NFL season, which means that J & I spend every Sunday at home together cooking, cuddling, and making plans to conquer the world.
There are a few things that I want to push myself to do daily this fall:
Write
Take a photo
Eat breakfast
Fill out a Currently List
I've found that its easiest to stick with my goals if I truly prioritize them in my life. It's easier to succeed when you set yourself up for success, instead of just willing yourself to be successful. I want to succeed, so I'm going to learn how to make these things a part of my everyday life.
If I come to a barrier in prioritizing these goals, I'll assess the barrier and remove it permanently -- not just work around it.
For example -- I'm worthless until I've had something hot to eat in the morning. I can't think, talk, work, and I usually have a gross headache. If I eat something small, first thing in the morning, I am about 500% better at being a human being. The problem is that since I'm pretty much worthless in the morning, I can't really cook or prepare anything to eat.
For the last two months, I've been trying to will myself into doing it. I keep telling myself, 'come on -- you know that eating will make you feel better' and the other side of me is like 'I don't care, I can't comprehend preparing anything edible right now'. So there are days where a headache will take over and I'll waste an entire morning on feeling ill. So instead of feeling shitty about not being able to will myself into being a different person -- I need to look at the problem differently and find a solution that works for me.
My problem: I need access to food (that I want to eat) when I wake up. It needs to be pretty much ready to eat -- I can turn on the oven, but that's my limit.
My solution: Prepare a meal the night before and leave it in the fridge for easy heat up in the morning.
It wasn't until I made EATING in the morning a priority (instead of making breakfast), did I realize how to make it easier on myself, and work it into my daily routine. Now when I'm finishing up dinner, I just make sure that I've made myself a small plate of something that I can just throw in the oven the next morning. Just an extra five minutes of effort at night means that I can wake up to something super yummy with little to no effort in the morning. Which, in turn, means that I have a much more productive day, I feel better, and I'm a happier person.
For the other goals, I'll work to find a similar way to work them into my daily routine. I might keep a notebook in the kitchen, so I can write in the mornings while I'm eating my breakfast. I might add a couple of notifications to my phone to remind me to snap a photo. I'm confident that I can figure it out.
My final goal is to write out a Currently List each day. Usually I write my lists out on Friday evenings, but I'm really proud of myself for these new currently products, and in addition to wanting to share them with the rest of the world, I really want to dive deep and master them. I want to see what other creative ideas I can come up with, I want to be inspired by the amazing Currently List community, and I want to be documenting my right-now story.
Because goal-setting should be fun (bright colors help me succeed) I crafted a two ring mini-album to hold my Currently Lists. Starting October 1st, each day I'll be filling out a Currently List -- a mix of sticky notes, journaling cards, and pretty paper with stamps -- and adding it to my album. I encourage everyone to join me. There's no right or wrong way to do it -- it's all about telling your right-now story.
Does fall mean a change in routine for you too?
Are you a sucker for back-to-school supplies?
Will you join me and write about your right-now story this October?