A Year End Reflection On Daily Routines
Maeve reflects on the importance of her top three favorite daily routines.
Earlier this month I was asked by GoodHousekeeping.com to share some top tips for a successful morning routine for their article11 Smart Things Pro Organizers Do Every Morning. It got me thinking about #routines in general. Why we set them? How many do we need each day? And what happens when a routine we’ve put carefully into place falls to the side? As we approach year-end, I thought I’d offer a reflection on my three favorite daily routines. What routines help you to power through your day? Let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear!
RELATED STORY
Start your day like a Pro Organizer.
How I Power Up My Morning: Making My Bed
My bed over time.
Finding a way to power up in the morning can be a big deal for many of us. I’m not a natural morning person, so I need an outside motivator. For years, I used my alarm clock as a motivator. I’d set it to the news, or if I needed a stronger kick-start, to a loud music station. But in time, this began to feel abrupt.
I wanted a natural way to power up. I adjusted my bedtime routine (including getting to sleep an hour earlier) and before long, began to wake on my own, almost always beating my alarm clock by a minute or two.
I began to seek a new morning power routine. I wanted something healthy, so I experimented with solutions, from #meditation to a quick morning run. But the only routine to stand the test of time in my life turned out to be the simplest one of all, which is making my bed.
For me, making my bed is the best of both worlds. It’s a meditative practice, as I must be mindful to do it (for it’s way too tempting to look the other way). It’s also exercise, as I raise my arms to straighten bedding, and stretch my torso to put pillows into place. #mindfulness
I feel that anchoring the morning with routine, from a cup of coffee or tea to walking the dog, helps to set the tone for the day. It’s a moment to ground in our bodies, to clear our minds, and to get ourselves physically and mentally ready for whatever lies ahead. Whatever you choose, keep it simple, and remember, it’s OK to backslide. If your routine is simple enough, don’t worry, it will call you back. I’ve gone for stretches where I’ve let the bed hang loose, but after many days facing a crumpled bed at night gets old, and I happily put my practice back into place.
How I Power Through My Day: Eating 5 Cashews
My 5 cashews.
When I was young I could never seem to eat enough. I needed to snack every few hours. Carbohydrates were my power-snack of choice, but you can’t keep that diet up for long in life.
One day I read an article about a man who lived well into his 90’s. His secret to success was eating 5 pistachio nuts every day. At the time, I was studying mindfulness #meditation. It struck me how powerful it was that one simple routine helped in two ways: the discipline of 5 nuts kept the man's mind focused, while the protein in the nut gave him an a energy-packed punch.
I decided right then to take on this routine, and I did so with my nut of choice, which is the cashew. It was tempting to eat a handful, but I stuck to the discipline of 5 nuts, and to my surprise, 5 nuts is all it has ever taken to power me through an afternoon energy slump.
Peer into my bag on any given day and you’ll find a tiny tupperware filled with cashews. Without fail, at least once a day during mid-afternoon, I reach in and remove five cashews. And even if I’m on session with a client, if we work through the afternoon, my cashews come out.
Somedays I am unprepared. I have run out the door without my snack tub, or am out of stock at home. When I do forget, I’ll reach for something else to power my afternoon. But the thing is, I’ve come to love this little routine so much that on the days I do forget, I miss my cashews so much. It’s as if they were little friends. And sure enough, within a few days, my routine is firmly back in place.
If you hit an afternoon energy slump, try keeping a power snack handy. Protein is great, but fruit works as well. And while the small quantity might seem crazy, give that a whirl too. Find a 'just right' quantity that works for you. You’d be surprised how little fuel is really needed to pick our bodies up from a mid-afternoon energy slump.
How I Power Down My Night: Getting On My Floor
My spot on the floor.
I have a personality some might call Type A. But the truth is, I’m also an #intuitive being. I love a good deadline, a busy life, and a hectic day. But if I don’t unwind at night and let my mind and body release, I have a hard time falling asleep, and end of low on fuel to manage the following day.
My preferred routine for powering down is to get on the floor. Years back I read Full Catastrophe Living, by Jon Kabat-Zinn. He speaks about the importance of connecting to the floor once a day. It made an impact on me, and I’ve done my best to maintain this practice throughout my life.
Getting on the floor is humbling, as in doing so we are forced to give up our logical brain which says, “That’s strange!” But the simple act of doing so takes us out of mind control, and straight into our intuitive selves. It’s also a way to connect with the earth. If you live in an apartment (like I do), getting down on the floor is akin to laying down on the grass or land #outside. It’s connecting you to something other than your life, your phone, your computer or your work.
Some nights I use a yoga mat, and other nights I lay down on my hardwood floor. The #goal is simple, to allow my body to melt into the floor. 5 or 10 minutes allows the weight and stress of the day to roll off me, and helps me to prepare for sleep. Most nights I include a small stretching routine as well, like bringing my knees to my chest, or turning my ankles in circles, whatever feels good that day, as this helps me to further relax.
If you are looking for a natural way to wind down at night, give getting down on the floor a try. If you have a family, finding the time or location to do so may seem out of reach. But don’t take no for an answer. Carve out space for yourself, or try the floor of your bathroom. Trust me, if you need to unwind at night and need clarity for life the next day -- this works.
What routines power through your day? Let me know in the comments below!
Comments