Hello there you lovely lot, I hope you’ve had a good week and are ready for an even better weekend. I try not to ‘live for the weekend’ but two days off sounds like bliss after a busy week – am I right?

I’ve shared recently that my goal right now – for the month, year and foreseeable future – is to be more intentional and selective with how I spend my time and energy and more present in the moment rather than trying to accomplish too many things at once. For a long time this was my downfall; trying to do too much, starting off great then burning out.

After a lot of time, therapy, treatment and adjustment I feel like I’ve fine tuned things in my life and as a result, I’ve become healthier, happier, more present, more efficient and more mindful. I share more about my journey here – New Year, Same Me – just a little more intentional.

Before I get into the habits that have helped immensely in this transition, I’d like to point out that I refer to them as dailyISH habits rather than daily habits. I tend to be a very all-or-nothing kind of person and that has been a real issue for me in the past. If I say to myself, ‘I’m going to meditate every day‘, the moment I miss a day – which is inevitable – I just stop because I think I’ve ruined my progress.

Telling myself these are dailyISH habits takes away the pressure to do things perfectly and allows me to just get up and keep going when I stumble. It’s kinder and easier in truth so I hope you try to take this ISH approach no matter what goals you’re trying to accomplish.

Here are some daily (ISH) habits that have worked wonders for me

• WAKE UP EARLY – I realize this one is tough for many people. However early is subjective. If you normally wake up at 8am, try waking up at 7.30am. It’s not a huge shift but it does make a difference. Having the extra 30 mins to yourself, to go out for a walk, have a coffee in peace, plan your day or anything that brings you calm is so helpful first thing in the morning. I’m an early bird and wake up around 5am, I use my time in the morning to meditate, have a quiet coffee, plan out my day and if I have any time left, start work or meal-prep.
• MEDITATE – honestly, if you had told me 10 years ago that I not only aim to meditate daily, I also talk about it an recommend this to everyone I know, I’d have laughed. This practice was not only alien to me, it also seemed like a big waste of time and totally tedious. HOWEVER, having a hyperactive brain and endless to-do lists means I need this and it’s the farthest thing from futile. If you’re thinking I sit on the ground surrounded by candles for hours on end, I don’t. I simply follow a guided meditation on an app (you can also find many on YouTube) and follow for 5 to 15 minutes tops. It’s enough to set me up for a great day!
• MEAL PREP – I realise this may seems daunting to many, but it doesn’t really have to be this big production that you have to spend hours doing every weekend. I used to do that but to be totally honest I would very much rather spend time with my family so instead, I simplify things. When I’m cooking, I just make more than one thing at once. If the over is on because I’m cooking a veggie lasagne, I’ll also roast some veggies for the following day. If I have an extra 10 minutes, I’ll make a dip and slice some veggie sticks. Every week I make at least one treat recipe to have something to nibble on in the evenings after dinner. It really doesn’t have to be pre-planned and super complicated.
• DIARY / LIST THE NIGHT BEFORE – this is definitely a big one for me. I often find it hard to switch off and relax. I keep thinking about everything I need to do and hoping I don’t forget anything the next day. So writing everything down, in no specific order, the night before is a big help. It’s “insurance” in a way and I find it helps me wind down after a long day. Then the next day, I use this list to plan my day. This really only takes two minutes and I find it can be very valuable if you, like me, find it hard to relax.
• SPEND LESS TIME ON YOUR PHONE – I’ll admit I find this really difficult some days. I do however try my best not to fall into a scrolling black hole first thing in the morning which has made a big difference for my focus. I also leave my phone in the kitchen when I’m working in the living room – close enough to hear it but far enough so I have to get up to get it which means I’m not reaching for it as much.

If you take anything at all from this post, I hope you realise that even the little changes and the smallest steps can lead to great improvement over time. It will take a while; I am by no means exactly where I want to be right now, but I remind myself that I am a work in progress and if I improve ever so slightly day by day, I’m doing great 🙂

That’s it from me for today – I’ll be back with a new blog post Every Single week

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Until next week, be well xXx