Bookend Your Day

Are you bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in the mornings, or more of a “hit the snooze 5 times” kinda person? A total night owl, or crashing into your bed (aka, the real love of your life) by 9 PM? Life is not one-size-fits-all, so we’re not here to tell you how to live it – although we do strongly recommend getting enough zzz’s! 

What we want to talk about is how to OPTIMIZE your current routine to MAXIMIZE your awesomeness! Step one to getting the most out of your day (and your life) is setting up some structure for your morning and evening routines. Having these bookends in place brings a sense of calm and confidence to your day. You’ll wake up without the grog of “What am I supposed to be doing right now?” and end on a reflective note so you can hit the ground running tomorrow. Here are our top five tips for successfully bookending your day:

1. Set an alarm and actually get up when it goes off. Make it early enough that you have time to eat a healthy breakfast, shower, and drink your coffee before the rest of the world starts buzzing around you. Running late first thing in the morning is sure to set off a domino effect for a chaotic day. No thanks!
2. Pick a bedtime and stick to it. There is ALWAYS more work to be done. Trying to accomplish everything on your list before bedtime will make you feel drained, unsuccessful, and even resentful of the tasks and people surrounding you. Set👏down👏your👏to-do👏list👏 (it will still be there tomorrow) and sleep.
3. Pack your bags at night. Lunch bag. Diaper bag. Work bag. Gym bag. You see where we’re going with this. Set everything you need in a visible location so you can’t walk out the door in the morning without it. If items aren’t perishable, put them in the car the night before. We’re also keen on leaving friendly little reminders in the form of sticky notes on the door so that all items are accounted for before leaving the house for the day. 
4. Reflect. This one goes for AM and PM. Wake up and take a few minutes to be thankful for what you have – your health, a home – don’t take any of it for granted. Before you lay your head down, flip back through the pages of your day. What went well? What didn’t? How are you going to make tomorrow better?
5. Breathe. You don’t need the entire weight of your day to crash in on you as soon as you open your eyes or keep you awake with a nervous belly. Schedule time – even just 2 minutes – at the start and end of your day to be alone and uninterrupted. If meditation is your thing, rock on. If not, just try closing your eyes and practicing some steady breathing while you visualize wiping your slate clean.

Spend the next couple of days with an extra layer of consciousness around your bookend habits. Identify the positive actions you’re already taking, and make a plan to incorporate things that are missing ASAP. For more ideas like these connect with a Moxifit clinic and coach to start your journey toward a healthier lifestyle!