Do you often find that as soon as you arise in the mornings and your feet hit the floor, your thoughts are flooded with what you have to do that day or ideas for projects you’re working on. As tempting as it is to just jump right into working, DON’T DO IT. Set boundaries in your life for the hours you will work and the hours you will reserve for rest, reflection and time with those you hold dear. There is a good reason why those thoughts flood our minds first thing in the morning. You are rested and recharged, which allows your brain to reboot. Your thoughts are clearer and you can now easily process ideas and apply them to your projects.
Again, I challenge you to not jump into work mode. Leave a notepad and pin on your nightstand and jot down pointers to help you remember those thoughts when you’re ready to get to work and then return back to sleep or proceed with your morning routine. I say this because it is so important not to get in the habit of working around the clock. You will find that the lack of boundaries puts your mind in work mode for the duration and your sleep may be affected, you may find yourself feeling overwhelmed and frustrated a lot more, and eventually it may also affect the quality of your work and your level of productivity.
To start your day right, make sure to establish a routine that you can rely and depend on. This will help you to feel refreshed in the mornings, will help you better organize your day, and feel more accomplished at the end of the day.
It is my goal to start my day with God every morning and to get some exercise in. This includes prayer, meditation on God’s Word, reading an inspirational book or watching a recorded sermon I’ve saved on my DVR, and getting in 25 to 30 minutes on my stationary bike.
It is also so important to establish wellness habits daily. Here is a sample goal list for inspiration.
Wellness Goals:
- Start your day with inspiration and exercise.
- Drink two full glasses of water first thing in the morning.
- Drink 32 ounces of water or a combination of water, tea and juice while at work.
- Drink 16 ounces of water at home.
- Eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
- Get 8 full hours of sleep daily.
Also, set clear boundaries for yourself and stick to it. Here are a few examples of boundaries I have set for myself to give you an idea.
Work/Life Balance:
- Work of any kind ceases at 8 PM and will not begin before 6 AM.
- No screen time, unless watching a movie or show with my husband, after 10 PM.
- My children get washed up, are read a book, and are in the bed by 9 PM.
- Sundays are off limits. This is a work-free day and time for me, family and friends.
- Prep the following week’s meals on Saturday from 10 -12 PM and place in the freezer.
- Complete housework and chores on Wednesdays and Saturdays ONLY.
- Work only in the window of 6 – 8 AM on Saturdays. This depends on your internal clock. I typically wake up at 5:30 AM to get ready for work Monday – Friday. I automatically wake up at that time every morning, even on the weekends.
With your goals in place and boundaries set, you will start to see the difference in how you feel and how these simple changes affect every area of your life immediately. I hope this provides you with a little inspiration and I wish you a blissful week and good vibes from here on out! Have a great day and please like, follow and share this post.
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Joi Albright 