Hello friends! How’s the morning going? I hope you are having a great time so far! We’re having the best fall break with the kids, and I’m hoping to have a shorter week this week, and get everything ready for Pilot and P’s birthday celebrations. I’m starting the Dr. Cabral 7 day detox today with our community. You can still order a kit and join at your own time when you arrive (use FITNESSISTA20 for a discount).
For today’s post, I wanted to share some of the changes I’ve made to my routine that have turned the dial on productivity, mood improvement, and sleep. It’s fun to tweak things over time and see what works, and this is what has been working lately. I would love to hear if you are working towards any goals or if you have made any changes in sleep or routine and how it goes!
5 markers in my health routine
1) An updated morning routine
I used to get frustrated hearing about morning routines from successful entrepreneurs because I have young children, a life, and no time for a complex 2 hour morning routine. The kids used to be our alarm clock, but now that they’re older, I still sleep until the alarm goes off. I roll out of bed and dive right into the chaos of the morning until school is out, or on the weekends, there’s dancing and soccer games. I was hearing about elaborate morning meditation routines, journals and exercises and just felt annoyed.
But I realized that I could mix some of my favorite habits that put me in a positive and productive mindset and make them work for my life. My “morning routine” is a bit behind now, or broken up into pieces throughout the day, and it makes a big difference to my stress level and attitude.
These are the components that I include:
Morning sunlight and grounding
I know that early morning sunlight can help your circadian rhythm and allow your body to produce melatonin at the right times, so you can sleep more easily at night. I used to open the blinds and let the sun in the house first thing in the morning, but in the last few months, I started going out in the sun. It feels SO good and makes me feel instantly awake and like I’m ready to conquer the day.
I have to let Maisey out in the morning anyway, so instead of staying inside snuggled up in a hoodie or blanket, I go outside with her. I get on the lawn, even if it’s wet, take off my glasses (since they’re transitional and block blue light) and look around the garden. It takes maybe three minutes, but it sets the tone for the whole day. I get a little bit of sunlight on my body and in my eyes, and I also get a little bit of grounding, which can be therapeutic. According to This studio“Grounding appears to improve sleep, normalize the cortisol rhythm day and night, reduce pain, reduce stress, switch the autonomic nervous system from sympathetic to parasympathetic activation, increase heart rate variability, speed healing wounds and reduce blood viscosity.
7 minutes of meditation, 10 minutes of daily
Every day I spend 7 minutes meditating on myself. PEMF Go Mat (FITNESSISTA15 with 15% discount). (If you need meditation strategies, I have plenty here.! You can also listen to a guided meditation on YouTube, Calm, or the Peloton app.) Sometimes 10 minutes seems like too long, so 7 is the perfect number for me. I listen to binaural beats on Spotify while meditating. Then, I set my timer for 10 minutes and daily, using this devotional and a goals/gratitude journal. The goals/gratitude journal is fast (5 things I’m grateful for and 10 goals I’m going to accomplish), and I spend a little more time in the devotional. It’s a great way to check in on my goals (so I’m more likely to take action later in the day), but also my personal values and purposes.
Not checking social media until after we’ve finished our morning walk.
This has been tricky, and I’m not that consistent about it, but I try to avoid checking social media until I finish my morning walk with Maisey. I find it’s just a distraction, especially when I’m trying to get the kids dressed and make breakfast, so it’s worth the wait. Social media and email are a stressor for me, so when I start my day checking my phone (usually alerts and emails that I can’t respond to until later), it only increases my mental load. It’s better to wait until I can respond and take action, rather than let my head hang.
2) Walk every day… unless it’s raining 😉
Walking with Maisey is one of the highlights for both of us every day! We walk for 30 to 45 minutes, and I use this time to listen to a podcast or an audio book. She gets fresh air and exercises, and she is a calmer and happier girl. It’s been raining a lot here in Tucson lately, so if it’s raining, I still move my body in a gentle way to break up the work day, whether it’s with a handful of Zumba songs, a Sculpt Society dance round, or some mobility. and stretch.
3) Go to bed earlier
I had to force myself to do this, especially since I am a night owl and would rather watch TV and read as much as possible. Instead, I go to bed around 10 (asleep at 10:30 or 10:45), and I’m definitely not as tired in the morning. It’s obviously a mood booster, I can work harder during my workouts and I’m more productive when I go to bed earlier.
4) Weekly meetings with friends and family.
This is number 1 for me! If you feel bored, sad, uninspired, like you can’t be productive: make time for meaningful connections that bring you joy. It can be even harder as we get older and alternate work + kids/busy schedules, but it’s so worth it. I meet with at least one friend for coffee/juice or an exercise class every week, enjoy the weekly Bible study, and have dinner on the weekends with family and friends.
5) Avoid alcohol
As I learn more and more about what alcohol does to my body and brain, the less I want to drink it. I still enjoy the taste of wine or a margarita (!) but I don’t crave it like I used to. I continue to cut back and have been enjoying maybe one drink a week. You can read more about my experience with alcohol here.
So tell me folks: have you made any changes to your routine lately? What is one of your health goals right now?
hugs and kisses
Gina
